Contaminated Land

Summary

Contaminated Land refers to sites where hazardous substances in the soil, groundwater, or surface water pose a risk to human health and the environment. Under strict Australian environmental legislation, the identification, assessment, and management of these sites are critical. Effective contaminated land management ensures safe land reuse, unlocks development potential, and is mandatory for property transactions, site redevelopment, and regulatory compliance.

Definition

Contaminated land refers to sites where the soil, groundwater, or surface water contains hazardous substances at levels that pose a risk to human health or the environment. Contamination can result from industrial activities, waste disposal, accidental spills, or historical land uses. In Australia, the identification, assessment, and management of contaminated land are guided by strict environmental legislation and industry standards to ensure safe redevelopment and ongoing site use.

Why It Matters

Identifying and managing contaminated land is essential to protect public health, prevent environmental harm, and comply with regulatory requirements. For property developers, investors, and businesses, understanding contamination risks early in a project can avoid costly delays, unexpected remediation expenses, and reputational damage. Effective contaminated land management supports safe land reuse, unlocks development potential, and ensures compliance with environmental due diligence obligations.

When It’s Required

The need to investigate contaminated land typically arises when:

1. Property Transactions: Buying or selling land with previous industrial or commercial use.
2. Development Applications: Redeveloping sites that may have a history of contamination.
3. Environmental Incidents: Responding to spills, leaks, or illegal dumping events.‍
4. Regulatory Compliance: Meeting the requirements of environmental regulators before site disturbance.

How We can Help

We provide end-to-end solutions for managing contaminated land risks, ensuring your project is compliant, safe, and cost-effective. Our services cover every phase of the project lifecycle, from initial assessment through to site closure and validation.

Our core Contaminated Land services include:

• Preliminary and Detailed Site Investigations (PSI & DSI): Systematic field and desktop assessments to identify and quantify contamination risks.
• Contaminated Land Assessment, Management & Remediation: Developing tailored, site-specific strategies to manage or clean up hazardous materials.
• Site Remediation and Validation: Overseeing and verifying the successful cleanup of contamination to make the land fit-for-purpose.
• Environmental Due Diligence (Phase 1 & Phase 2 ESAs): Essential pre-acquisition reporting to identify financial liabilities and environmental risks.
• Soil & Waste Classifications: Required reporting to facilitate the lawful and compliant off-site disposal of contaminated soil.
• Groundwater & Surface Water Assessments: Monitoring and assessing the impact of contamination on water resources.
• Specialist Contaminant Management: Expertise in handling complex contaminants such as Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) and Underground Petroleum Storage Systems (UPSS).

Related Terms

• Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI)
• Detailed Site Investigation (DSI)
• Remediation and Validation
• Environmental Due Diligence
• Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
• Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS)
• Environmental Audit