Soil Disposal And The Environment

soil disposal, soil re-use, soil landfill

Due to environmental awareness, legislation concerning soil disposal and treatment here in the UK has become more robust . Thankfully there are dedicated companies that specialise in this bespoke arena and by using their services it is possible to dispose of soil in a manner that is both cost effective and sustainable.

Thanks to the introduction of landfill tax, soil disposal is not a cheap process and for that reason, these firms are able to offer their services to allow other companies an option that keeps them compliant with current laws.

Soil treatment is essentially a combination of various processes that all have the same objective – taking contaminated soil and transforming it into an end product that is both usable and sustainable.

There are 4 main practices that are carried out in order to cleanse contaminated soils:

  • Bioremediation – This is commonly used when organic contaminants are found in the affected soil. Oil and a variety of fuels are the usual suspects and these levels are reduced by introducing a biological enhancing process. It can take over a month to fully effect this treatment but is thought to be one of the most cost effective ways to reach these targets.
  • Chemical Oxidation – Also known as Chemox, this is where the contaminated ingredients are injected with oxidants until the desired levels are reached. Water and soil can be treated simultaneously and Chemox is usually carried out by using a drill rig set up.
  • Stabilisation – This works by removing the contaminants in a way that leaves the remaining soil in a state that can then be reused. Not only will this process remove the affected particles but it will also leave the soil in a state of improved stabilisation.
  • Soil Washing – This process involves isolating the contaminants in a way that makes it easy to isolate and totally remove that part effectively. This is usually carried out in order to reduce disposal volumes going to landfill.

If you are interested in learning more about soil disposal, landfill legislation and the different treatments available for your business speak to a specialist company today.