The Differences Between Conventional Remediation and Bioremediation
I wanted to just take a few moments to explain and compare bioremediation vs. conventional remediation practices to get your common sense engines revved up. Industry savvy followers may already know this. This is really for the folks who aren’t aware.
Bioremediation, simply put, is the use of microorganisms or otherwise natural attenuation processes to remediate or clean up contaminated soils. These contaminants can be anything from “forever chemicals” to oil and saltwater spills or herbicides and basically any other chemical which is regulated and really shouldn’t be released to the environment.
Typically, if given enough time, there are bioremediation solutions to most of these scenarios. Nature can eventually deal with most issues. The problem is time is not on the side of bioremediation due to the immediate and long-term harmful effects and potential spread of these type of contaminants once released into the environment.
It can take literally years for bioremediation to successfully clean up many types of contamination. This obviously is not the most prudent practice as it potentially puts people and nature in harm’s way. Therefore, contaminated soils are dug up and hauled away to landfills where they are “safely kept.”
Arguably, since bioremediation can take so long, there is not much else to do in most cases except dig it up and haul it off. This is the “why not” reason bioremediation is usually not the option of choice.
So, why then does the practice of bioremediation even exist? Well, in the middle of nowhere, where there are no people to harm or anyone that may even be aware there is a problem, many companies choose bioremediation because of the lower cost.
In fact, there are way more environmental incidents that go unreported because they are so remote. Companies know that over time, Mother Nature will handle it herself and no one will ever know. I always heard growing up “don’t mess with Mother Nature.” Some companies have seen her wrath, when old covered-up issues are discovered and must be dealt with (most of which are way worse and more costly than the day they started).
To answer the question “why bioremediation?” in part, it’s because of the cost being so much less than digging it up. Also, by cleaning up the mess right where it occurred, we are not unwittingly just moving the contaminants from one place to another. No, the goal is to make the issue go away, right where it happened.
To deal with the issue of time, and “why not?” issues, we offer Catawater solutions. Remember, Catawater products accelerate the naturally occurring processes in bioremediation. There is no simpler way of putting it. Some have called Catawater products “Mother Nature’s energy drink.” Sure, you can say that.
Now you say, this all makes perfect sense…why don’t we do it all this way? Well, we at the Catawater Group of Companies are working on that very message every single day. Fortunately, we continue to gain new customers at a continually steady pace as the word gets out. Perhaps the next time you hear of an environmental disaster, this may cross your mind.
As always, thank you for your time and we wish you all the best!
Steve
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