Universities have been ideal places for scientific experimentation. Their concentration of knowledge and technology seems to almost breed innovations. But, while universities may play host to important research, they don't often get a chance to benefit firsthand from the work that's taken place in their classrooms and laboratories. The University of Georgia is now in the unique position of having its campus serve as one of the few testing grounds for an experimental method of cleaning up toxic waste being promoted by one of its graduates.
When UGA was faced with a massive cleanup of toxic chemicals buried in an old landfill, it could have followed the traditional method of removing the contaminants by digging up the toxic waste and hauling it away to a hazardous materials landfill. While this option has been proven successful, it is extremely expensive with a price tag in the range of $20 million-$30 million.
Instead of following everyone else, the university decided to try something new. With the state Environmental Protection Division's blessing, the university will cap the old landfill to prevent further leakage of the contaminants and will then use trees to filter out the hazardous chemicals that have already seeped out.
Applied biochemist Laura Carreira, a UGA graduate, former EPA contract scientist and managing partner of a 5-year-old company called Applied Phytogenetics, convinced the university to be the state's first field trial of a new toxic clean-up technique called ''phytoremediation.'' The technique uses the natural ability of plants to break down toxic chemicals into salts and carbon dioxide, the normal byproducts of plant metabolism.
While this process may take longer than traditional methods, it has a fraction of the cost. The Georgia legislature set aside $3.4 million to cap the landfill, which is located near the State Botanical Garden on South Milledge Avenue. Carreira's project will cost $250,000.
The phytoremediation project will focus on cleaning up the contaminated groundwater that began seeping into a feeder stream for the Middle Oconee River in 1991. By planting thousands of trees and shrubs around the contaminated area, Carreira believes that in time there will be no toxic waste escaping from the site and tainting the nearby stream.
While this method is still in the experimental stage and there have been few real-world tests of its effectiveness, we believe this is just the kind of innovative thinking the university should pursue. Not only does this technique have the possibility of saving the state money, it could also be an important step in environmental remediation in the United States and elsewhere.
If this method proves successful, it could make the cleanup of toxic areas more economically viable and thus more popular. There are undoubtedly numerous contaminated areas that remain untreated because the property owner or local governments can't afford to clean them up using traditional methods. If that cost can be cut significantly, they may be more inclined to take the necessary steps to prevent further contamination.
We applaud the state and university officials for trying something new and taking advantage of the opportunities this home-grown company can provide. When future situations arise, we hope they will be inclined to look for solutions that are on the cutting edge of science. While the traditional answers may carry less uncertainty, they aren't necessarily the best approach.
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