Contaminated soil hauling Edmonton

Whiterock Ventures is a progressive company in Edmonton providing waste disposal services providing expertise is Contaminated soil hauling.

What is soil hauling?

Excavation of contaminated soil from a site involves digging it up for “ex situ” (above-ground) treatment or for disposal in a landfill. Excavation also may involve removing old drums of chemicals and other buried debris that might be contaminated. Removing these potential sources of contamination keeps people from coming into contact with contamination and helps speed the cleanup of contaminated groundwater that may be present.

How does Soil hauling work?

Contaminated soil is excavated using standard construction equipment, like backhoes and excavator track hoes. The equipment chosen depends on how large and deep the contaminated area is, and whether access is limited by the presence of buildings or other structures that cannot be moved. Long-arm excavators can reach as deep as 100 feet below ground, but excavations are generally limited to much shallower depths due to safety concerns and difficulty keeping the hole open. Sometimes soil is excavated below the water table, which requires walling off the contaminated area and pumping out the water to keep dry during excavation.

How long will it take?

Excavating contaminated soil may take as little as one day or as long as several years. The actual time it takes to excavate will depend on several factors. For example, it may take longer where:

• The contaminated area is large, very deep, or below the water table.
• Contaminant concentrations are high, requiring extra safety precautions.
• The contaminated soil contains a lot of rocks or debris.
• Buildings or site activities limit the movement of equipment.
• The site is remote, or the treatment and disposal facilities are far away.

What are the effects on normal citizens?

Nearby residents and businesses may notice increased truck traffic during soil excavation and the noise of earth-moving equipment. Excavations are fenced off to prevent entry to the area until it is backfilled and covered with clean soil.

 

What are the reasons to haul contaminated soil?

Excavation is commonly used where in situ cleanup methods will not work quickly enough or will be too expensive. Offsite disposal and ex situ treatment are often the fastest ways to deal with high levels of contamination that pose an immediate risk to people or the environment. Excavation is also a cost-effective approach for small amounts of contaminated soil.