Characterisation of Contaminated Sites

We design and implement optimal solutions to make your polluted industrial areas safe again.

SIGE has been operating for over 20 years in the contaminated sites sector and has developed considerable experience in the design, investigation and operational phases leading to safety and/or remediation in cases of:

1 - Industrial areas in operation: contamination following accidental events
2 - Industrial areas in operation: past contamination
3 - Brownfield Areas

The environmental characterisation of a site consists of all the activities necessary to identify the phenomena of potential contamination in the environmental matrices (soil, groundwater and surface water) of a site or in the case of potential diffuse contamination of a given territorial area. The information gathered during the process constitutes the basis for subsequent safety or remediation work on the site under analysis.

The legal framework defining the environmental characterisation process of a site is set out in Part V of Legislative Decree 152/2006 and its annexes.

The characterisation plan for contaminated sites is marked by a series of phases that we will summarise below.

Historical reconstruction of the site's productive activities - Understanding the site's situation means composing a clear picture of all activities, present and past, that may be relevant to the analysis.
In order to obtain a detailed description of the state of the site, it may be necessary to carry out on-site inspections of the area and any external areas in the immediate vicinity, as well as a series of documentary checks.

Elaboration of the Preliminary Conceptual Model and preparation of an environmental investigation plan - The preliminary investigation aims to establish whether a potentially contaminating event has led to the threshold concentration levels (CSC), as indicated by national legislation, having been exceeded.

In this phase, a series of sampling points are defined, adopting specific methodologies based on the characteristics of the site and its size, in order to obtain data that is statistically representative of the area concerned and to be able to assess and interpret the phenomenon correctly and comprehensively.

The objective of the plan is to verify the actual pollution of the area, to understand the sources of pollution, and to establish the extent and characteristics of the pollution in relation to the environmental matrices.

The plan allows for the development of the conceptual site model (MCS), which includes the identification of:

Sources of potential contamination;
Transport mechanisms (i.e. the dynamics by which pollution spreads or expands to different areas);
Modes of exposure to pollutants (i.e. how pollution can harm the targets of contamination);
Targets of contamination (people who may be harmed by pollution).

The model aims to reconstruct how the polluting phenomenon took place, and how it evolved over time, defining the possible negative effects of the contamination on environmental matrices and people who came into contact with the pollutants.

The survey plan is subject to approval and control by the territorially competent control bodies.

Execution of the investigation plan and any supplementary investigations - In order to define the geological and hydrogeological structure and the quantification of potential contaminants in the various environmental matrices, a series of samplings, analyses and surveys are carried out. These studies can be indirect (geophysical methods) or direct (drilling, sampling and laboratory analyses) and can be carried out in successive stages of increasing detail, focusing on the criticalities observed.

Processing of results - The data collected during the investigation is processed and sorted to provide adequate support in understanding the effects of the area's pollution. A technical report is produced to offer decision support, assisting the client prior to remediation operations.

Final Conceptual Model Elaboration - In this phase, using the acquired data, the conceptual model of the site is elaborated, highlighting pollutant sources, exposure modes, and contamination targets. The model is used to reconstruct the current situation and to evaluate future scenarios (such as redevelopment of the area). A complete understanding of the pollutant phenomenon, its propagation and adverse effects allows clarification of how to intervene in the remediation phase

Calculation of CSR through Risk Analysis - Risk analysis allows the assessment of health risks related to the presence of pollutants in environmental matrices. Through a quantitative analysis process, the risk to human health is estimated and compared to a specific value calculated on the basis of the site-specific characteristics of the case under consideration, known as the CSR (acronym for 'risk threshold concentration' (in italian)). In this way, it is verified that the risk associated with the contaminated site does not exceed acceptable thresholds, calculated according to methods defined by legislation and recognised by the control bodies.

The calculated Risk Threshold Concentration is essentially a combination of the toxicity of the pollutant and the possible related exposure. On the basis of these assessments, it is possible to proceed with the preparation of the Operational Remediation Project in order to detail the remediation measures to contain or eliminate the risk for people who will carry out activities in the area under analysis.

For further information on the service offered, please contact us via the form on the dedicated page. We will be happy to offer all necessary assistance.

What we offer

SIGE is able to provide a strong technical and management capacity in the following services:

Environmental audits
Development of the Characterisation Plan
Design and execution of all investigation activities, both direct and indirect, necessary for the investigation of the state of contamination in soils and/or groundwater
Geological and hydrogeological studies, 2D and 3D modelling
Soil, water, interstitial gas sampling and laboratory analyses
Assessment of excavated earth and rocks (not regarding waste management disciplines), Art. 24 Presidential Decree 120/2017
Data processing and interpretation, study of current phenomena and drafting of the conceptual model of the site
Modelling the diffusion of pollutants
Procedure for site-specific health-environmental risk analysis, in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 152 of 3 April 2006 and the APAT Guidelines, using internationally recognised and accredited software

Identification of environmental liabilities and estimation of remediation costs in the context of contractual stages of industrial site purchases and sales
Design, implementation and operation of safety systems
Drawing up the Remediation Project
Execution of remediation works and Works Management Plant engineering and environmental monitoring
Safety coordination during the design and execution phases, management of all aspects of safety at work
Decision support and assistance to the supervisory authority at all procedural and project approval stages
Supporto decisionale e assistenza presso l'Autorità di controllo in tutte le fasi procedurali e di approvazione dei progetti

How we operate

Sampling and measurement

Land

Drilling probes for geognostic continuous core drilling and rotopercussion drilling, using single and double core barrels and drilling tools with diameters from 66mm to over 200mm
Manual and mechanical systems for probing in confined spaces
Geophysical instrumentation for indirect subsurface investigation (electromagnetic and geoelectric method)
Dynamic and static penetrometric probes equipped for taking undisturbed soil samples
Topographical surveys

Soil gas

Installation of permanent networks for interstitial gas monitoring
Instrumentation for field measurements of light gases and volatile organic substances
Active and passive sampling systems

Waters

Piezometric network installation and borehole tests
Automatic piezometric data acquisition systems
Submersible pumps for sampling wells in dynamic mode
Probes for sampling in static mode
Systems for sampling in the presence of free-floating product
Water level meters, water/oil interface probes
Multi-parameter instruments for field measurement of: temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, RedOx potential
Remote monitoring and/or treatment plant management systems

Characterisation of environmental matrices

Chemical analysis

More than 20 years of experience in the analytical field enables the provision of reliable data, which is key to addressing any issues related to contaminated sites.
Chemical determinations of all contaminants of interest are carried out in the in-house analysis laboratory, which is equipped to perform all types of analysis and control activities in the environmental field.
The equipment includes a wide range of instrumentation to search for and quantify environmentally relevant pollutants in any type of matrix.

Geotechnical laboratory analyses

Sample identification and classification
Particle size analysis
Geotechnical tests

Regulatory references

Legislative Decree 152/2006 and ss.mm and ii.
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 120/2017

Why choose us? The added value of SIGE

The undisputed experience and expertise of SIGE's professionals ensures optimal solutions in the management of polluted sites: our technicians have proven expertise in correct management practices for environmental protection in a wide variety of industries, representing excellence at a national level.

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