Culture of Peace Initiative

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed this Web site to summarize timely information about selected full-, field- and large greenhouse-scale applications of phytotechnology. Phytotechnology is an emerging technology that uses various types of plants to degrade, extract, contain, or immobilize contaminants in soil and water. Projects for this Web site are collected using information from technical journals and conference proceedings, as well as information obtained from technology vendors and site managers. The project profiles contain information about relevant site background, the types of contaminants treated, the type of vegetation used, the mechanisms of phytotechnology, planting date, project size, location, cost, monitoring and performance results, and points of contact and references. This Web site can be used as a networking tool (each profile lists a contact) to identify past solutions and lessons learned that would apply to new sites with similar contaminants and climate.

As of August 2008, the Web site included information on 170 phytotechnology projects, encompassing international, completed, and on-going phytotechnology applications. The profiles have documented the use of phytotechnology for various contaminants, such as chlorinated solvents, metals, explosives and propellants, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, radionuclides, and petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. As further information is obtained, EPA plans to update and expand this Web site with new phytotechnology project profiles and updated information about existing project profiles. EPA is continuing its efforts to examine trends in the use of phytotechnology. Areas of particular interest include measurement of performance and cost, use of phytotechnology in remedial systems, and the fate and transport of contaminants.