Environmental Due Diligence

Historical site practices and landuses can potentially result in contaminated soils and water underlying a site that may pose a current and/or future risk to the environment, to human health or to the project viability of future redevelopment of the site in terms of remediation and waste disposal.

Environmental due diligence is an important consideration as part of any property aquisition or reasle where potential risks associated with contamination. In addition to an assessment of the current liabilities associated with a site, it also includes a review of historical practices at a site, regulatory constraints and details of relevant planning permission or licence compliance. Potential site investigation or remediation measures and asociated potential costs are also typically provided, if required.

Bluerock Environmental provide bespoke site-speciifc Environmental Due Diligence services for a wide range of sites and project types that enable our clients to:

  • Manage property sales or leases that have been impacted by ground contamination.

  • Understand the extent of any required contaminated land Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments (ESA).

  • Mitigate future liability risks by developing risk management plans, understand environmental insurance and compliance auditing.

  • Develop high-level remediation strategies and costs.

Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

The aim of a Phase 1 ESA report is to identify potential site contamination through a process of data collation, review of historical reports associated with the site and its general environs, a detailed site survey and interviews with personnel previously or currently associated with the site (where possible).

The assessment does not typically require any intrusive investigation, sampling or analysis. The Phase 1 ESA should conclude whether no furher works are required or alternatively, what scope of further investigation (i.e. Phase 2 ESA) is warranted to reduce the level of uncertainty associated with a particular site.

Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

A Phase 2 ESA is typically undertaken folloiwng completion of a Phase 1 ESA. The purposes is to determine if any potential contamination identifed by the Phase 1 ESA actually exists or whether there is a viable risk associated with this contamination.

Typical activities associated with a Pahse 2 ESA includes trial pitting/trenching, borehole drilling, monitoring well installations, gas well installations, soil sampling, groundwater and/or surface water sampling, landfill gas and/or vapour monitoring, surface water flow monitoring and water level monitoring.

Typical contaminants of concern include heavy metals, organic compounds, asbestos, PFAS, petroleum hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs).

On completion of the site based activites associated with a Phase 2 ESA, a detailed interpretative report is provided that provides an interpretation of the contaminants present at the site, the extent of the contaminant impact, the associated risks posed to human health, the environment or future site redvelopment activities and recommendations for any future remediation requirements.