Phase I and Phase II Site Investigations
Before entering an agreement in legally transferring or developing a property in British Columbia, it is important to understand all the potential environmental risk involved. To protect you from possible environmental liabilities, it is recommended that an extensive Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) be done on the property. While this process may be challenging, this is a very important step that you need to take to ensure that you will be able to reach your end goal.
Hiring an expert in this field is essential. You need to look for a company that adheres to the Federal and Provincial regulations. They will be able to guide you through the process of site investigation as dictated by the Ministry of Environment.
There are two stages in carrying out an environmental site investigation: Stage I and Stage II PSI’s are also known as Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. Stage I is set to reveal if there are possible issues and if there is a need to proceed to Stage II. Stage II is a more extensive process of testing to confirm or contradict the result of the Stage I Assessment. In the case of confirmed contamination, a Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) will be performed. This will expose environmental impact and other liabilities.
Stage I Preliminary Site Investigation (Phase I Environmental Assessment) is the first step in checking the possible environmental risks of a property. It assesses the possibility of contamination. During this period, the historical records of the land, and photographic site condition will be reviewed. A thorough investigation will also be carried out. This means that the people that are familiar with the area will be interviewed and the gathered data will be analyzed in order to decide on the course of action. A report will be created together with the recommendation of the next steps to undertake if needed.
If the result of the Stage I PSI shows a reason to believe that there is a possibility of contamination in the property, a Stage II PSI will be done. This process is more extensive and includes additional investigation to pinpoint areas of environmental concern. Area drilling and borehole assessment, groundwater, soil and vapour analysis and other sampling may be conducted as required. This aims to uncover the degree of contamination and the contaminants present. A report will then be created to highlight the result of the investigation.
Once a significant contamination is confirmed, additional investigation or a Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) will be carried out. A DSI will involve additional exploration of environmental conditions. This means that additional drilling will be carried out in order to access the ground water and soil in different levels. Once the contaminants are determined, the next step is for you to decide on hiring a company that will help you with the site remediation.
The removal and treatment of contaminated soil should be done properly because of the possible dangers to the environment and human health, and efficiently as contaminated soil can prevent the development or sale of the area. Because of the sensitivity and complexity of this job, there is a need to carefully choose the right company and team who will undertake this project.
Summit Earthworks is an industry expert when it comes to soil remediation. We are home to highly trained specialists and showcase state of the art machinery. Our facility is fully permitted and is adherent to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Environment. We have the capability to remove contaminated soil and treat it regardless of the area size.
Our mission is to assist you in resolving your contamination problem and do it in a manner that will alleviate the amount of burden you have on your shoulders. Call us today and one of our experts will be happy to walk you through the process, discuss your options, answer questions and give you a clear and concise cost estimate.