Living and Working in Phytoremediating Brownfield Sites, Creating Healthier Environments than Is the Norm in Urban Conditions

Phytoremediation

by Jane Philbrick (MDes CC ’16)

Phytoremediation, a remedial technique using living plant material, is a cost-efficient alternative to conventional land reclamation practices. However, the timeframe for natural processes is lengthy, measured in decades not months. Without a means of generating income, the carrying costs of fallow land dwarf any gains in savings realized through implementing plant-based methods. Shifting the focus of concern from contaminant sources (i.e., impacted soil and water) to exposure pathways (i.e., eating impacted soil or food grown in impacted soil; drinking contaminated water) allows a broader range of uses and possibilities for sustaining economies in phytoremediating landscapes. Not only is it possible to live and work in the park-like setting of phytoremediating brownfield sites without compromising health, doing so in fact offers healthier environments than is the norm in urban conditions.

Particulate Matter Pollution
Particulate Matter Pollution
Railyard Brownfields
Railyard Brownfields