Application of Waste Remediation Technologies to Agricultural Contamination of Water Resources

An EPA Conference

July 30 - August 1, 2002
Marriott - Country Club Plaza
Kansas City, Missouri

About the Conference | Conference Features
Co-Sponsors | Agenda | Abstracts

About the Conference

The Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center and the EPA Office of Science Policy (OSP) invited you to participate in the "Application of Waste Remediation Technologies to Agricultural Contamination of Water Resources" conference at the Kansas City Marriott - Country Club Plaza on July 30 - August 1, 2002.

Agriculture and water are invaluable and inseparable parts of our world. They are the basis for survival-from both a human need and economic standpoint. However, historical storage, distribution, and use of fumigants and agricultural chemicals has impacted water resources. In Kansas and Nebraska alone, groundwater is contaminated at 850 sites, at least a quarter of which contain municipal and domestic drinking water wells. Contamination from concentrated animal feeding operations and septic systems also impact water resources. Simply stated, impacted water and potential cleanup costs threaten agribusiness and communities in general.

Lessons learned from the EPA Superfund Program offer cheaper, faster ways to remediate impacts of agricultural activities. This conference explored how these may enhance both the environmental and economic vitality of agricultural operations and communities. Oral presentations and posters in the program showcased programs, tools, and methods to deal with four major challenges:

1. fumigants and volatile organic chemicals
2. nitrogen
3. pesticides and herbicides, and
4. livestock wastes

Anyone addressing agriculture-related remediation challenges benefits from this conference; including pesticide formulators and distributors, grain storage and marketing businesses, producers, and municipal and other government officials. Technical consultants and researchers who attended also gained perspective on issues and potential solutions. Please see the agenda for a more detailed look at the conference happenings.

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Other Conference Features

• Reception and poster viewing - Tuesday night
• Evening Reception & Forum - Programs to Address Challenges: Where We Are, Where We Need to Go, and How to Get There - Wednesday night
• Workshop on Life Cycles of Carbon Tetrachloride and EDB Groundwater Plumes from Fumigation of Stored Grain - Thursday morning
• Proceedings available on CD-ROM for every participant
• See the agenda for details on even more events

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Co-Sponsors

The conference was organized by the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC and the following co-sponsors:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
- ORD, Office of Science Policy/Superfund Technical Liaisons
- Region 7 Superfund Program
- Region 7 Office of Drinking Water and Groundwater Programs
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

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