LEGISLATIVE, ECONOMIC, AND CREMICAL ANALYSIS  OF PETROLEUM
CONTAMINATED SOIL BY USING THERMAL TREATMENT REMEDIATION

Renee A. Newcomb

Department of Biology and chemistry
Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan  49783 USA



ABSTRACT.  General motors excavated 3200 yd3 of petroleum
contaminated soil  caused by leaking underground storage tanks.
Under Federal legislation, this contaminated soil had to either
be disposed of into a landfill or remediated (treated clean).
General Motors decided to use thermal treatment remediation (TTR)
instead of landfilling.  The TTR process was compared with
Federal and State regulations; and economic assessment was made
between TTR and landfilling; and a soil analysis was completed on
a before and after remediation sample using EPA standard methods.
The TTR process was found to be in compliance with Federal and
State regulations.  Economic comparison indicated that TTR was
initially more expensive than landfilling, but General Motors has
no further liability since the soil was rendered clean of
contaminates.  The soil analysis was consistent with the outside
laboratory's results, indicating that TTR does render a soil
clean of contaminates at the end of the process.




SELECTED REFERENCES

Comprehensive Environmental Response and Liability Act (CERCLA)
42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 nt (1980).


EPA, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste.  1986
Leaking Underground Storage Act (LUST) P.A. No. 478 (1933)