As well as posing risks to human health and the environment, land contamination can have major economic, legal and planning implications for landowners, lenders, insurers and the wider community. Our deep understanding of the science and law of land contamination risk management enables us to offer our chosen clients pragmatic, tailored approaches to reaching sustainable and resilient outcomes.
GHD helps clients understand the impacts of land contamination on their business. By adequately investigating their sites and evaluating risks present, we help minimise remediation costs. We de-risk sites and unlock the potential for viable development through detailed site investigations and robust risk assessment.
GHD has shown that such science-led risk assessment generates value for clients by providing a strong evidence base to optimise the scope of any remediation that might be needed to satisfy regulators and stakeholders. Projects are conducted in line with current UK guidance as presented in Land contamination: risk management (LCRM), and so are driven by the issues and needs identified in an authoritative and evidence-based Conceptual Site Model (CSM).
GHD’s CAR specialists are known for designing, implementing and interpreting cost effective, fully justified site investigations.
GHD have the capabilities to assess and address risks from land contamination to human health, ecosystems, surface and ground water, buildings, building materials and utility infrastructure. Our team has particular expertise in assessing risks posed by challenging contaminants such as PFAS, hydrocarbons, solvents, metals, asbestos in soil, hazardous ground gases and vapours as well as a host of other contaminants.
GHD assists clients with a full spectrum of contaminated land services including:
All types of site investigation
GHD’s team has particular experience with respect to managing emerging and challenging contaminants, such as solvents, asbestos-containing soils, lead, arsenic, hydrocarbons and the so-called forever chemicals: per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS),
GHD also provide a range of services for public sector clients such as local authorities, fire & rescue services, defence and environmental protection agencies. These include considering “land contamination”, a material consideration, when determining planning applications including peer review of technical reports.
GHD also has extensive and sector leading experience of undertaking investigations and risk assessments under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 in England, Wales and Scotland.
The GHD team is also hugely experienced in providing peer review and expert witness services on behalf of public and private sector clients, including representation at planning enquiries, civil and criminal courts and local plan hearings.
Our services are delivered by professionals based locally and across the globe. Our mobility and global reach means that you will have access to the right people in all contaminated land disciplines including chemistry, hydrogeology, engineering geology, toxicology, soil science, risk assessment and process based or engineering remediation.
Contaminated land and water management draws on a range of auxiliary services including process engineering, geotechnical services, civil engineering and stakeholder engagement. As a multidisciplinary team, we can minimise time and cost by integrating each of these elements into client projects, to deliver value.
