Soil Contamination Testing & Solutions 

Land is considered contaminated when hazardous substances are present in soil, groundwater or site materials at levels that could pose a risk to human health or the environment.

When hazardous substances have not been used, stored or disposed of safely, the soil can become contaminated. In the past, the use of hazardous substances was often less controlled than they are today. Sometimes this contamination is still present many years after the hazardous land use has stopped.

Contamination is not always intentional. It can also result from historical building products, old site practices, spills or activities that were once common but are no longer considered acceptable.

A site may be considered potentially contaminated if a current or historical activity on the property is listed on the Ministry for the Environment’s Hazardous Activities and Industries List, commonly known as HAIL.

Councils keep registers of potentially contaminated sites, which reference the HAIL. Councils review historical aerial photographs, property file and consenting information, and other information to identify potentially contaminated sites and list them on the register.

Councils are also informed by consultants and the reports we produce are later linked to the site via the register. It is important to note that not every site on a council register is contaminated, and just because your site isn’t on the register doesn’t mean it’s not contaminated.

The contaminated land regulations are often triggered by certain activities such as subdivision, a change in land use, or disturbance of soils. If you are proposing one of these activities, Councils should require an investigation into the presence of contaminated land.

Send us the information you have received from Council, along with a brief outline of what you are proposing on the site. We can then provide a quote setting out what is required, the likely timeframe and the cost.

Due diligence is an important step when buying or selling land that may be contaminated. Understanding the potential risks early can help avoid unexpected costs, delays or future compliance issues.

We can attend the site for inspection, carry out XRF screening or soil sampling to assist in advising you on the contamination status of the site. Because remediation of contaminated land can be costly, it is important to have the right information before committing to a purchase or sale.

Disturbing contaminated soil may require Resource Consent. In some cases, Resource Consent may not be required, but the soil still needs to be managed and disposed of appropriately.

Fill operators and disposal facilities need to be confident that any soil they accept meets their acceptance criteria. We can help by completing disposal sampling and provide you with the information you need to manage or dispose of the soil appropriately.