Management of Contaminated Sites

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Management of Contaminated Sites
Sameh Elsayed, M.Sc.,M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Senior
Environmental Engineer Environmental Management
Services Alberta Transportation
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Contents

• Contamination Classification and Transport
• Management of Contaminated Sites
• Contaminants Release Reporting

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Contaminants Classification and Transport
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Contaminants Classification

• Metals and Heavy Metals
• Non-metal Contaminants
• Organic Contaminants
• Combustible Materials
• Liquids and gases
• Asbestos
• Bio-hazardous waste
• Radioactive Materials

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Metals and Heavy Metals

• Arsenic (As)
• Boron (B)
• Cadmium (Cd)
• Chromium (Cr)
• (III or VI)
• Cobalt (Co)
• Copper (Cu)

• Iron (Fe)
• Lead (Pb)
• Manganese (Mn)
• Mercury (Mg
• Nickel (Ni)
• Selenium (Se)
• Zinc (Z)

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Non-Metals

• Chloride (Cl)
• Cyanides (CNs)
• Fluoride (F)
• Phosphate (P)
• Sulphur (S)

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Organic Compounds

• Hydrocarbons (HC)
• Poly-aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)
• Halogenated Hydrocarbons
• Dioxins
• PCBs
• Phenols
• Solvents

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Combustible Materials

• Cereal dust
• Coal dust
• Oils

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Contaminants Transport

• Atmospheric Fallout
• Oxide fume emissions from coal power stations.
• Hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles and other
  means of transport.
• Acidic precipitation from chemical and
  petrochemical plant

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Transportation by Liquids

• Industrial waste discharges
• Spills and leakage of sewage
• Spills from Tanks or pipelines.
• Waste lagoons release into soil and groundwater.

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Solid Waste Disposal

• Residual solids in mine tailing lagoons.
• Sewage sludge transport to settling lagoon.
• Chemical and industrial wastes disposal.
• Uncontrolled disposal of waste materials

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Management of Contaminated Sites
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Natural/Pristine Sites
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Contaminated Sites
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Contaminated Sites
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Contaminated Sites Management

• A Three-Phased developed based on the
  guidelines stated by the Canadian Council of
  Ministers of the Environment (CCME)
• Recognized by Alberta Environment Sustainable
  Resources Development (AESRD), and environmental
  consultants in Alberta.

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Phase I, ESA

• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is
  basically a checklist for project managers to
  consider when engaging an environmental
  consultant to conduct a Phase I environmental
  site assessment.

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Phase I, ESA
The CSA Z768-01 Standards outlines the generic
steps to consider when dealing with a consultant
such as

• Scope of work,
• Definition of terms,
• Principles of the Phase 1 assessment, and
• Roles and responsibilities of both the consultant
  and the client.

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Phase I, ESA Objectives Purposes

• Regulatory request, order or direction.
• Liability assessment for the proposed acquisition
  or potential sale of land.
• Due diligence investigation in support of a sale
  or financial agreement.
• Baseline liability assessment for a tenancy.
• Due diligence investigation in compliance with an
  existing Environmental Policy.

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Phase I, ESA Components

• Records review.
• Site visit.
• Interviews.
• Evaluation of existing information and reports.
• Recommendations to address identified issues.

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ESA I

• It is important to note that the scope of work is
  not limited by the CSA process.
• The purpose of a Phase 1 ESA is usually to
  determine whether a particular site is or may
  have been subject to contamination.
• In some cases, sufficient information exists to
  justify proceeding directly with a Phase 2 ESA.

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Phase II, ESA
A decision may be made to proceed with a Phase 2
ESA as a result of the following activities

• Confirmatory intrusive testing is recommended in
  a Phase 1 ESA.
• Environmental impacts are strongly suspected from
  known and historical activities.
• Delineation of a known contamination is required
  to be defined and compared to site generic
  criteria.

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Phase II, ESAActivities

• Electromagnetic (EM) Survey.
• Development of Site Sampling Protocol.
• Monitoring wells and Boreholes.
• Sample collection and analyses.
• Review of local groundwater records.
• Field Survey, if required.

The results of the Phase 2 ESA will determine the
need for further activities
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EM Survey
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EM Survey/Typical Cross-section
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Phase II, ESAGeneric Criteria

• Alberta Tier 1 Tier 2 Soil Groundwater
  Remediation Guidelines, December 2010.
• Salt Contamination Assessment and Remediation
  Guidelines, May 2001.
• Guidelines can be found on AESRDs website.

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Phase II, ESALand Use

• CCME Remediation criteria are presented in the
  context of four types of land use
• Residential/Parkland
• Agricultural
• Commercial, and
• Industrial.

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Phase II, ESAThe CCME criteria
The CCME criteria are considered generally
protective of human and environmental health for
specified uses of soil at contaminated sites.
It is important to understand that the intended
future land use governs the decision on the level
of remediation performed at a site.
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Phase II, ESAThe CCME criteria
Identifying the type of land use will help assess
the extent of human and ecological exposure to
contaminants in the soil. Consideration must be
given to adjacent land use to the contaminated
site as it might affect the remediation criteria.
These two factors are essential for planning a
practical remediation programs.
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AESRD Policy

• Pollution prevention
• Avoid impairment of or damage to environment,
  human health, safety or property
• Health protection
• Action commensurate with risk to human health or
  environment
• Productive use
• Encourage remediation to enable productive land
  use

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Contamination Management Principles

• Source control
• Prevent pollution
• Identify source if contamination present
• Source removal
• Contamination delineation
• If contamination present above Tier 1 or 2
• Horizontal and vertical extent identified
• All applicable exposure pathways and receptors
  addressed
• Contamination management, including remediation

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Tier 1 and 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation
Guidelines

• New guidelines to supersede existing guidelines
• Alberta Tier I Criteria (1994)
• Alberta Soil Water Quality Guidelines for
  Hydrocarbons at Upstream Oil and Gas Facilities
  (2001)
• Risk Management Guidelines for Petroleum Storage
  Tank Sites (2001)

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Remediation Certificate Program

• Voluntary certificate program
• Incentive to remediate
• Provides certainty for proponent if standards
  change
• Provides closure of liability after 10 years
• Regulations being developed

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Remediation Certificate Program

• Closure based on compliance with Tier 1 or Tier 2
  Guidelines
• Cannot use Alberta Soil and Water Quality
  Guidelines for Hydrocarbons at Upstream Oil and
  Gas Facilities (2001)
• Certificate issued for remediated area only, not
  site
• Surveyed coordinates
• Depth or zone of remediation
• Certificate issued for remediated substance(s)

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Phase III, ESA Components

• Risk Management OR Remediation Action Plan
  (RMP/RAP) Development.
• RMP Implementation/Site Remediation.
• Monitoring.

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RMP/RAP Development
Further study and/or testing may be required to
assess the risk to receptors. Once full
delineation is achieved a site specific Risk
Management Plan (RMP) or a Remediation Action
Plan acceptable to stakeholders can be developed.

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Phase IIIObjectives

1. Conduct sampling to satisfy stakeholders.
2. Complete outstanding delineation.
3. Define, in details, the site related risks
   including receptors and pathways.
4. Identify receptors and develop risk assessment
   strategies.
5. Develop information that support remedial
   activities.

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Risk Management Approach

• Site-specific objectives developed from a risk
  assessment.
• Estimated cost of remediation is unreasonable.
• Site conditions differ significantly from
  criteria.

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Site Remediation Approach

• Determine most applicable/feasible technology for
  the site
• Design selected process components.
• Award Contract
• Implement site remediation
• Final report by consultant
• Regulatory endorsement

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Monitoring
Once the RAP/RMP has been implemented and
accepted by the stakeholders, monitoring may be
required. Results of monitoring program are
evaluated following each event and the frequency
of testing is adjusted accordingly, if needed.
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Questions ??