Bioremediation as an Equitable Approach to Brownfield Cleanup

Brownfields—abandoned or underutilized properties contaminated by industrial or commercial use—are a significant environmental and public health concern. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are over 450,000 brownfields across the country. These sites, often concentrated in low-income communities of color, pose a threat to air, water, and soil quality, limiting opportunities for redevelopment and community revitalization. Traditional methods of brownfield remediation, such as excavating contaminated soil and transporting it to off-site landfills, can be costly, environmentally destructive, and inequitable.

Bioremediation, an emerging and promising approach that uses living organisms like fungi, bacteria, and plants to detoxify pollutants, offers a more sustainable and just alternative. This in situ method—meaning contamination is treated on-site rather than removed—eliminates the need for disruptive and polluting excavation. It restores degraded land for beneficial reuse, such as parks and affordable housing, while aligning with principles of environmental justice and just transition, ensuring that the burden of pollution and remediation does not disproportionately impact vulnerable communities.

The Burden of Brownfields in Marginalized Communities

The legacy of redlining, discriminatory zoning policies, and industrial siting decisions has resulted in a disproportionate concentration of brownfields in low-income communities of color. Historically, these communities have been designated as suitable locations for heavy industry, waste disposal, and hazardous facilities, exposing residents to elevated levels of pollution and toxic substances. In Los Angeles County, for example, areas such as East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, and parts of the San Fernando Valley are environmentally burdened and contain clusters of contaminated sites, many of which remain unremediated due to lack of funding and systemic neglect.

This pattern of environmental injustice is exacerbated by the traditional methods used to address brownfield contamination. Conventional cleanup techniques often involve digging up polluted soil and trucking it to hazardous waste landfills, many of which are also located in low-income, predominantly Black and Latino communities. This process merely shifts the pollution burden elsewhere rather than eliminating it. Additionally, excavation-based remediation can stir up harmful dust, releasing contaminants into the air and endangering workers and nearby residents. Given these challenges, alternative solutions that minimize environmental harm while promoting local revitalization are essential.

Bioremediation: A Sustainable and Just Alternative

Bioremediation offers a groundbreaking solution to brownfield cleanup by leveraging natural biological processes to break down or neutralize contaminants in the soil and groundwater. Unlike traditional excavation methods, bioremediation allows for the treatment of polluted land without removing large amounts of soil, reducing both environmental impact and financial costs.

Several techniques exist within bioremediation, including:

• Phytoremediation: The use of plants, such as sunflowers and poplars, to absorb and stabilize heavy metals in the soil.

• Mycoremediation: The use of fungi, particularly certain types of mushrooms, to degrade petroleum-based pollutants and other hazardous compounds.

• Microbial Bioremediation: The introduction of bacteria that can metabolize and break down contaminants like oil, pesticides, and industrial chemicals.

These approaches not only restore soil health but also support biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and local ecological resilience—making them an environmentally sound alternative to excavation.

Community-Centered Bioremediation: Fungi, Soil, and Environmental Justice

As the need for sustainable and community-driven solutions to pollution grows, bioremediation has emerged as a powerful tool for restoring contaminated land. One of the most promising researchers in the field of bioremediation is Dr. Danielle Stevenson, a mycologist and environmental scientist whose work focuses on using fungi and plants to clean up contaminated sites. Stevenson’s projects emphasize community-driven remediation, ensuring that affected residents play a role in reclaiming their own neighborhoods.

Several successful bioremediation projects demonstrate the potential and effectiveness of using natural processes to clean up contaminated land. In Los Angeles, Danielle Stevenson has led efforts to remediate contaminated sites using fungi and plants. One of her projects involved applying mycoremediation techniques at a former railyard, where native fungi and hyperaccumulator plants were used to break down petrochemical pollutants and extract heavy metals, gradually restoring the land for potential community use. In Byron Bay, Australia, a former gasworks site was successfully remediated using phytoremediation and bioremediation techniques, transforming the area into a community park that provides green space and recreational facilities for residents and visitors. Similarly, a downtown brownfield site in Chicago contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) underwent bioremediation, achieving a 97% reduction in CVOCs within 78 days, paving the way for a redevelopment project.

By integrating bioremediation into urban planning and environmental justice efforts, Stevenson and others are pioneering approaches that move beyond conventional, extractive cleanup methods. Instead of treating contaminated land as a problem to be removed, bioremediation frames it as an opportunity for ecological restoration and community empowerment. This paradigm shift aligns with broader movements in sustainability and resilience, recognizing that communities disproportionately impacted by pollution should have a voice in shaping the solutions that restore their environment.

Restoring Degraded Lands for Community Use

The potential benefits of bioremediation extend beyond environmental cleanup; they also create opportunities for transforming brownfields into parks, affordable housing, and other community-serving uses. For example, the Los Angeles County Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) emphasizes the need for and urgency of restoring degraded lands to address the lack of green space in historically disinvested communities. By leveraging bioremediation, local governments and community groups can accelerate the conversion of contaminated sites into safe, accessible public spaces that promote health, recreation, and environmental resilience.

Moreover, integrating bioremediation into land-use planning supports long-term sustainability by reducing reliance on landfills, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with excavation and transport, and fostering local stewardship over environmental restoration projects. This approach not only mitigates the harmful legacy of industrial pollution but also creates opportunities for green infrastructure, urban agriculture, and habitat restoration. By prioritizing nature-based solutions, cities and communities can transform contaminated spaces into thriving ecosystems that provide ecological, social, and economic benefits for future generations.

Bioremediation and Just Transition

The shift toward bioremediation also aligns with the broader concept of just transition—the idea that as we move away from extractive and polluting industries, we must prioritize economic and environmental justice for workers and frontline communities. Historically, remediation jobs have been dominated by hazardous waste management firms that rely on excavation and landfill disposal. A transition to bioremediation could create new employment pathways in environmental science, mycology, regenerative agriculture, and ecological restoration.

By training workers in bioremediation techniques, we can ensure that those affected by pollution and industrial decline are part of the solution rather than being left behind. This is particularly important in communities where job loss due to declining fossil fuel or manufacturing industries has led to economic instability. Investing in bioremediation as part of a just transition strategy can provide workforce development opportunities while advancing environmental justice goals.

Policy and Funding Considerations

For bioremediation to become a mainstream approach to brownfield cleanup, policymakers must prioritize funding, research, and implementation. Current regulatory frameworks often favor conventional remediation methods due to established industry practices and risk-averse decision-making. However, local and state governments can play a crucial role in shifting this paradigm by:

• Allocating funding for bioremediation pilot projects in historically polluted communities.

• Incorporating bioremediation into brownfield redevelopment grants and land use planning.

• Developing workforce training programs to equip residents with skills in environmental restoration.

• Ensuring community participation in remediation decisions to prevent displacement and gentrification.

Expanding federal and state incentives for nature-based remediation could accelerate the adoption of these methods, particularly in communities that have long suffered from environmental injustices. Additionally, cross-sector collaboration among researchers, environmental organizations, and government agencies can help bridge gaps in knowledge and streamline the regulatory approval process for bioremediation projects. By embedding bioremediation into policy frameworks, governments can support both ecological recovery and economic opportunities, paving the way for healthier and more resilient communities.

Conclusion

Bioremediation represents a transformative, equitable, and sustainable approach to cleaning up brownfields. Unlike traditional excavation methods that shift pollution elsewhere, bioremediation harnesses natural processes to restore contaminated land in place, reducing environmental harm and creating new opportunities for community-led revitalization. Researchers like Danielle Stevenson are demonstrating the feasibility of this approach, showing that fungi, plants, and microbes can play a crucial role in healing urban landscapes.

Bioremediation should be a key tool in restoring degraded lands for community-serving uses that offer multiple public benefits. Moreover, by integrating bioremediation into just transition policies, we can create new economic opportunities while addressing long-standing environmental injustices. With the right investments and commitments, bioremediation can help build a greener, healthier, and more equitable future for all.

Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP, is a Senior Analyst with the Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office. He was previously a Departmental Facilities Planner with the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation.