Site Characterization, Remediation, & Due Diligence

Roux was retained by a national industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) to assist in completion of due diligence associated with a former steel plant in North/Central New Jersey. The REIT was evaluating the Site to acquire and develop a 700k-square-foot warehouse. The environmental due diligence revealed significant chlorinated volatile organic compound (CVOC) groundwater contamination as high as 20,000 parts per billion (ppb) within bedrock at depths of up to 175 feet below ground surface (bgs). In addition to the CVOC impacts in groundwater, widespread polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) existed within soil across a large portion of the Site. Based on the results of the initial due diligence activities, Roux developed order of magnitude (OOM) costs to remediate the soil and groundwater impacts, which allowed the client to negotiate the ultimate purchase price with the seller.

After acquiring the Site, Roux was retained to provide Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) services and to implement the previously designed soil and groundwater remediation activities. Soil remediation activities consist of excavation and off-site disposal and establishment of administrative (deed restriction) and engineering (capping) controls. Groundwater remediation activities consist of in situ chemical reduction (ISCR) via atomized injections of zero valent iron (ZVI) with the addition of a carbon substrate material.

Direct injection points were installed using air rotary drilling methods and the amendment (approximately 400k lbs of ZVI and carbon) was delivered into the bedrock using pneumatic fracturing at pressures up to 1200 pounds per square inch (psi). Injection depths within bedrock ranged from 20 to 140 feet bgs. Two complete groundwater data sets have been collected after injection activities and indicated an average centerline groundwater plume tetrachloroethene concertation reduction from 2,800 ug/L collected in March 2019 (baseline), to 95 ug/L in November 2019. Individual wells along the centerline plume showed reductions from the baseline sampling of 3,200 ug/L to non-detect. Based on present results, it is anticipated that monitored natural attenuation (MNA) will be utilized to address the remaining groundwater impacts.