Albion Environmental Ltd is a company who has great experience in environmental consultancy issues including environmental monitoring, health and safety courses, COTC/WAMITAB training and CQA project work but we are now looking to expand our business further.
Over the past few years there has been an increasing awareness of issues surrounding land contamination and the potential for chemical substances upon, in or beneath the ground to impact upon people, animals and the wider environment. The government has set a target of 60% new build on previously used land, often referred to as ‘brownfield sites’. Frequently these sites have some form of contamination present upon them usually arising from past activities, particularly those sites of an industrial nature.
Risk Assessment has become the essential tool for site investigations as the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Part IIA requires a risk based approach to be used when assessing contaminated sites. This risk based approach is also required as part of the planning process for new developments.
Risk Assessment forms the core of the contaminated land investigation and assessment process. The purpose of investigations is to obtain information on sources, pathways and receptors present on or adjacent to a site. The presence of a linkage between these may then constitute a risk, the significance of which must be assessed and is dependent upon a number of factors.
The site investigation is the next phase and there are two phases 1 and 2. Phase 1 is a desk top site investigation.
The Phase 1 Desk Study identifies any potential sources of contamination resulting from the current and / or historical activities at the site.
The report will also identify any potentially sensitive receptors, e.g. humans, surface watercourses, aquifers, buildings or ecological receptors and collate the information relating to the site’s environmental setting i.e. geology, hydrogeology, industrial activity, location of controlled waters (canals, estuaries, lakes, ponds, rivers, springs, aquifers), pollution incidents and proximity to open/closed landfill sites.
Phase 2 is the on site practical site investigation. An intrusive site investigation is then undertaken to investigate each aspect highlighted by the Phase 1 desk study, historical research and walkover survey. This comprises exploratory holes constructed using the most appropriate method for the site to investigate the local subsurface strata.
This is what we want to aim for as a service provider:
- Production of Phase 1 Desk Study reports through extensive information gathering, analysis and interpretation;
- Designing, commissioning and supervising Phase 2 Intrusive Site Investigations, to meet the requirements of both the client and statutory authorities;
- Design & Implementation of remedial schemes and undertaking post remediation monitoring (Phase 3);
- Validation of remediation (Phase 4) and production of Post Remediation Validation Reports and remediation statements;
- Liaison with statutory authorities (e.g. the Environment Agency, local authorities, HSE etc.)