BIOREMEDIATION

BIOREMEDIATION
Saving money
Cleaning up environmental contamination like the pollution in the Mahoning River could cost as much as $1 trillion in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey says bioremediation can help contain costs as follows:
Treating contamination in place: Most of the cost in traditional cleanup technologies involves removing and disposing of contaminated soils. Because bioremediation can be carried out in place by delivering nutrients to contaminated soils, it does not incur removal-disposal costs.
Harnessing natural processes: At some sites, natural microbial processes can remove or contain contaminants without human intervention. In these cases where bioremediation is appropriate, substantial savings can be realized.
Reducing environmental stress: Because bioremediation methods minimize site disturbance compared with conventional cleanup technologies, post-cleanup costs can be substantially reduced.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey