IDOM Merebrook

Employees of IDOM Merebrook and IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture will be watching with interest as our national teams go head to head in the #Euro2024 final! ⚽ Who do you think will be celebrating victory on Sunday night?! #itscominghome #threelions #rivals #england #spain

Can natural, clean, soil also be contaminated? Britain’s industrialised history means that we spend a lot of time undertaking risk assessments on pre-used land for common, industrial-related contaminants such as arsenic, lead and other heavy metals which are toxic to human health. But these metals also occur naturally in soils in certain areas of the UK as a result of mineralisation of the parent bedrock. Whilst these soils have not been contaminated by an external industrial source, they could still pose a potential threat to human health. However, the published screening levels that are widely used to determine whether or not soil is “contaminated”, are derived from scientific literature which tends to be biased towards more hazardous industrial exposure to metals. This can lead to an overestimation of risk from natural soils and unnecessary remediation in the form of clean cover systems is often the outcome. If the risks are properly assessed, with thorough characterisation of topsoil and subsoil, coupled with a detailed quantitative risk assessment, we’ve found that the risks are often not as great as first thought. Tell us about your experiences below! #greenfielddevelopment #bioavailability #contaminatedland #geoenvironmentalconsultancy #flintshire #derbyshire

Waste soils – is a WAC test really what you need? Characterisation of waste soils is a complex subject which can generate a great deal of confusion. When discussing waste, there is a common misconception that a Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) test is the key factor in determining the waste classification of soils intended for disposal at landfill. In fact, there are a number of steps which must first be undertaken to understand the appropriate disposal route for such material. The first step involves initial classification of the waste soils as hazardous or non-hazardous according to the contaminants which are present. This is not just dictated by absolute concentrations, but also how contaminants interact with one another in terms of the toxicity of compounds which can be formed. There are nuances within the process that can reassign material with an initial hazardous classification to a non-hazardous classification. At IDOM, several of our consultants are trained in using HazWasteOnlineTM which is a bespoke tool to assist with the classification of waste materials. During the assessment, the assessor has to determine the most likely worst-case species which might be formed depending on the ‘ingredients’ present. As part of the process, we have to consider the historical uses of the site, observations made during the site investigation as well as the chemical analysis results. So why do we need a WAC test? Once the initial classification has determined whether the material is hazardous or non-hazardous, WAC testing is performed to determine the appropriate landfill type for disposal. A WAC test determines the leaching potential of contaminants in the soil to identify how they will behave over time once placed in the landfill. It can be considered a safety check to ensure that materials destined for disposal in landfill will not cause harm to the environment. So, in summary, a WAC test is not the only (or indeed the first) consideration when determining the appropriate disposal route for waste soils. The initial classification is a crucial step in waste assessment and understanding costs associated with disposal. Our team of experienced of consultants are on hand to guide you through the process. In our next post in the series, we will look at the adequacy of site investigation data and the importance of this in relation to classification of waste soils and implications for programme and abnormal costs. #WAC #wasteacceptancecriteria #hazardouswaste #landfilltax #wastesoils #environmentalconsultancy

Last Friday, Regional Director Rob Glavin was invited to deliver training to Vistry Group's technical team at their Kent office. The first presentation focused on managing environmental risks associated with contamination, invasive species and hazardous gases whilst the second was tailored around the team's current challenges relating to soil strength, compaction and waterlogging. Rob delivered an interactive talk where he demonstrated the importance of optimum moisture content in soil handling procedures using the Goldilocks principle. One of the soils was too wet, one was too dry and the other was 'just right' (at optimum moisture content). He used various techniques to demonstrate ways in which waterlogged soils can be managed including rolling, mixing with dry material and adding lime. Topical fun for a wet Friday afternoon! Mike Waller Natalia Falkowska Nydia Jara Faye Roffe Fraser W. david payne Paul Taylor Hayley thompson #earthworks #soilstabilisation #groundengineering #cpd #geoenvironmental

We had a very informative talk on soil investigation, soil testing and environmental management plans from Rob Glavin and IDOM today 👏 👏

On Friday, Rob Glavin and Finn Leahy from our Keston office represented the company in a charity football tournament organised by LMAC Group Ltd. The squad was completed by Deji Juwa and Steve Jackson and colleagues at Soilfix Limited. The tournament involved four groups of six teams with the top two from each group qualifying for the main competition and the third and fourth teams going through to the plate competition. The team played consistently (losing all matches played!) but did manage to score a couple of goals. We came fifth in our group (one team dropped out), so did not make it out of the group stages. However, since some of our team had never even met before (let alone trained together) it was definitely a case of 'it's the taking part that counts' and a fun day was had by all! The event raised a magnificent £16,600 for Spread a Smile! Congratulations to the overall competition winners, Complete Steel Fabrication Ltd and plate winners, LMAC Vets. Disclaimer: No over 40's were harmed in the playing of this tournament!

There is much excitement at our head office CROMFORD MILLS (The Arkwright Society) today as the BBC are filming an episode of the Antiques Roadshow! We are thinking of taking Simon Edwards down to be valued later but apparently his wife doesn't want to sell for sentimental reasons! #antiquesroadshow #worldheritagesite #unesco

We can always count on Soilfix Limited support when we need it 💪! Well done to Rob Glavin, Finn Leahy and Deji Juwa for also putting their shins on the line to raise vital funds for the amazing Spread a Smile charity!

Our Managing Director Nigel Huish will be representing IDOM Merebrook at the upcoming REiif Exhibition on 21 May.   This is our first time attending, and we are looking forward to catching up with old friends, forging new connections and exploring potential opportunities for collaboration in real estate and infrastructure development.    UKREiiF has become the must-attend industry event, and this year looks to host some fantastic speakers, exhibitors and networking opportunities    This year we celebrate 25 years in business offering environmental engineering consultancy services across a broad range of clients and projects in the construction sector. It would be great to connect, exchange insights and see how we can support each other's goals at UKREiif this year!

Is a remediated site a ‘clean’ site? There is a common misconception that once a site has been remediated, the remaining soils are free from contamination but this is not necessarily the case. A remediation strategy is specifically targeted to address risks to the intended end user. The levels of contamination which are considered acceptable for a commercial development can be significantly higher than those for more sensitive (residential) development. As such, only limited remediation may be required for commercial developments. So, does this mean that any soils remaining on site are clean and inert? Not necessarily! The commercial screening criteria for certain contaminants can be higher than the thresholds which would render the material non-hazardous, or even hazardous, for waste disposal purposes. As the data is used in different ways, a site investigation which has been procured for the purpose of discharging planning conditions may not necessarily be adequate for waste characterisation. Insufficient characterisation of materials requiring disposal can result in significant abnormal costs which may not have been anticipated from reviewing the initial site investigation report. Conversely, a contaminated land investigation which is designed to actively target areas of potential contamination can give a skewed view of the potential waste streams on site. A systematic (grid) approach can provide comprehensive data to assist with waste classification and reduce uncertainty/risk associated with abnormal costs. At IDOM Merebrook, our team is well versed in providing critical review of site investigation reports to identify deficiencies and optimise the understanding of ground risk. Over the next few weeks we will delving further into potential ground risks and approaches to understanding risk and uncertainty during the different phases of construction. This will include waste classification, asbestos in soils and materials management plans. Are there any other ground risk challenges that you would like to see addressed? #remediation #brownfield #regeneration #contaminatedland #groundrisk