The US Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF) proposes a nine-step process for conducting and documenting a footprint analysis and life-cycle assessment (LCA) for remediation projects. This guidance is designed to assist remediation practitioners in evaluating the impacts resulting from potential remediation activities so that preventable impacts can be mitigated. Each of the nine steps is flexible and scalable to a full range of remediation projects and to the tools used by remediation practitioners for quantifying environmental metrics. Two fictional case studies are presented to demonstrate how the guidance can be implemented for a range of evaluations and tools. Case-study findings show that greater insight into a study is achieved when the nine steps are followed and additional opportunities are provided to minimize remediation project footprints and create improved sustainable remediation solutions. This guidance promotes a consistent and repeatable process in which all pertinent information is provided in a transparent manner to allow stakeholders to comprehend the intricacies and tradeoffs inherent in a footprint analysis or LCA.For these reasons, SURF recommends that this guidance be used when a footprint analysis or LCA is completed for a remediation project. O c 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. INTRODUCTIONThe remediation industry has successfully cleaned up thousands of sites contaminated with a variety of pollutants using numerous methods. The beneficial intent of these site cleanups is to remediate contaminated media and reduce risks to human health and the environment to acceptable levels. Historically, the activities conducted during cleanups that can impact the environment have not been completely considered or evaluated. Furthermore, potential impacts to human health and ecosystems beyond those typically addressed in human health and ecological risk assessments have not been considered. Externalities, such as societal costs, have not been included in evaluations as well. If these impacts are taken into consideration, some of the negative impacts from remediation activities may be avoided or reduced. Identifying these potential impacts early in remedial planning enables decision makers to maximize opportunities to reduce negative impacts.Sustainability is an emerging and evolving concept used with increasing frequency in today's business world. Every day, corporate decision makers grapple with their company's impact on the environment, natural resources, human health, and society-in addition to tackling questions of economics. Sustainability principles involve balancing 39Guidance for Performing Footprint Analyses and Life-Cycle Assessments for the Remediation Industry three core aspects: environmental, economic, and social. Life-cycle management is a business approach that can be used to target, organize, analyze, and manage information and activities toward continuous improvement along the life cycle. Life-cycle management is about making life-cycle thinking operational for businesses that are striv...

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Three commercial yogurt cultures and strains of Lactobacillus bulguricus and Streptococcus thermophilus isolated therefrom were evaluated for their effect on aspartame degradation during and after fermentation. The rate of aspartame loss was related to growth of the organisms. Differences in losses due to strain type did not appear signficiant. Aspartame degradation rates were correlated to metabolic rate of the culture. As the rate decreased, loss of aspartame decreased. As a result, less than 10% aspartame was degraded during 6 wk refrigerated storage. Results indicate aspartame should remain stable in yogurt, provided it is added after fermentation.

Remediation developed a Sustainable Remediation Panel in the Summer 2009 issue,which featured the Sustainable Remediation Forum White Paper. The panel is composed of leaders in the field of sustainable remediation who have volunteered to provide their opinions on difficult subjects related to the topic of how to integrate sustainability principles into the remediation practice. The panel's opinions are provided in a question-and-answer format, whereby selected experts provide an answer to a question. This issue's question is provided below, followed by opinions from four experts in the remediation field.Life cycle assessment and environmental footprint analysis are considered by many to be important elements of the sustainable remediation evaluation process. At what point in the remediation process are these techniques most useful and why? Are there certain types of projects that are more amenable to these analytical tools? How can the techniques be effectively used to help improve the sustainable aspects of a cleanup project? PAUL J. FAVARA At What Point in the Remediation Process Are These Techniques Most Useful and Why?Life-cycle assessment (LCA) and footprint analysis studies can be incorporated into any step of the remediation process life cycle: site planning and investigation, remedy selection, remediation design and construction, operation and maintenance (O&M), and closure. However, most practitioners apply LCA and footprint analysis in the middle three phases of the remediation project life cycle, and most often in the remedy-selection phase.The remedy-selection phase of the project offers the opportunity to evaluate the footprint of each alternative. Footprint analysis or LCA can provide information for decision makers to understand the environmental burdens of the alternatives being evaluated. This information can be factored into the other decision criteria used by decision makers for remedy selection.