Five Site-Specific Construction Environmental Management Plans
All construction activities, whether big or small, can result in some damages to the local environment. These damages include site contamination, waste production, air pollution, noise pollution, and water-quality deterioration. Under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), any party involved in an environmental nuisance can be prosecuted. Therefore, you must have a well-thought-out Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) in place to ensure you will not run afoul of the law.
Here is a brief outline of five site-specific construction environmental management plans:
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Oily sludge removal
Sludge is a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), heavy metals, solid particles, and water. Some hydrocarbons, such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are found in crude oil sludge and heavy metals, such as copper and zinc, can cause serious harm to the environment and to the health of people and animals living in the area.
Sludge can also decrease soil fertility. Sludge can be treated with chemical, biological, and physical processes. Oily sludge removal plans should include one or all these processes as appropriate.
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Soil management
Soil management involves the application of interventions to protect soil (from contamination, erosion, etc.) and improve its performance. It may involve removing pollutants, adding organic matters, managing pests, and nutrients, keeping the ground covered, avoiding excessive tilling and compaction, increasing diversity, and monitoring of soil performance regularly.
Pollutants can be removed using a physical, chemical, and biological processes. The benefits of soil management include pollution-free soil, increased soil fertility, increased yield, and reduced erosion.
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Groundwater and dredging management
Groundwater contamination and dredging are major problems at a construction site. Groundwater is the water that is found in the cracks, crevices, and spaces in soil, sand, and rocks under the ground. It can get contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and other pollutants seeping from above.
Dredging means clearing the bed of an area of water by scooping out mud and rubbish with a dredge. Haphazard dredging can cause groundwater contamination, which can result in soil contamination and health hazards. Therefore, there should be a good groundwater and dredging management plan in every construction site.
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Waste management: transportation of contaminated waste
A considerable amount of waste is produced every day on a construction site. Without a proper waste management plan, the accumulated waste can soon become a hazard to the environment (soil contamination, groundwater contamination, and air pollution) and to people’s health (various communicable diseases).
Therefore, there must be a proper waste management plan, and it should include the transportation of contaminated waste via roadway, railway, water, or air to a facility where it is recycled, treated, stored, or disposed of. By roadway, it is extremely important that a high-quality vacuum truck is used.
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Environmental management and monitoring plan
An environmental management plan (EMP) is a plan developed to ensure all the required environmental management practices are followed at a construction site. Effective EMP guarantees the best practices in environmental management are applied, all state and federal environmental regulations are complied with, and the environmental risks associated with the construction activity are properly managed.
Once EMP is implemented, it must be properly monitored to ensure its objectives are met in a timely manner.
All American Environment can assist you in developing and implementing Site-Specific Construction Environmental Management Plans. Call or email us today for more information on how we can be of assistance.
To learn more about our services or to request a quote, contact us today.
We provide New Jersey environmental consulting and contracting services to Morris County, Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Somerset County, Middlesex County, Union County, Warren County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Sussex County, Ocean County, and Monmouth County, New Jersey.
