Phytoremediation: A Growing Field with Some Concerns

Eric Carmen/ARCADIS Geraghy & Miller Phytoremediation--the use of trees and plants to help clean up toxic waste sites--is not only a growing science; it's also a growth industry. One report estimates that the phytoremediation market in the United States will expand from $16.5-$29.5 million in 1998 to $55-$103 million by 2000 and to $214-$370 million by 2005.1 In addition to offering job opportunities for environment-related physical scientists, the industry also will need life scientists, s

Harvey Black

| 5 min read

Listen with Speechify

0:00

5:00

Eric Carmen/ARCADIS Geraghy & Miller

Phytoremediation--the use of trees and plants to help clean up toxic waste sites--is not only a growing science; it's also a growth industry. One report estimates that the phytoremediation market in the United States will expand from $16.5-$29.5 million in 1998 to $55-$103 million by 2000 and to $214-$370 million by 2005.¹ In addition to offering job opportunities for environment-related physical scientists, the industry also will need life scientists, such as biochemists, to staff its multidisciplinary needs.

"For a number of applications where phyto is being used today, such as controlling or removing organic contaminants from groundwater or controlling leachate [runoff fluids from landfills containing potentially hazardous material], the technology will [become] reasonably widely accepted," says David Glass, president of D. Glass Associates Inc., an analyst and author of the self-funded market report. "If it proves cost effective, it will really take off. There are ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here