Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
that will remove the contaminants in the soil. Reduction of the huge quantities must be
accompanied by removal or remediation of the removed quantities, meaning that the mate-
rial removed must be meet regulatory requirements for “clean” soils. This kind of process
can be applied as an ex situ treatment procedure for contaminated soils from all kinds of
locations and depths, namely, a process to remove the iner fractions that will likely have
greater concentrations of contaminants attached to the particles from a contaminated soil
while leaving the coarser fractions relatively clean. In other words, volume reduction of
contaminated soil can be achieved. The question of whether the remaining ine particles
are still contaminated (partially or completely) will depend on the nature of the ine par-
ticles and also the kind of contaminants adsorbed by the ines.
13.7 Concluding Remarks: Sensible Practice for
a Sustainable Geoenvironment
It is clear that so long as depletion of the nonrenewable natural resources contained within
the geoenvironment occurs, sustainability of the geoenvironment cannot be attained.
When one adds the burden of natural catastrophic disasters and their consequences
together with physical, chemical, and biological impacts to the geoenvironment from the
various stressors described in the previous chapters, it becomes all the more evident that
geoenvironmental sustainability is an impossible dream. One has two simple choices:
(1) to concede that the sustainability of the geoenvironmental resources that provide soci-
ety with its life-support systems cannot be realized and prepare to face the inevitable or
(2) to correct those detrimental elements that can be corrected and to ind substitutes,
and alternatives to replace the depleting geoenvironmental resources. The material in this
topic is a irst step in a long series of required steps in adoption of the second choice.
It has been argued that if the global population were to be reduced to some small limit-
ing size, say in the order of just over a billion people, and if replacements or substitutes for
the nonrenewable resources can be found, sustainability can be achieved. Working on the
assumption that this will not likely happen, we have chosen to address the problem of pro-
tection of the geoenvironmental base that provides society with its life-support systems.
The need to protect the environment and especially the natural resources that provide the
basis for the sustenance and well-being of society is eminently clear. The subject addressed
in this topic is a dificult one, not only from the viewpoint of the basic science-engineering
relationships involved in ameliorating adverse impacts on the geoenvironment, but as
much or more so from the fact that many crucial elements contributing to the generation
of these same impacts could not be properly addressed. This is a fact and a realization
that many of these elements were either not within the purview of this topic (especially
the critical subject of biological diversity) or were elements that were dictated by forces
inluenced by business, public awareness, and political will. Prominent among these are
(a) social-economic factors and business-industrial attitudes and relationships, (b) public
attitudes, awareness, sensitivity, and commitment, and (c) political awareness and will.
In adopting the second choice, we have focused on the importance of the geoenviron-
ment as a resource base for (a) provision of the required sustenance of the human popu-
lation and (b) production of energy and goods. We have attempted to develop a better
understanding of the stressors on the geoenvironment and to lay emphasis on the need
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