Each service station site presents unique challenges and opportunities for scientists at Environmental Works, Inc. (EWI). For example, our Investigation/Remediation (I/R) department in Kansas City is currently monitoring for petroleum at a site in Northwest Missouri uphill from a perennial stream. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) tested for and documented petroleum hydrocarbon impacts …
EWI Installs Durable, Eco-friendly Flexamat® at Site with Erosion Issues
“I don’t think we’ll ever have to do a big clean-out here again.” That was the sentiment shared by Willie Vance, stormwater operations manager at Environmental Works, Inc. (EWI), after excavating 25 tons of sediment from a massive stormwater basin, grading a 50-foot length of the basin between an outfall pipe and the central catch …
A Summary of Environmental Funding Programs
Evaluating and remediating environmental hazards is a crucial responsibility for any business owner, particularly those dealing with hazardous materials like petroleum. But, remediation can also be costly. To combat this cost burden, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awards more than $4 billion in annual environmental funding for grants and other assistance agreements. The EPA puts …
Taking Sites from the Initial Emergency Response Phase Through Regulatory Closure
When members of the EWI emergency response team receive notice of a potential hazard – a fuel spill on gas station property, for example – they have to act quickly. At the same time, our team members must keep environmental compliance top of mind at all times. The process of taking sites from the initial …
EWI Completes Complicated Sinkhole Mitigation in Greene County, Missouri
When a sinkhole mitigation job at a department store in Greene County, Missouri, turned into the remediation of a complex karst geology site, Environmental Works, Inc.’s Investigation/Remediation (I/R) team had to get creative and work closely with regulators to determine how it was going to get the job done.
How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste
From motor oils to lithium batteries, hazardous waste takes many forms. Hazardous waste is also highly prominent across nearly every industry, which some manufacturing professionals may find surprising. Potentially harmful waste is generated constantly by all kinds of industrial processes, putting the environment – and your employees – at risk. For that reason, it is …
EWI Tests Superfund Site for Vapor Intrusion Using Sub-Slab Sampling Technique
On contaminated sites, concern over exposure to harmful chemicals can expand from groundwater and soil to indoor air. Such air pollution is called “vapor intrusion,” and “occurs when there is a migration of vapor-forming chemicals from any subsurface source (soil, water) into an overlying building,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
PCB Health Effects
Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are a mixture of individual chemicals. Formerly used in various engineering capacities, manufacturers no longer use PCBs in the United States – however, PCBs still exist in our environment. After the harmful health effects of PCBs were documented, they were eliminated from the U.S. manufacturing field in 1977. However, your industrial …
EWI Uses Advanced Geophysical Technology in Quest to Locate Product at Complex Site
Environmental Works, Inc. (EWI) recently employed the use of Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) in its quest to find 8,000 gallons of product released from a busted fuel line at a service station in southwest Missouri. The advanced geophysical technology helped locate a second sinkhole on the site, as well as several potential pathways for free-product …
The Importance of Tank Inspections
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are around 700,000 aboveground bulk storage tanks in the United States. While aboveground storage tanks are designed to withstand the elements, one fact remains: Left unchecked, tanks leak. Tank leaks can occur due to a variety of factors – faulty equipment, corrosion, and UV degradation, to name a …
