Contaminated ground removal services are essential to many industries, but especially for construction and developers. As specialists in ground contamination removal, we often get asked common questions about the different types of contamination and the best way to handle them. So, let’s dive in.

1. What Is Contaminated Ground?

Ground contamination occurs when harmful substances are either directly or indirectly introduced into the soil. These substances could range from asbestos, hydrocarbons and oils to heavy metals and invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed. Such contamination may pose a risk to human health and can also harm the environment. Either way – they’re definitely not to be ignored!

2. What Are The Types of Contaminated Ground?

Ground can become contaminated in a variety of ways. Here are some of the most common types:

• Hydrocarbon Contamination: Primarily found in fuels, can contaminate ground soil through spills or leaks from storage tanks. This contamination type can harm soil quality and make it unfit for construction or development.
• Oil Contamination: Can result from oil spills or leaks, often due to broken machinery or the improper storage of oil. This type of contamination can make the soil hazardous for use and negatively impact local ecosystems.
• Plant Contamination: Certain types of plants, particularly the highly invasive Japanese knotweed can contaminate the ground. Often unnoticed especially during the winter months when the plant is reduced to underground rhizomes – and requires a highly trained surveyor to spot!
• Heavy Metal Contamination: Lead and mercury can contaminate the soil through industrial processes, mining, or the improper disposal of waste. These substances can pose serious health risks to humans and wildlife.

3. What Are The Most Common Heavy Metals Found In Contaminated Soil?

Heavy metals in soils primarily come from anthropogenic activities, such as industrial processes, mining, and the use of certain fertilizers and pesticides. Here are some of the most common types:

• Lead (Pb): Lead contamination is common in urban environments due to the historical use of lead-based paint and leaded gasoline. Older homes, in particular, can have high levels of lead in the surrounding soil.
• Mercury (Hg): Mercury is often found in soils near mining operations or where mercury-containing equipment has been discarded. It can also come from the atmospheric deposition of mercury released by coal-burning power plants.
• Cadmium (Cd): Cadmium is often associated with zinc production and the manufacturing of batteries. It’s also commonly found in phosphate fertilizers, and thus can be present in agricultural soils.
• Arsenic (As): Arsenic contamination can be natural (from certain types of bedrock) or anthropogenic, often resulting from the use of arsenic-based pesticides and the smelting of certain ores.
• Chromium (Cr): Chromium is often found in soils near sites of industrial processes like leather tanning, metal plating, and wood preservation. Chromium-6 in particular is highly toxic and can leach into groundwater.
• Nickel (Ni): Nickel can come from a variety of sources, including atmospheric deposition from combustion processes and wastewater discharge from nickel plating industries.
• Zinc (Zn): Zinc contamination often comes from mining, smelting, and the production of batteries and galvanized metal.

All these heavy metals can have harmful effects on human and ecosystem health. Their toxicity can vary greatly depending on the specific metal and its form, as well as the characteristics of the soil it’s found in.

That’s why it’s important to test soils for heavy metal contamination and to use professional remediation services if high levels are found.

3. How Is Contaminated Ground Detected?

Contaminated ground is usually detected through soil testing. Professional contractors licensed to do so will collect soil samples from various parts of a site and send them to a lab for testing and analysis. They’ll then provide a detailed report outlining the types and levels of contamination found.

4. How Can Contaminated Ground Be Removed?

Removing contaminated ground is a job for licensed professionals, as it’s classified as hazardous waste. We use a choice of excavation methods, depending on various factors such as:

• Site specifications
• Project requirements
• Planned use
• Environmental factors
• Protected species
• Underground or above ground infrastructure or utilities

5. Is The Process Safe?

Yes, when performed by licensed professionals, contaminated ground removal is safe. As a H&S first contractor we adhere to strict safety standards and regulations to ensure that the process doesn’t harm people or the environment, and respects other workers or contractors onsite. We take care to dispose of the contaminated ground in accordance with local regulations since it’s classified as hazardous waste and adhere to biosecurity guidelines to avoid risk of contamination spreading.

About Environment Controls

Now you know all about ground contaminants – here’s a bit about us.

Japanese Knotweed Ltd T/A Environment Controls. Providing specialist invasive plant and contaminated ground removal services for the construction and development sectors. A few reasons to contact us:

• National Contractor: We hire and resource locally for all our works.
• A Safety-First company: Health and safety underpins all our operations, from survey and herbicide treatment to large scale excavation projects, our teams are fully trained to adhere to all HSE guidelines and legislation. Working safely is a key part of our whole-company ethos, including monitoring, recording and reporting on any potential risk factors. All projects start with a thorough briefing and tool-box talk to ensure project delivery is carried out to the highest safety standards.
• Project-Dash: Our innovative bespoke live-report dashboard allows for real-time monitoring of projects, document access and daily logs, including all waste transfer information, enhancing transparency and enabling better resource management.
• Enhanced Public Safety: Our own Environmental & Public Safety manual is followed by every field-based employee to ensure the work we carry out close to or in public spaces is free of risk.
• Sustainable Environmental Practices: For excavation works plant, equipment, lorries and landfill sites will be sourced as locally as possible to the works for our cost efficiencies. We aim to use operatives based close to the project location. When working sites requiring special considerations such as underground infrastructure or protected species, we will always provide options that minimises impact and risk. Where applicable, a professionally guided Integrated Weed Management (IWM) approach helps preserve biodiversity and promote ecological balance for environment we’re working in.
• Budget Efficiency: By offering comprehensive services we help reduce management costs, allowing clients to allocate resources more effectively.
• Multi-contaminant removal: We are fully licensed, experienced and qualified to handle and remove invasive plants such as knotweed and asbestos in soils – combining these two at the same time is a quicker, more efficient way to get your site clean and fit for use, avoiding searching for using multiple contractors.

Recent knotweed and asbestos project for a commercial developer:

Another client; VSM Ltd left us this review after a successful invasive plant and contaminated ground removal contract: “They delivered the works safely and ahead of original program I feel this is down to their organisational skills and problem solving.”

Contaminated ground removal services are crucial in keeping our environments safe and usable. If you suspect you may have contaminated ground, you can contact our Environment Controls teams and we’ll conduct a thorough site assessment and advise on the best course of action.

0330 056 8880
contact@knotweed.co.uk
environmentcontrols.co.uk
japaneseknotweed.co.uk