Proper planning begins with adequate assessments. We have performed thousands of hazardous materials surveys and site inventories to identify asbestos, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyalkydfluoro stubstances (PFAS), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), mercury, solid wastes, microbial contamination, and containers or storage areas of hazardous materials and wastes. Our surveys also identify materials that may be potentially recovered for recycling or future re-use.

Historical use of many industrial sites may have left a legacy of soil and groundwater contamination. Our initial assessments identify potential sources of contamination where a release may have occurred and the regulation (e.g., RCRA, CERCLA, or TSCA) required to maintain compliance. If a reasonable possibility for a release exists, we collect soil, vapor, and groundwater samples to assess the presence and extent of contamination.

From these assessments, the most effective plans can be developed. These plans may consist of demolition specifications in accordance with CSI, remedial work plans, health and safety plans, and plans necessary for local and state compliance or financial assistance.

Often facilities designated for decommissioning have numerous containers, tanks, and vats of known and unknown substances. Waste characterization of individual containers may be cost prohibitive. We can implement field testing to identify compatible wastes and consolidate these wastes to reduce the number of waste streams. This process greatly lowers costs of characterization, packaging, storage, shipping and disposal.

Abandoned landfills are often associated with industrial operations and municipal trash. Unfortunately, these landfills, closed before 1980, were not constructed with the modern-day systems to contain wastes. They often are missing a proper engineered cover, detailed knowledge of the waste, and landfill gas or leachate collection systems. Abandoned landfills often present an environmental threat to human health and the environment.

Landfill gas can pose both a fire and health threat to nearby buildings. Surface materials often contain heavy metals, carcinogenic organic compounds, and PCBs. Today, communities are concerned about PFAS-contaminated leachate migrating from the landfill and contaminated local groundwater. Whether the solution is to recover landfill gas and leachate or design a landfill cover, AKT Peerless can find the solution to control and manage abandoned landfills.

We have supervised the structural demolition of hundreds of buildings. Our demolition specifications and health and safety plans provide the instructions for all contractors and inspectors to use when conducting activities on-site. During demolition, we have ensured regulatory compliance with key issues such as UST removal, electric equipment removal, and abatement of asbestos, lead, and microbial growth. When necessary, we provide site clearance, air monitoring and the coordination of site-wide dust control. This may be required with abating asbestos, lead, microbial growth, or other site-specific contaminants.

After the buildings and structures have been demolished and removed from the site, we provide services to define the extent of soil, soil vapor, and groundwater contamination. We apply a risk-based health analysis to establish an appropriate clean-up level and remediation activity that is appropriate for the future use of the site. Remediation technologies have included removal actions, in-place treatment of soil and groundwater, hydraulic control of groundwater, and specifically designed covers.

To control costs and maintain corporate sustainability initiatives, we incorporate asset recovery tasks in the demolition specifications to reclaim steel, brick, crushed concrete, used equipment, and other recyclable or repurpose material. We assist with the proper steps to ensure that the re-used materials are free of contamination or are appropriate for their next use. Our economic development team can assist with identifying the appropriate re-use of the site and identifying the available financial incentives for eligible activities. We have assist with returning industrial properties to neighborhood schools, national battlefield parks, commercial retail, and high-density residential use. See our case studies to review these projects.