Where soil and/or groundwater contamination is identified on-site, a quantitative risk assessment is usually required to identify the level of contamination considered safe for the proposed use of the site. The assessments are prepared on a regular basis to satisfy the planning requirements of Local Authorities and the Environment Agency, prior to a proposed development. Developers and/or investors benefit largely from risk assessments as they help to identify potential environmental liabilities and estimate cost of remediation.

A good quality risk assessment can save costs and time in planning negotiations, and provide reassurance that a site is suitable for development. At PBA, we understand the environmental risks associated with land/water contamination and utilise our vast expertise in brownfield sites to provide our clients with a clear and reliable assessment that meets their purposes.

Our assessments provide a comprehensive evaluation based on the current legislative frameworks and using the latest methodologies approved by the Environment Agency.

Our services include:

• Derivation of remedial targets protective of controlled waters and the environment
• Prediction of off-site migration of contaminant plumes
• Development of site-specific assessment criteria protective of human health and/or controlled waters
• Assessment of transport and human exposure to contaminant vapours
• Development of bespoke degradation models for dissolved contaminants
• Prediction of contaminant uptake by commercial crops and home-grown vegetables

Among the approaches PBA offers are:

Human Health:

• CLEA
• Johnson Ettinger
• RBCA

Controlled Waters:

• P20 Hydrogeological Assessments
• CONSIM
• Degradation Models

Crop/Plant Health:

• Bespoke Crop & Site Specific Models
• FIAM