Contaminated Land Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment for Contaminated Land

In any type of planning project, it is important to ensure that any potential risks to human health, controlled waters or the wider environment are identified and dealt with accordingly. With brownfield sites and pieces of land with a history of industrial activities, hazardous substances from past uses could still be dwelling within areas of the ground, pools of water or the general atmosphere.

Under the planning condition of Part 2a of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the local planning authorities will insist on evidence that applicable sites are surveyed and any remaining contaminants are eliminated or refuse planning permission. For the process to be thorough and cover all relevant areas, a contaminated land risk assessment would be the recommended route to take.

What is a Contaminated Land Risk Assessment?

A contaminated land risk assessment is a type of survey undertaken to identify and evaluate the risks posed by contaminated soil, ground gases, groundwater contamination and other pollutants present on a development site. The risk-based approach for working out if a site has the ability to create unacceptable risk is typically guided by the latest standards from the Environment Agency.

It involves a two-tiered approach, including a phase 1 preliminary risk assessment in the form of a desk study and a phase 2 site investigation. Both activities will uncover data about the site and the surrounding land, with the phase 1 research exercise highlighting site-specific information and the phase 2 intrusive investigation confirming harmful substances in soil, groundwater and the site in general.

Need for Risk Assessments

The effects of contaminated land on a site can range from the inconsequential to the serious, with the possibility of threatening drinking water supplies, surface water and land users in the present and nearby area. Local authorities will often insist on evidence of a contaminated land risk assessment as part of planning applications, especially when development proposals involve brownfield land.

Evaluating the site conditions will also ensure that all associated assumptions about land quality are tested through scientific analysis and address potential liabilities to avoid unexpected delays or costs. If the site-specific assessment criteria call for further information about monitoring and treating the pollution, the assessment may be followed by contaminated land risk management.

Relevant Clients

Across a desk study and an on-site inspection, the land contamination risk assessment reviews site conditions, checks for underground storage tanks, and evaluates the current land use.

Site reconnaissance informs the revision of the initial conceptual site model, and the field data is then used to validate potential risk and uncover new pathways.

For further assessment details, check out the breakdown below:

Contaminated Land Risk Assessment Inspection

1. Preliminary Risk Assessment (Phase 1)

Gathering data from historical mapping, site walkover exercises and available records over the course of a desk study, the phase 1 risk assessment process helps to build the initial conceptual site model (CSM) based on current and past information about the site.

2. Site Investigation (Phase 2)

Drilling trial pits, collecting soil and water samples, and carrying out laboratory testing for hazardous substances, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, the further investigation of the site is intrusive and comprehensive to unearth critical evidence.

3. Generic Quantitative Risk Assessment (GQRA)

Generic quantitative risk assessments are used to compare sample data with generic assessment criteria and determine if further action is needed.

4. Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment (DQRA)

Detailed quantitative risk assessments are used in complex or sensitive sites to understand contaminant linkage between contaminant sources, pathways and receptors.

5. Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA)

By analysing possible exposure routes such as dermal contact, ingestion and inhalation, contaminated land exposure assessments focus on providing a human health risk assessment.

Key Considerations

Across a contaminated land investigation for risk, the main considerations from the perspective of the geo-environmental consultant conducting the assessment will be:

• Accuracy of generic assumptions – confirming the reality of predicted risks
• Ground conditions – influences on contaminant migration and behaviour
• Involvement of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) – substances that are harder to treat
• Opportunities for direct contact – possibility of people being exposed to harmful substances
• Potential sources of pollution – often from former industrial operations
• Requirement for groundwater risk assessments – for contaminated sites near controlled water
• Types of site – different approaches for a brownfield risk assessment compared to greenfield land
• Unaffected areas – parts of the site that can be safely left unchanged

Contaminated Land Risk Assessment Report

Every detail from phase 1 and phase 2 of the contaminated land risk assessment will be compiled within a report, along with the selected technical approach. More specifically, the report will contain the updated conceptual site model, results from the quantitative and qualitative assessment exercises, and a comparison between the generic criteria and the unique site circumstances.

In the many cases of polluted sites with a high level of risk, the report will also recommend contaminated land risk management as a way of applying additional assessments, remediation strategies and monitoring. Once all generic risk assessment criteria, remedial targets methodology and contaminated land assessment requirements have been met, it will support planning approvals.

Specialists in Contaminated Land Risk Assessments

Our geo-environmental team conducts contaminated land assessments all over the UK every year, bringing with them advanced and extensive knowledge of the effects of pollutants on development. It could be that you want to confirm the presence or absence of contaminants on a development site, you might be addressing ground gases or surface water pollution, or you may be dealing with the results of historic industrial activity; whatever the case, our team is equipped to help.

All of the work we do follows the standards set out in Part 2a of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and we keep a finger on the pulse of changes as and when they’re unveiled and rolled out. The services we provide are based on the core principles of technical accuracy, transparency and practicality, giving us the tools to treat affected areas correctly as well as identify when areas can be left unchanged if treatment isn’t needed.

Contaminated Land Risk Assessment Near Me

If you want to get started with planning a contaminated land risk assessment, you can get in touch with our administration team and allow us to create a free quote for you based on the specifications of your site and project. Either visit the contact page on our website, call us or email us, and from there, we can guide you through each step of the process.

Each quote we make is specific to the client’s needs and requirements, making it as cost-effective as possible. Using our experience of carrying out contaminated land risk assessments and related surveys, we can determine the most suitable course of action, explain how much it will cost and what the likely timescale looks like, and if you’re happy to move forward, we can plan a date to get started.