specialist CONTAMINATED GROUND REMOVAL services
Contaminated soils will put your construction project on immediate hold! We can completely remove and dispose of soils contaminated with invasive weed materials, Non-Licensable Asbestos, petrol, diesel or heavy metals such as lead, leaving you with a clean site.
Minimising disruption and environmental impact on development projects
Before any remediation can begin, it’s essential for construction and developers to know if any contaminants are present, at what levels, and the associated risks, regulatory requirements, cost, and project timelines. Contaminated ground causes issues for construction especially when developing brownfield sites, and not just for existing projects but also for any planned change of land use projects. Typical concerns can be project delays and unexpected issues. You can be confident our services will be:
- Legally compliant.
- Environmentally responsible.
- Cost and time efficient.
- Fully validated for future development.
IMPORTANT: Your current and previous projects could be applicable for claiming Land Remediation Relief (LRR).
Quick Links
- What to do if you suspect asbestos contaminated ground
- What’s the process for removing contaminated ground?
- What are the legalities around contaminated ground disposal?
- What are the most common ground contaminants?
- Project example: Asbestos and invasive plants removal
- What choose us
Page last reviewed 16.10.2025
“Delivered the works safely and ahead of original program I feel this is down to their organisational skills and problem solving”
VMS Ltd
“The team consistently went above and beyond to offer guidance and reassurance, which was greatly appreciated. It was evident that they are deeply knowledgeable in their field and committed to delivering a high standard of service.”
Imperiet Property Group
what to do if you suspect asbestos contaminated ground
fast, actionable advice
High concentrations of contaminants (or other noxious waste) must be removed by a licensed contractor. Get in touch with us – our teams are fully qualified to deal with Non-Licensable asbestos in soils, and the removal of resultant hazardous wastes leaving your site fit for purpose.
We’ll do the soil sampling to detect the presence of contaminants or more often to accurately locate contamination hot spots identified generally on a previous broader ground investigation survey. We can also undertake additional WAC testing if the levels of contaminants found are into the hazardous thresholds. Our remediation proposal will fit the requirement of the site and proposed future use (that requires excavation and removal of the contaminated soils).
What’s the process for removing contaminated ground?
soil analysis, excavation, disposal
The first stage is assessment – by taking soil samples and having them analyses by a lab. The next stage is to determine the method of removal – this can involve some hand picking of ACMs. In brief it’s a 3-stage process:
- Soil sampling and analysis with report
- Contaminated soil removal/excavation
- Contaminated waste and soils disposal
As well as removing Non-Licensable Asbestos in soils, we are licensed to remove soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons or heavy metal pollution in soil. Examples of these are oil, petrol and diesel found in soils. We can professionally handle all of this for you, leaving your site clean and fit for its intended purpose.
What are the legalities around contaminated ground disposal?
keep your works compliant
Soils contaminated with invasive plants legislated under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act or containing asbestos are classed as ‘hazardous waste’ and must be handled and disposed of by a licensed contractor to a landfill licensed tor receive this type of waste. Hazardous levels of contaminants will require a further Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) test before agreement to dispose at landfill, to establish the leachate properties of the contamination.
Our teams are qualified and trained to carefully excavate and handle waste on site before being taken via registered waste carriers to an appropriately licensed landfill facility. All works are recorded, including waste tracking records, which ensure your project’s compliance.
Find out if you have contaminated ground
What are the most common ground contaminants?
Contaminants are particles in the ground that are deemed hazardous if not removed, often found on brownfield sites. The most common types are; invasive plant material such as Japanese knotweed or Giant hogweed, petroleum spillages in soils, Asbestos and soil contamination by heavy metals that tend to come from activities such as industrial processes, mining and the use of certain fertilisers and pesticides, including:
- Japanese knotweed
- Lead
- Mercury
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Chromium
- Nickel
- Zinc
RECENT PROJECT: ASBESTOS AND INVASIVE PLANTS REMOVAL
One of the benefits of using Environment Controls is our ability to remove all types of hazardous waste at the same time – our All-In-One Multi Contaminant removal service, which saves our clients time and resources searching for multiple contractors.
On this contract we were expecting to deal with invasive plants (including Japanese knotweed) but as the project progressed it uncovered more than was originally expected. The discovery of asbestos in soils, made ground, manholes and underground pipes, made this project more challenging.
Why choose us
- National Contractor – resource locally.
- Projects from £500 up to £1.5M
- Site-specific solutions
- Fully compliant to industry standards
- Constructionline Gold
Accreditations
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