Services

Contaminated Land

Sustainable Environmental Engineering Limited (SEE LTD) has provided technical expertise related to a broad range of contaminated land management issues for over 20 years throughout New Zealand and Europe. We work directly with home and business owners, developers, research institutes, regional and district councils and other government bodies.

Over the years we have dealt with a wide range of contaminated land issues resulting from potentially contaminating activities such as horticulture, orchards, timber treatment, dipping sheep, applying and disposing of pesticides and herbicides, fuel storage, disposal of waste in clean fills and landfills etc.

Generally contaminated land advice is sought:

• When landowners/developers propose to sub-divide or develop land which has been potentially contaminated by historic activities
• To identify potential site contamination and to assess the significance of it in terms of financial cost and constraints on site use prior to purchase/sale;
• When reference data is required to prove the condition of the land prior to leasing for industrial, commercial or other uses;
• To reassure owners of land that historic activities undertaken in the past are not having a detrimental effect on their health e.g. sub-divisions on old orchard/market garden land/landfills

What do our contaminated land specialists do?

Our contaminated land assessments follow a phased approach involving five main steps as detailed in the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Land Management Guidelines and the National Environmental Standard (NES) for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health.

Step 1

Undertake a Preliminary Site Investigation to identify the historic and current use of the site, the potential contaminants of concern, the areas in which contaminants were stored, used, disposed of and the potential receptors i.e. human health/the environment.

Step 2

If the PSI indicates that contamination is potentially present we undertake a Detailed Site Investigation to: identify the extent and concentration of contaminants of concern across the site; describe the environmental characteristics of the site listing all the potential receptors (e.g. humans, environment) and the exposure pathways (route by which the contamination could reach these receptors); compare the concentrations of the identified contaminants to appropriate human health and environmental acceptance criteria; outline the limitations of the investigation and assessment; and identify and outline the need for further work.

Step 3

If contaminants are detected we provide a Remediation Action Plan (RAP) detailing the proposed works to clean up the site and apply for the necessary Resource Consents. Remediation of the site is undertaken.

Step 4

We validate the remediation and provide a Site Validation Report.

Step 5

Finally, Post Remediation monitoring is undertaken, a management plan provided and management and regulatory "sign off" sought.

Wastewater

Sustainable Environmental Engineering Limited (SEE LTD) has provided technical expertise related to a broad range of wastewater management issues throughout the Marlborough for over 10 years working directly for home and business owners, wineries, developers and regional councils.

What do our wastewater specialists do?

Our Marlborough District Council accredited staff follow the guidance detailed in the Australian/New Zealand Standard 1547:2012 entitled On-site Domestic Wastewater Management and the Marlborough District Council ‘Guidelines for new on-site wastewater management systems.

As part of the wastewater assessment process we undertake a site and soil evaluation identifying all the constraints on site. We evaluate the soil properties particularly soil texture and structure and assign a soil category.

We then determine the site specific flow rates from the dwelling/building and select and design an appropriate land application system (drip irrigation, trenches, beds) and select a primary or secondary treatment unit and compile a Site and Soil Evaluation Report.

Once compiled the report is submitted to the Marlborough District Council for resource and building consent. Once granted the wastewater system is installed by a contractor and the system inspected and signed off by SEE Ltd.

If the site in located in an area that the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan identifies as being unstable a separate geo-technical investigation is required, click the read 'Geotechnical' tab to read more.

Geotechnical

Sustainable Environmental Engineering Limited (SEE LTD) has provided geo-technical expertise related to a broad range of residential and commercial sites throughout Marlborough for over 10 years.

What do our geotechnical specialists do?

They specifically address the geological and geomorphologic characteristics of the site; describe surface water patterns, surface expressions of subsoil disturbance, lithological boundaries and view aerial photographs and geological maps and memoirs.

Sub-surface site investigations involve undertaking penetrometer and shear vane tests consistent with the intended development. The underlying soil profile will be described and characterised by an experienced geologist following the practice guide of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society.

Once the site investigation phase has been undertaken a geotechnical report is written detailing the features and characteristics of the site and conclusions and recommendations made with regard to the site stability and proposed development.

The report will include a statement with regard to the potential risk of instability and a professional opinion.

Assessment of Environmental Effects

SEE Ltd undertake Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEEs) to determine the impact proposed activities and developments can have on the environment.

An AEE is a requirement under the Resource Management Act (RMA) as part of any application for resource consent.

SEE Ltd will identify any potential adverse effects on the environment and will help mitigate for them to ensure the proposal has the best chance at obtaining the required consents from the relevant consenting authority.

Resource and Building Consents

SEE Ltd have applied for and been granted on behalf of our clients, hundreds of Resource Consents throughout Marlborough and Nelson. The main consents granted include the following:

• Land use consents (contaminated land)
• Subdivision consents
• Water permits (groundwater abstraction)
• Discharge permits (wastewater)
• Coastal permits (moorings)

SEE Ltd work closely with numerous surveyors, planning consultants and architects throughout Marlborough and Nelson during the process of developing land.