A growing concern among lenders, developers, buyers and owners over the acquisition and ownership of property that may be contaminated, along with the tightening of environmental legislation, has increased the importance of performing environmental site assessments to assess potential liabilities.
URS can undertake an environmental site assessment that can provide valuable information for parties involved in asset transfer, giving both present and future property owners, and lenders, a means of reducing risk and financial exposure to environmental liabilities. Environmental risks and associated liabilities can occur due to soil, groundwater, surface water and air quality contamination from present or past land use practices at a site. Organisations involved in the purchase or funding of a possibly contaminated site should ensure that they demonstrate due diligence under the relevant regulations, and are aware of current or potential contamination.
URS can provide services in:
Planning
- Initial investigations
- Options for site
- Regulatory framework
- Plant shutdown
- Program management
Phase 1 Assessment
- Site environmental setting
- Historical review
- Chemicals of concern
- Potential receptors
- Site investigation planning
- Reporting
Phase 2 Assessment
- Soil & groundwater sampling
- Groundwater modelling
- Reporting
- Development of risk based assessment strategies
- Site occupational health & safety
- Human health & ecological risk assessment
Remedial Design
- Remediation technologies, evaluation & proving
- Remediation planning & design
- RAP preparation
- Auditor liaison
- Environmental Management
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Regulatory approvals
- Tendering
Remediation
- Remediation specification
- Contract management
- Supervision & technical advice
- Decommissioning
- Demolition
- Validation sampling
- Reporting
Validation
- Site audit statements
- Regulatory compliance
Remediation
URS has extensive experience in the selection and design of treatment systems for both contaminated groundwater and soils. We have been able to achieve considerable cost savings for our clients and have installed practical systems that can be operated and maintained by the onsite personnel. We can assist in the removal of both organic and inorganic contaminants from groundwater and soils. We have assessed, pilot tested, designed and constructed treatment processes for the removal of priority pollutant metals, volatile organics, chlorinated organics, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, petrol and other fuel compounds, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, waste acids and others. To treat such contaminants, we apply a wide range of technical approaches employing state-of-the-art process equipment and technology.
Remediation Technologies
URS has evaluated and successfully utilised technologies, including:
- In situ passive barrier for dissolved phase chlorinated solvents and lead in groundwater
- Ozone and hydrogen peroxide injection
- Soil washing and acid extraction for heavy metal contaminated soil
- Containment systems using HDPE membranes
- Ex situ and in situ bioremediation
- Thermal desorption
- Ion exchange and activated carbon absorption
- Air stripping
- Soil stabilisation and contaminant fixation