Lakeside Green Environmental conducts and prepares Environmental Site Assessments following protocols established by the Canadian Standards Association as well as Ontario Regulation 153/04. Our experience includes completing over 150 Environmental Site Assessment reports on a diverse range of properties. Environmental Site Assessments are classified in three separate categories.
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
The purpose of the Phase I Assessment is to identify potential or actual contamination on the property. A Phase I Assessment is typically requested by a regulatory official, by a financial institute, or a potential purchaser of a property with regard to liability. A Phase I Assessment may also be conducted as part of a due diligence investigation or when establishing baseline liability for the property owner.
A Phase I Assessment requires records review, a site visit, and interviews to meet established standards. The records review consists of an extensive review of historical records, aerial photographs, property use records, previous assessments of the property, geological and geotechnical reports, and any available regulatory information pertaining to the property. The site visit consists of a visual inspection of the exterior property and the interior of all buildings located on the property. Interviews are conducted with site personnel, municipal officials, and government officials. The gathered information is then detailed in a thorough report.
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
The purpose of the Phase II Assessment is to confirm the presence and characterization of suspected contamination located on a property. The Phase II Assessment is typically initiated based on the findings of a Phase I Assessment, to establish baseline levels for the property, to determine regulatory compliance, or at the request of a financial institute. Properties which operate as a gas station, an automotive garage, or a dry cleaner usually require a Phase II Assessment.
The information gathered in the Phase I Assessment is necessary to complete the Phase II Assessment; however they can be completed in conjunction. A Phase II Assessment involves collecting soil and/or ground water samples from preplanned locations on the property for laboratory analysis. Results of laboratory analysis are then compared to applicable regulatory standards to determine compliance. Each property is unique; therefore each Phase II Assessment is developed and planned accordingly. The gathered information is then detailed in a comprehensive report.
Phase III Environmental Site Assessment
The purpose of the Phase III Assessment is to remediate contamination confirmed on the subject property. Clean up activities for a property depend on several factors such as type of contamination, the area of contamination, if ground water has been impacted, and if time is a critical factor. Activities could potentially include removing impacted soils for off-site remediation or on-site remediation with approval from the Ministry of Environment. A detailed report outlining all activities is completed when the property is in compliance with regulatory standards.