Contaminated Land

Contaminated Land is any area that has been polluted by its past industrial use or by the disposal of wastes. Contamination is an inevitable effect of

Back to define of contaminated land is any area that has been polluted by its past industrial use or by the disposal of wastes. Contamination is an inevitable effect of industrialization and of waste generation, as it involves the introduction of materials not naturally present in the environment at a given location. Contaminated land is a major issue in developed nations, with the decline in heavy industry and the targeting of former sites of industry as valuable real estate in inner-city locations. Increasingly, there is a need for adequate environmental site assessment reviewing the type and level of contamination before developing a clean-up strategy.

Some field execution sites will be located on sites where previous activities may have resulted in Contaminated Land, soil and or groundwater. Prior to the start of any work on site, it is important to review any existing assessments and investigations to identify the potential risks and any areas of contamination. If no assessments / investigations have been undertaken and there are reasons to believe that the site may be contaminated, then steps should be taken to evaluate the site conditions and confirm responsibilities for the existing site conditions and any associated problems due to field execution activities, prior to work starting. Any assessments or investigations shall be agreed with the client. The potential for contamination to be present on the site is normally determined in two phases

Phase 1

Performing desk study to identify any previous land uses that may have resulted in contaminated land. These land uses can be on or adjacent to the site. Information relevant to a preliminary investigation includes:

1. History of the site;
2. Processes used;
3. Layout of the site above and below ground at each stage of development;
4. Presence of waste disposal pits, abandoned pits, and quarries with or without standing water;
5. Mining history;
6. Information on geology and hydrogeology (including the presence of groundwater and surface water); and
7. Potential contamination uses of sites, past or present, in the area adjacent to the site.

If the Phase 1 Assessment finds that contamination is probable, a Phase 2, exploratory investigation should be undertaken.

Phase 2

Site Investigation identifies land areas that may have contamination from previous uses and confirms presence or absence of contamination. This investigation should establish the type, concentration and areal and vertical extent of any contamination on the site.

Project management must provide details of the previous land uses and the areas of the site that have been identified as contaminated or potentially contaminated. Project management must also provide details of the contaminants that are present or may be present, the type and extent of the contamination, and the disposal requirements associated with any material removed from the site or reused on the site.

Relevant Legislation and Guidance where applicable to a site must be evaluated; this activity should be done well in advance of work starting on site. This action will identify any specific requirements that can be incorporated into the design of the facility and the Environmental Management procedure for construction activities on the site.

Mitigation Measures

of the Project Management Team and Partners are specifically required to implement mitigation measures on the site due to the nature of the contamination / potential contamination on the site. Examples of typical measures are listed below:

• Do not stockpile contaminated soil unless it cannot be avoided. Water draining from a stockpile may be contaminated and need controlling and potentially treating.
• If any of the following visual signs of contamination or any unusual odors are discovered, they should be immediately reported to the field execution superintendent. All work in the vicinity will be suspended and the area sealed until the field execution superintendent has carried out an inspection and implemented an appropriate action plan. Visual signs of potential contamination include:
● Discolored soil (e.g., chemical residue);
● Fibrous texture to the soil (e.g., asbestos);
● Presence of foreign objects (e.g., chemical / oil containers);
● Evidence of previous soil workings;
● Evidence of underground structures and tanks;
● Existence of waste pits;
● Fill material/made ground; and
● Old drain runs and contamination within buildings, tanks, flues etc.
• Appropriate waste management procedures will be used as established within the project.
• Appropriate measures should be undertaken to protect the controlled waters in the vicinity of the site as established within the site.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be used as defined in the project specific HSE Plan.

Monitoring Requirements

The Project Management Team will develop a list of project specific monitoring requirements based on the local legislative requirements and discussions with the client and the authorities.

Documentation

The Project Management Team will maintain and manage all documentation related to contaminated land according to the schedule provided Procedure HSE Records Management and Document Control.

• [accordion]
• (1) Sustainable Management of Contaminated Land
• 
• (2) Contaminated Soil Recycling Solutions
• 
• (3) Environment Engineering
• (4) Soil and Water Polution