Preliminary land contamination risk assessment
Before buying, redeveloping or changing the use of land, it is worth understanding what its history may conceal. We review past and present activities to identify potential contamination sources and plan further investigation in proportion to the risks identified.
Locate potential risks before commissioning intrusive investigation
We reconstruct site uses from available historical material, process documentation and information supplied by the owner or operator. The review looks for locations associated with substance storage, production, waste handling and incidents that may have affected the ground. Confirmed facts are distinguished from assumptions and areas where reliable information is limited or absent.
Potential sources are connected to possible contaminant migration pathways and current or proposed land uses. Existing investigation results are reviewed in terms of location, age and actual coverage. This identifies questions already partly answered and areas needing targeted investigation, rather than selecting sampling locations without a clear link to the site's history.
The preliminary review helps define the next stage but does not demonstrate that an entire property is free from contamination. An absence of recorded incidents is not proof that none occurred. Findings help investors, operators or transaction advisers consider additional documents, intrusive investigation or clarification of a specific risk before making further commitments.
Technical data
| Subject | Historical and current potential sources of land contamination. |
|---|---|
| Service type | Preliminary risk assessment using site history and available evidence. |
| Assessment basis and requirements | Historical records, process descriptions, earlier investigations and the intended use of the property. |
| Method |
|
| Delivery model | KFB Enviro with a partner/subcontractor |
What you receive
You receive a preliminary report and programme of next steps identifying potential contamination sources, the quality of available evidence and significant uncertainties. Recommendations organise the need for further documentation or investigation. The material helps commission purposeful follow-up work and explains which conclusions cannot yet be supported by a review of the property's history alone.