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| By Caroline Wells and Sue Schwartz |
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) new cleanup rule known as Global Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) became effective on April 17, 2005. Using a cost-effective cleanup approach, the new rule provides DEP with greater flexibility to safeguard public health and Florida‘s natural resources, according to a DEP press release.
“Global RBCA provides the department with a thoughtful and thorough procedure for cleaning up pollution and notifying affected property owners,” said DEP Division of Waste Management Director Mary Jean Yon. “The rule allows the state flexibility for cleaning up contaminated areas and restoring natural resources, while ensuring a high level of protection for public health.”
The rule expands the scope of RBCA to all contaminated sites across the state and incorporates a one-in-one-million cancer risk level with the consideration of future site use. Previously, science-based risk-based corrective action principles applied only to cleanups at petroleum, dry-cleaning and designated brownfield sites — about 95 percent of contaminated sites statewide. Global RBCA applies those same health and environmental risk-based principles to all sites.
Sites include those impacted by industrial solvents, metals such as arsenic and lead, wood preservatives, lead-acid batteries, waste oil, pesticides and electroplating waste sites. Sites owned by the state of Florida and sites for which there is no responsible party are also included. BFN