Queens, New York Brownfield Site Goes Green

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BLOOMFIELD, CT.  February 21, 2012. VeruTEK Technologies, Inc. (VTKT), a provider of patented Green Chemistry technologies for environmental remediation and enhanced oil recovery, announced today a Certificate of Completion (COC) has been issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for the successful cleanup of a New York City brownfield.  

The site, located along the East River in Hunters Point, Queens, NY will be redeveloped for a new branch of the Queens Public Library and a New York State Parks ranger station.  VeruTEK successfully implemented its patented Surfactant-enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCO) technology at this former industrial site to remediate contamination from coal tar repurposed from Manufactured Gas Plants (MGPs) for use in the production of roofing products. 

This S-ISCO remediation marks the first time a Green Chemistry solution of this kind has been used to remediate MGP-related contamination in New York City and sets a precedent for the use of innovative technologies to achieve a COC within the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.

S-ISCO provided a low-impact solution that benefits the health and safety of the community and environment. Specifically VeruTEK’s innovative treatment:

• Destroyed contamination in place, avoiding digging and hauling thousands of truck-loads of contaminated soil through the community while preserving the stability of the subsurface and high-rise buildings on adjacent parcels;

• Prevented surrounding businesses and residents from being exposed to dust and emissions related to large scale excavation, and also reduced soil gas contamination;

• Took place during a short time frame (five months), without disturbing the community; and

• Provided a permanent solution to site contamination, preparing the site for safe and productive reuse.

Arana Hankin, President of Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), the New York State public authority responsible for the development of the Queens West project, said, “Issuance of a Certificate of Completion for this brownfield site is an exciting milestone in the redevelopment of Queens waterfront property.  We look forward to beginning the next phase of redevelopment, construction by the City of New York of a state-of-the art public library on the site, which was cleaned up with virtually no disruption to the community.”

At this urban site, VeruTEK conducted  S-ISCO injections to treat more than 50,000 pounds of coal tar contamination in the soil by destroying in-situ (in place underground) over 90% of the combined polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and BTEX compounds, including 95% of the naphthalene.  VeruTEK’s novel S-ISCO technology combines patented plant-based surfactant and co-solvent mixtures (VeruSOL) with free-radical oxidant systems to safely release (desorb) and destroy recalcitrant contaminants from the soil. VeruTEK’s S-ISCO technology destroyed the primary source of contamination, yielding a permanent solution for the site.

VeruTEK’s S-ISCO technology was selected by Fleming Lee Shue, a New York City based environmental management and consulting company which was commissioned to design and manage the cleanup effort by QWDC and a leading national developer and manager of high quality apartment communities. The S-ISCO treatment was augmented by Wavefront Technology Solutions US Inc’s (Wavefront) Primawave pressure-pulsing technology, as well as the RemMetrik^SM process to quantify subsurface contamination, optimize its treatment and measure effectiveness.    

Arnold Fleming, President of Fleming Lee Shue, added, “Our firm identifies and commissions innovative technologies which deliver cost effective and thorough environmental cleanup.  We were very impressed with the results of VeruTEK’s S-ISCO technology implementation.  Compared to full-scale excavations conducted on similar nearby sites, VeruTEK’s remedy not only reduced the project cost by over $5 million dollars but also avoided the release of dust and odor, prevented disruption to the community, and reduced the carbon footprint of the clean-up.  The project was done cost effectively, completed on-time, under-budget and resulted in a Certificate of Completion.”

Dan Socci, VeruTEK’s CEO, praised the work of the combined Fleming Lee Shue and VeruTEK team that designed and implemented the S-ISCO remedy, as well as the results achieved, stating, “We are proud of  the outcome of this project and had a very positive experience collaborating with Fleming Lee Shue.  We look forward to repeating this project’s success and bringing a safe, effective and environmentally preferable solution to other brownfield sites, enabling their return to productive use.”­­­

VeruTEK has successfully implemented S-ISCO at locations worldwide to treat former MGP sites, chlorinated solvents contamination—including industrial cleaning and dry cleaning chemicals, home heating oil spills, and gasoline station tank leaks.  The successful destruction of MGP-related coal tar at the Hunters Point brownfield site in Queens, adjacent to the East River and in a densely developed urban setting, demonstrates the ability of S-ISCO to achieve contaminant source destruction in-situ quickly and safely for the benefit of the community and the environment. 

 

Complete Cleanup for Superfund Sites Required by New York State DEC

New remediation technologies make Superfund Site Cleanup cost-effective, fast, and feasible.

With the new year underway, as CEO of VeruTEK, I felt there was no better time for my inaugural blog. In addition, recent events in the field of environmental remediation, particularly brownfield clean up and development, provide further motivation for this discussion. At VeruTEK, I have the privilege of working with a talented team of professionals who developed one of the exciting new environmental cleanup chemistry technologies available in the industry today. We were very pleased with the recent announcement in New York of a U.S. Court of Appeals 5-2 decision to enforce a state Department of Environmental Conservation regulation to require environmental clean up to “pre-disposal conditions to the extent feasible.” This is in contrast to an opposing view that only “significant threats” need to be addressed.

While this court decision is a victory for communities in their efforts to require property owners to clean up toxic sites, Thomas Walsh, the lawyer for the companies, grouped under the name New York State Superfund Coalition, claimed a partial victory, saying the court left no doubt that “cost-effectiveness” should be a factor in deciding the thoroughness of cleanups.

Cost-Effective Technologies for Superfund Site Cleanup

Walsh’s reference to cost-effectiveness as a determining factor in the decision-making process opens the door for broader acceptance of new technologies in the remediation industry. As property owners are motivated, or obligated, to take more thorough cleanup action, they will be receptive to alternative technologies that are proven to be more cost effective, as well as environmentally friendly.

VeruTEK has successfully remediated multiple brownfield sites in the Northeast using its patented S-ISCO technology to achieve outstanding results in providing permanent destruction of contaminants and converting the sites to valuable development assets.

We applaud the U.S. Court of appeals decision and hope there is additional similar regulatory action to promote brownfield clean up and the expanded use of new, green remediation technologies.

 

Oil Spill Treatment Product in Time for New EPA SPCC Regulations

VeruTEK Technologies is launching Spill Eraser oil spill treatement product just in time for a new round of EPA Regulations and inspection program.

New EPA Regulations for Petroleum Storage in Above-Ground Tanks

Some Key Facts:

• 1320 gallons is measured in all containers 55 gallons and over at the site.
• The petroleum storage area and the loading and unloading areas must be protected by secondary containment.
• The SPCC requires a written plan, certified by a Registered Professional Engineer.
• The SPCC requires a designated site person responsible for the implementation of the plan.
• All personnel involved in the handling of the petroleum must be trained.
• The EPA requires documentation for weekly tank inspections, training, etc.

EPA is launching a visitation program to perform SPCC Plan audits and Site inspection.

Inspections can consist of:

• Records review
• Review of the SPCC plan and training
• Demonstration by site personnel of mitigation procedures

VeruTEK Technologies is happy to announce our newest addition to our green chemistry line up. Spill Eraser is a plant based industrial cleaner made in the USA perfect for oil spill treatement / leaks and routine facility maintance.Be sure you have the safest most effective mitigation product for your leaks/spills.

Spill Eraser consists of a plant based surfactant and hydrogen peroxide without harmful byproducts.

Cleans surfaces including soil, gravel, asphalt and concrete.

No special equipment

No digging and hauling

No hazardous chemicals

No long waiting periods

                           Maintenance of Spill Prone Areas
SpillEraser™ degrades oil , diesel, or gas into a microemulsion  that is chemically oxidized  to carbon and water. Cleaning activity continues for up to 30 days without interrupting daily facility operations.

SpillEraser™ is non-toxic, safe to handle, and can be applied through standard spray equipment. Include as part of operation and maintenance activities to keep spill prone areas from becoming liabilities. Ideal for treating access limited areas and structures. Stains and odors are removed without the use of hazardous chemicals and eliminates the need for costly digging and hauling.

Click here to watch Spill Eraser Work!

 

Feel free to contact Jeff Ayers at 210-215-2460 for more information or technical assistance.

Green Chemistry Company VeruTEK promotes "America Recycles Day"

Today, November 15^th is ‘America Recycles Day’ and leaders in green chemistry: VeruTEK is joining in the celebration.  While we spend each day working to clean up the environment, this is an opportunity that everyone can take part in.

From http://www.kab.org “Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States. One day to inform and educate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year.”

We are currently recycling in house with single stream recycling of paper, plastic and cans. We are currently looking into ways implement more recycling. Have any office waste reduction tips? Help us continue or green mission.

Based on our broader vision and by popular demand from clients currently utilizing S-ISCO to remedy soil and groundwater contaimination we are launching our newest green product line up: VeruGreen Cleaning Products.

 

Press Release from Stamford, CT via ‘Keep America Beautiful’: http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pressreleases_11_12_10&AddInterest=1001

Surfactant Enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCO)

According to USEPA (2004), Cleaning up the Nation's Waste Sites, an estimated 294,000 contaminated sites will need to be cleaned up. The estimated cost to clean up these sites is about $209 billion. Many of these sites contain Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs), which VeruTEK's technology specifically remedies. NAPL may be dense or light with respect to the density of water, approximately 1.0 gm/ml at 25º deg. C.

Read More: Surfactant Enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCOTM) Treatment of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids