Let's Talk Remediation

In this 34th episode, I discuss The Top Environmental Remediation Technologies Recognized by The US EPA. During this episode, I go through and brief discuss The Top 25 Environmental Remediation Technologies recognized by The US EPA. As always, I suggest that a combination of methods based upon circumstances, it typically the best approach to having the most success in Environmental Remediation. &q...

In this 33rd episode, I discuss What Are The Common Water Remediation Options for AF3 (PFAS/PFOS)? The complex remediation need of AF3 (AFFF) containing PFAS/PFOS has options that fall into two categories; Separation/Capture and Destruction. Separation/Capture technologies isolate the PFAS/PFOS and move it from the liquid by having it attach to another material.  The other material acts like an ab...

In this 32nd episode, I discuss Which Regulatory Bodies Are Involved in Environmental Remediation? When Environmental Remediation is taking place, there could be both Federal and State Agencies involved.  The driver as to if both are involved is the size of the project and if it involves water.  Water remediation typically involves more agencies of both types; Federal and State.   Typically, The S...

In this 31st episode, I discuss What Are The Most Common Water Remediation Methods?  Common water remediation methods focus on physical, chemical, and biological processes, with major techniques including filtration, reverse osmosis (RO), disinfection (chlorine, UV), boiling and pump-and-treat (for groundwater), plus bioremediation (microbes, enzymes) and in-situ treatments like soil vapor extract...

In this 30th episode, I discuss What Are The Most Common Soil Remediation Methods?  Common soil remediation methods include excavation/disposal, bioremediation, thermal treatment, chemical treatment (like oxidation/reduction) and physical treatments (like soil washing or vapor extraction), often categorized as in-situ (in place) or ex-situ (excavated) and chosen based on contaminant type and conce...

In this 29th episode, I discuss What Are The Most Common Environmental Contaminates Found in Water?  I just wanted to have a brief overview of the most commonly found environmental contaminates found in water.  Environmental Contaminates are those that pose a risk to human and environmental health. The most common types are microorganisms (like bacteria, viruses, and parasites), inorganic chemical...

In this 28th episode, I discuss What Are The Most Common Environmental Contaminates Found in Soil?  I just wanted to have a brief overview of the most. commonly found environmental contaminates found in soil.  Environmental Contaminates are those that pose a risk to human and environmental health. The most common types are Heavy Metals, Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Pesticides and Herbicides and Industr...

In this 27th episode I review a current event of "Half A Million Gallons of Liquid Asphalt Spilled into Chicago River." In an article I ran across, it provided details about this recent event of Half A Million Gallons of Liquid Asphalt Spilled into Chicago River.  Although the article was recently published in The Chicago Sun Times on October 31, 2025 by Brett Chase, it notes that the ev...

In this 26th episode, I discuss how the age old slogan "Time is Money" applies to the Remediation Industry. A recent dialog I had with a Prospect, prompted me to cover this topic. During a Remediation project, waiting for analytical results to be returned to know how your efforts are progressing, will cost both time and money.  Having to sit ideal, is not efficient. Using reliable field...

In this 25th episode, I discuss "What is a Superfund Site? Superfund Sites are another term often heard throughout the Environmental and Remediation Industries.  Superfund Sites are locations where The US EPA has determined there is known hazardous materials and contamination that poses a risk to human health and the environment.  Once added to the list of Superfund Sites, The EPA begins to f...

In this 24th episode, I discuss "What is a Brownfield Site?" From time to time in The Environmental and Remediation Industries, you hear this term "Brownfield," so I wanted to discuss what it means. A Brownfield Site is previously developed property, that based on its past use, is either known or perceived to have contamination issues and so for it's redevelopment and/or r...

In this 23rd episode, I discuss "What is a Representative Sample?" In remediation efforts, it's important to use "representative samples" in order to get a better understanding of the remediation progress.  As the name implies, a representative sample, is a sample that represents the surrounding nearby area, such that it can be assumed that for the most part, the surroundi...

In this 22nd episode, I discuss another Current Event:  EPA Approves Clean Up Blueprint for Berry's Creek. On October 8, 2025 The US EPA announced the approval of a clean up blueprint for Berry's Creek in Bergen County, New Jersey. The reason why I wanted to have this current event on the podcast, is to highlight something that jumped out to me. The Berry's Creek Superfund Site was...

In this 21st episode, the topic is "Reliable Field Measurements, Keeping Remediation Moving Forward." This episode 21, pulls together some details from prior episodes; #4, #5, #6, #15 and #19. The topic was prompted by a discussion I had with a Client who disclosed the value impact experienced by the accurate and immediate feedback received by the ability to run 5 tests in 15 minutes and...

In this 20th Episode, I discuss the Current Event of The US EPA's Approval of The Final Clean Up Plan for The San Jacinto River Superfund Site. On September 9, 2025 The US EPA announced that they approved the final clean up plan for The San Jacinto River Pits Superfund Site.  These river pits are two locations one Northern and one Southern, where the Responsible Parties Waste Management and I...

In this 19th episode, I discuss the question, "Why are we still using inferior field measurements from "Sniffers?"" In this Episode 19, I talk about how "Sniffers"; "PIDs" (Photo Ionization Detector), FIDs (Flame Ionization Detector) and OVAs (Organic Vapor Analyzers) provide unreliable results.  As such, I ask the question, "why are we still using thes...

In this 18th episode, I discuss the Current Event of The Cuyahoga Ohio $130M Sediment Clea Up and Gorge Dam Removal. In this episode 18, I discuss an article I ran across published August 28, 2025 by The Akron Beacon Journal by Derek Kreider. The article discusses the details of this large project that is set to begin any day.  This $130M project has two parts.  The first part is the removal of th...

In this 17th Episode, we discuss a current event, The "Largest Gasoline Pipeline Spill Since 2016, Now Estimated at 97,000 Gallons." In this Episode 17, we review a recent publication about this event.  The article was published in The Colorado Sun on August 27, 2025 entitled "Gasoline spill near Durango now estimated at 97,000 gallons, making it Colorado’s largest since 2016."...

In this Episode 16, we discuss what is a "Threshold of Interest" and a "Reportable Quantity." In the Remediation Industry,  a "Threshold of Interest" is a contamination level that is the goal of the remediation.  This level can have many variables that make it differ.  It can vary State to State and for different types of contaminates.  Typically, The US EPA has recom...

In this Episode 15, we discuss "What Does TPH Mean and Why is it The BEST Remediation Measurement?" TPH stands for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons.  TOTAL means ANY and ALL captured and provided in a single measurement. GRO stands for Gasoline Range Organics.  This typically covers the carbon number ranges of C6-12. DRO stands for Diesel Range Organics.  This typically covers the carbon num...

In this episode 14, we discuss the current state of PFAS/PFOS. PFAS/PFOS is commonly referred to as the "Forever Chemical."  Forever Chemical due to its strong resistance to being broken down by purpose and design. However, today, contrary to what the name implies, there are all kinds of companies with solutions that are claimed to remediate PFAS/PFOS. Fiver years ago, Randy Cook of OMG...

In this Episode 13, we discuss the most common environmental remediation reports. Specifically, describing the purpose of each different type of environmental remediation report so that when the different names are referred to, we provide some insight as to what each report is and why they exist. Each type of report has a purpose and for the most part are grouped logically, based on the name to de...

In this Episode 12, we have a live interview of Randy Cook Owner of OMG Solutions to get a deeper insight into Who OMG Solutions is and get the background on both OMG Solutions and Owner Randy Cook. This week's episode is sponsored by Our Ongoing Sponsor Hanby Environmental and Sponsor OMG Solutions.   Hanby Environmental is a manufacturer of TPH Field Test Kits that provide accurate and imme...

In this Episode 11, we discuss Pipeline Releases and General Remediation.  It's an observation I've made and a topic that I've never understood.  On these type of larger scale remediation projects, I've seen Environmental Contractors chose to go with what they think is a less expensive approach of using Microbos (micro-organisms aka bacterial) or Enzymes (man made micro-organis...

In today's Episode 10, we discuss the difference in Emergency Response and Traditional Remediation.   This 10th episode was brought to us by our Ongoing Sponsor Hanby Environmental. Hanby Environmental is a manufacturer of Field Test Kits that provide Fast, Accurate and Economical analysis of Petroleum Hydrocarbons that can be implemented in both Emergency Response and Traditional Remediation...