ABSTRACT
The typical case in Massachusetts is contamination associated with underground storage of petroleum products, either from leaks in tanks, or piping, or from surface spills caused by poor management of the product during transfers. The question is a serious one both for the responsible parties and for the makers of environmental policy. In Massachusetts, as of September 1, 1987, there was no lawfully operating site that was willing to accept soil contaminated with petroleum products. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (DEQE) has been quite aware of these problems. It has articulated a policy that the preferred channel for disposal of oily contaminated soil is in reuse as aggregate in bituminous concrete. The essence of a “concrete” is viscosity or thixotropicity. Bituminous concretes containing additives like rubber can be made for special uses like tennis courts and running tracks. The use of bitumen as an adhesive has a very long history.
