Estimation of cost reduction and increase for the final disposal associated with the categorization of inert waste landfills in Japan

This study estimates the overall cost savings that have been realized due to disposal of inert wastes in Japan because this material has been deposited in inert waste landfills (IWLs) that are designed exclusively for this purpose, instead of being co-dipsosed with organic wastes in more costly in sanitary landfills (SLs). The total realized cost savings were based on the disposed volume of inert waste and the actual disposal fees for IWLs and SLs for the period 1977–2006. The estimated reduction in expense is 4748 billion JPY for the period. On the other hand, if organic wastes had been deposited in IWLs along with inert wastes, costs would be incurred to clean up the sites because the surrounding environment may be polluted by the decomposition of the non-inert wastes and considerable efforts probably would be required to restore the polluted environment to its normal condition (this is because IWLs typically do not have a barrier system.) The potential cleanup cost was estimated to be 616 to 1226 billion JPY. These estimated costs were compared and it was found that the net reduction in expense was 3522 billion to 4122 billion JPY. Although the expense was reduced substantially, it was noted that a considerable cleanup cost would be generated. In particular, it was found that the increase in cleanup costs becomes most significant after the late 1990s

Oil Spill Management Systems for Shoreline Cleanup, Planning and Cleanup Cost Claim Support

ABSTRACT Data management during oil spill incidents is vital in ensuring that response staff are properly informed and an audit trail is maintained for future assessment of the response and support for cost claims. This paper describes the development of an integrated contingency planning, decision support and data management system that has benefited from application during a major spill. The system is able to store and visualise via GIS, the key data elements from the contingency plan. This data is then used within an expert system to provide decision support for cleanup activities and resource allocation costing. The data management databases generates field reporting forms which are reflected in the database so that information can be directly transferred into the computer on a daily basis. The resulting database is available on an on-going basis for response staff to access and at the end of incident, forms a definitive record of response activity and resource usage.

Estimating Cleanup Costs for Oil Spills

ABSTRACT The factors that affect cleanup cost are complex and interrelated. Each spill involves a unique set of circumstances that determine cleanup cost. Estimating a universal per-unit cleanup cost is essentially meaningless without taking into consideration factors such as location and oil type, which can profoundly influence costs. This paper examines the host of factors that impact cleanup cost in an effort to more accurately assess per-unit cleanup cost. A cost-estimation model, based on an analysis of cost data in the Oil Spill Intelligence Report (OSIR) International Oil Spill Database (a 38-year record of over 8,600 oil spills worldwide) is presented as an alternative to a universal per-unit cost value.

COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLEANUP OF MARINE OIL SPILLS

ABSTRACT The cost of offshore and coastal cleanup of spilled oil varies greatly from spill to spill but is of high interest in risk assessments, because cost is often used as the basis of comparison. We present data on the costs associated with mechanical offshore cleanup, shoreline cleanup, and offshore burning. A review of eight offshore recovery operations in North America indicates a mean offshore, on-water cleanup cost of approximately $2,500/bbl, with a range of $10 to $6,000/bbl. Smaller spills (1,000 to 2,000 bbl) have a higher per-unit recovery cost than large spills (≥10,000 bbl)—at about two to three times the cost. Review often shoreline cleanup operations indicates a mean cleanup cost of approximately $8,000 to $9,000/bbl, an average of 2.5 to 4 times higher than the cost of offshore recovery. Variability in shoreline cleanup costs is high, and costs are highly dependent on both the size of the spill and the remoteness of the spill location; small, widely dispersed spills, such as the Nestucca (British Columbia and Washington coasts), involve cleanup costs of more than $20,000/bbl. Although there are few spills where offshore in situ burning has been used as a response option, preliminary estimates indicate comparable unit “elimination” costs of about $500/bbl, five times less expensive than offshore on-water recovery and more than an order of magnitude less than mean shoreline cleanup costs.

UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK CORRECTIVE ACTION TECHNOLOGIES

ABSTRACT Of the estimated 1.4 million underground petroleum and chemical storage tanks in the United States, between 100,000 and 400,000 may leak. The average cleanup cost is estimated by industry sources at $70,000, but corrective action may cost more than $1 million if water supplies are affected. Leaks can occur for several reasons, the most common of which is corrosion of the tank or associated piping systems. To detect leaks, a tank monitoring program can use any of four methods: (1) volumetric (quantitative) leak testing; (2) qualitative leak testing; (3) inventory controls; and (4) environmental effects monitoring, in which wells outside the tank are tested. Response to an underground storage tank leak takes two forms: the initial response to control immediate impacts, and permanent corrective measures. To be effective, the initial response technologies should be in place within hours of the discovered release. Such action usually consists of removing any remaining product in the tank and minimizing immediate risk to public health and the environment. Permanent corrective action focuses on site characterization and assessment to determine the need for further action, on calculation of transport rates, on assessment of the hazard to the environment and public, and on collection of data for selecting and designing further corrective actions.