In 2015, over $14 billion is projected by analysts to be spent worldwide to remove metals, VOCs and other contaminants from groundwater. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a major component of the chemicals of concern and are present in over 2/3 of all superfund, EPA Resource Recovery Act and Department of Defense sites. Besides VOCs, metals, including: arsenic, chromium, lead, zinc, nickel, and cadmium are also a leading chemical concern in groundwater. Groundwater remediation is a way to clean-up these once spilled chemicals using a variety of techniques, including: thermal, biological, chemical, and physical technologies.
The United States is said to be the world leader for groundwater remediation and is expected to be the largest global market in 2015 and beyond. With this groundwater remediation market growth, it can be expected that some unqualified companies will look to capitalize. It is important for those looking to hire qualified experts to choose the right company for their particular problem. It will be even more important in the future to ask some key questions when evaluating potential groundwater remediation experts, whether it is an environmental consultanting firm to engineer the remediation, a vendor to perform subcontracted remedial activities, or the developer of a new remedial technology.
These Questions Should Include…
- What type of remedial work has the company conquered (VOCs, metals, other chemicals of concern)?
- Have they actually implemented groundwater remedial efforts successfully, rather than simply designed and implemented failing approaches?
- How many regulatory closures have they procured on behalf of their clients?
- In how many states has the chosen remedial technology been accepted or denied by regulatory agencies, or by the US EPA?
- Do they have any references of work or prior scenarios they are willing to share?
- How long have they been in the business?
- What are their core values/would you feel comfortable taking on a business relationship with them?
By performing appropriate due diligence through asking a few small questions, those parties responsible for performing and paying for groundwater remediation can be confident that they are hiring a responsible and qualified team and avoiding opportunistic and unprofessional carpetbaggers.
