How to Dispose Contaminated Soil Safely

Soil can get contaminated in a variety of ways. It can be contaminated due to oil, grease, pollutants, toxic minerals, and many more. All of these contaminants can leak deeper into the soil’s surface, not only contaminating the soil but also the ground water underneath.

There is also a risk of these toxins to get into bodies of water, dealing more damage to the ecosystem. Because of this, that part of the soil needs to be removed and disposed the right way. It can be hard to dispose contaminated soil especially if it involves a vast area. On this situation, you’ll need a soil disposal service to help you out and dispose soil safely and properly.

There are different ways to treat contaminated soil.

Excavation

In this technique, the contaminated soil is directly removed from the ground. It is excavated down to the level where the contaminant hasn’t reached yet. To know if the contaminated soil is fully removed, the area will be tested for toxic contaminants.

If the test goes clean, a new layer of topsoil will be added and distributed to the area where the contaminated soil has been excavated. The removed contaminated soil will then be treated or disposed properly and safely by soil disposal Melbourne companies. Excavating contaminated soil can be time consuming task, but it is simple yet effective way of dealing with contaminated soil.

Treatment

Treating the soil on the ground where it is located is another way to deal with contaminated soil. There are different ways to treat contaminated soil without removing it per se, depending on the type of contaminant it has. For instance, if industrial solvents have contaminated the ground, zero valent iron can be used to clear that area from contaminants. Since this technique uses chemicals, it should only be done by professionals to maintain safety.

Containment

A soil disposal company will assess the situation if the contaminated soil needs to be excavated or just treated in place. However, there are times when it is impossible to excavate or treat contaminated soil where it is. When this happens, the most effective and safest way to do is contain the contaminated soil in that area. A barrier is placed around the area that is contaminated to prevent the toxins or chemicals from spreading into the nearby areas and cause more damage to nature.

Blending

Lastly, when the contaminant is not that dangerous or highly toxic, it could just be blended as it is. Blending involves mixing some good soil into the contaminated soil in order to reduce the level of contamination into a safer level. It all depends on the type of contamination and the concentration of the contaminant whether this method is the best choice or not.

Contaminated soil can do damage as plain chemicals and toxins do. When you suspect soil contamination in any way, it is best to get the soil tested to know if it is needed to be removed or treated for you and everyone’s safety.