Environmental science

Our work is led by a Suitably Qualified and Experienced Practitioners (SQEP). Our lead consultant is a Certified Environmental Practitioner – Site Contamination Specialist (CEnvP – SC) – Find out more.

Our team of environmental scientists help to identify, manage and prevent potential adverse health issues caused by exposure to hazards in the work environment. This includes hazardous chemicals, noise and vibration, dust, drinking water, biological, and air quality. Find out more.

It helps us to know the changes that you’re proposing to make to your site and if possible, the required scope of works. If you have any information on HAIL or potential HAIL activities this would be useful.

This means your site has been identified as having (verified) or ‘more likely than not having’ (unverified) an activity on the HAIL list that may have resulted in ground contamination. This means the requirements of the NESCS legislation may apply to activities on the site.

A ‘Suitably Qualified and Experienced Practitioner’, is required under the NESCS legislation to certify contaminated land reports (PSI, DSI, Remediation Action Plans etc). Our lead consultant is a SQEP and a Certified Environmental Practitioner (CEnvP) with with over 16 years’ experience across a wide range of industries, contaminant types and contaminant mediums (soil, groundwater, sediment and vapour).

Our contaminated land team has significant experience in the investigation, remediation and management of asbestos contamination of soils and are qualified to do so. We are also qualified and experienced asbestos surveyors and so can identify where asbestos is present in your above ground assets. We can assist you with the identification and management of asbestos in buildings where required. 

Preliminary site inspections typically involve a desk study plus a site visit and review of site procedures and operations.  Ideally interview of site owners and on-site personnel would also occur during the desk study or site inspection phases.  A conceptual model (CSM) identifying where potential contaminants may be present, the pathways they may take and the receptors that are present on or off-site which may be exposed to the contaminants is created and an investigation designed to evaluate the CSM. There are numerous methods to investigate a site and the required method is dependent upon the CSM and the contaminants to be evaluated, the environmental medium to be assessed, site geology and site constraints.

Common investigation methods for shallow contaminants can include manual sampling techniques with trowels or hand augers.  Machine excavation of test pits and/or machine boreholes may be required depending on the ground conditions and investigation goals. 

This is entirely dependent on the type of HAIL activity. However, experience across many hundred sites indicates the most common contaminants encountered are heavy metals (for example arsenic and lead), petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides and asbestos.

There are several types of risk related to land contamination. They can present a risk of litigation due to illegal discharges to the environment and they can present a risk to human health and environmental receptors. The level of risk depends on the type of contamination that’s present, concentrations present, site use and potential exposure routes. 

Where contamination is identified and a complete exposure route is present then potential risks to human health and the environment may exist. We are happy to talk through the potential risks and possible mitigation and management options with you, with no obligation or initial consultation charges.