Environmental remediation is the process of reducing contaminants in environmental media such as groundwater, surface water, soil, or other ground types. The contaminated media may be removed and cleaned of pollutants offsite. This is often seen at sites such as gas stations or dry cleaners, where spills have taken place. This approach, often called a “dig and dump,” is a quick way to get a parcel of land pollutant free. The cost associated with removing contaminated media and backfilling with clean soil can add up very quickly. Therefore, this is a solution typically limited to a contaminated area that has a small geographical footprint. If there is a building on site, then the building would need to be removed to exhume the contaminated media underneath it. If this is not an option, means of in-situ remediation would be required to remove the contamination under the building.
Contaminated sites are a challenge, as pollutants can be carried by groundwater for a long distance and can therefore extend past the property. Plumes of contamination can in fact extend through many parcels of land, potentially affecting different landowners. In these cases, again, the only course of action may be in-situ remediation.