Non-Destructive Remote Sensing of Hazardous Waste Sites

For the past hundred years, government and private industry have produced hazardous waste in ever increasing quantities. These untold millions of tons of environmentally dangerous wastes have been disposed of by undocumented burial, simple carelessness and purposeful abandonment. Society has recently dictated that before new construction may be initiated, these wastes must be found and cleaned up. The first step is to locate these undocumented waste depositories. This paper describes how the non-contact, nondestructive, remote sensing techniques, of Computer Enhanced Infrared Thermography and Ground Penetrating Radar, may be used to detect buried waste sites, buried tanks/pits, and tank/pit leak plumes. This technology may be used from mobile vehicles, helicopters or man-made portable systems and is able to cover tens of acres per day depending upon the system method used. This proven, but relatively new technology, will be described in theory, by procedure and the use of case studies based upon successful projects during the last ten years.