Cleanup Objectives: Treat 15,000 tons of soil contaminated with explosives such as trinitrotoluene (TNT) and royal demolition explosives (RDX)

Greener Remediation Strategy:

Composted with locally obtained feedstock

• Used Windrow techniques involving placement of soil in lengthy piles
• Periodically mixed soil with a mixture of cattle/chicken manure, sawdust, alfalfa, and potato waste
• Mixed soil with feedstock inside mobile buildings to control fumes and optimize biological activity

Results:

• Treated each 2,700-cubic-yard batch of soil in 10-12 days
• Destroyed contaminant byproducts or permanently bound byproducts to soil or humus, with non-detectable concentrations of explosives.
• Provided $150,000 potential end-revenue from sale of humus-rich soil
• Saved an estimated $2.6 million compared to incineration, a common alternative for explosives treatment
• Avoided significant fossil fuel consumed by an incinerator
• Avoided fuel costs/consumption associated with transporting soil to an offsite incinerator or transferring ash generated by an onsite mobile incinerator

Property End Use: Privatization under base realignment and closure