PHASE 1 AND 2 SITE INVESTIGATIONS

On behalf of an international logistics and cold storage company, ECUS have undertaken a series of desk based and intrusive site investigations to facilitate development and acquisition. Sites have varied considerably from former colliery sites to operational depots. In each case, recommendations regarding safe development proposals were made following site specific risk assessments.

CONTAMINATED LAND INSPECTION STRATEGY

As part of their duties under Part IIA of the Environment Act, local authorities are obliged to produce strategies to demonstrate how each will identify, inspect and prioritise contaminated sites within their area.

Chesterfield Borough Council commissioned ECUS to produce their strategy in consultation with Council staff and has since assisted in collating data for use in the implementation of their strategy.

Other local authorities for whom ECUS have delivered such work include Rotherham MBC, Gedling BC, South Oxfordshire DC and Ashfield DC.

SITE INVESTIGATION & REMEDIATION AUDIT

Navigation Yard was a foundry and metal works prior to closure and subsequent dereliction. ECUS played a pivotal role in the remediation and redevelopment of the site as part of Sheffield's Inner Ring Road. ECUS, commissioned by Sheffield City Council undertook the site investigation and continued on site to monitor and audit the remediation works through to completion.

REMEDIATION DESIGN & MANAGEMENT

ECUS designed and oversaw the implementation of a scheme to redevelop a former thermoelectric works for community and educational end use.  A combination of hotspot removal and long term groundwater monitoring was presented to the regulators in a remediation strategy and followed up by a validation report that was used as the basis for discharge of relevant planning conditions.

RECLAMATION & MANAGEMENT OF METALLIFEROUS MINE SITES

ECUS developed national guidance on behalf of the Department of the Environment (Minerals Planning Section). The project involved review of past experience, industry consultation and case study visits to a range of restored and un-reclaimed sites across the UK prior to collation and distillation of the final guidance. The report is published by HMSO.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS AUDIT

Following several high profile pollution incidents, ECUS was contracted by SARP Facilities Management to undertake a comprehensive environmental and health and safety audit of its waste recycling and incineration facility at Killamarsh, Derbyshire. The findings of our six month audit and 119 recommendations were published into the public domain with the company actioning them all over the following two years.

INCINERATOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Commissioned by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, ECUS undertook an EA of a new low level waste solvent incinerator at their Dounreay site in north Scotland. This included UK-ADMS atmospheric plume dispersion modelling as well as ecological, archaeological and water quality assessments. The report went forward to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

WASTE MANAGEMENT LICENCE SURRENDER

As part of the waste licence surrender process ECUS has been commissioned by several clients to undertake audits and risk assessments of waste management sites. We have produced completion reports to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency enabling the clients to surrender their site licences.

CAMELFORD WATER POLLUTION INCIDENT

Commissioned by a national legal practice, ECUS provided expert witness reports on the procedural and engineering aspects of South West Water's response to the entry of several tons of aluminium sulphate into the potable water supply distribution network. This was in support of resident claimants for long term damages as a result of the pollution. The cases were settled out of court.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION SURVEY

As part of a major international assistance programme to Chile the UK's Overseas Development Agency commissioned ECUS to undertake a survey of heavy metal soil contamination around the Ventanas copper smelter in the Puchuncavi valley, north of Santiago. The survey involved soil sampling over a 150km2 area in the plume shadow of the smelter stack. The results were used in the detailing of a remediation programme involving soil clean up using metal hyper-accumulating plants - phytoremediation.

LANDFILL RESTORATION & MONITORING

ECUS carried out a detailed site investigation of a large asbestos tip and associated lagoon in southern England. Involving intrusive investigation, health and safety concerns were paramount. A restoration and remediation proposal for the site was produced. Long term groundwater monitoring continues. The work also involved, in discussion with English Nature, the assessment and relocation of a badger sett. The relevant licences were obtained and with our previous experience in this area, the badgers have relocated successfully allowing the restoration of the tip to proceed safely.