Our Expertise

Environmental Characterization of Soil and Groundwater (Phases 2 and 3)

Environmental Characterization (Phases 2 and 3), a Pivotal Step in Site Environmental Assessment (ESA).

Environmental characterization (Phase 2), involving soil and groundwater sampling, is required when real contamination risks are identified during the site environmental assessment (Phase 1 ESA). Additional environmental characterization (Phase 3) must be conducted once the presence and concentration of contaminants are confirmed in Phase 2. These studies are often required for obtaining a mortgage from a financial institution.

Environmental Characterization (Phase 2)

This entails sampling of soil, groundwater, and other materials (backfill, dismantling materials, sediments...) collected for laboratory analysis to determine the presence and concentration of potentially hazardous chemicals. The steps include:

Planning of sampling strategy
Localization of infrastructures
Sample collection work
Laboratory analysis of samples
Data interpretation
Production of a report including analysis synthesis and recommendations for further action.

Supplementary Environmental Characterization (Phase 3)

When the presence and concentration of pollutants are confirmed in Phase 2, a more comprehensive study is conducted in contaminated areas to assess the extent of contamination. New samples will be taken deeper, for example, through drilling, and additional laboratory analyses help to delineate contamination on the surface and in depth.

Environmental Characterization (Phases 2 and 3) has the following main objectives:

Determine if contaminants are present, where, in what concentrations, and how far they may have spread in the environment.
Understand potential risks to human health and the environment and develop appropriate management strategies.
Propose rehabilitation measures tailored to the extent and nature of contamination.
Assess the extent and estimate the costs of rehabilitation work, if applicable.

Spheratest reports are produced in accordance with the general principles of CSA Z769-00 and are subject to a quality control program to ensure the validity of results and analyses.

A word
of our customers

"When faced with a contamination issue, they guided us through resolving the numerous challenges that emerged. Dealing with this kind of unpleasant surprise exposes property owners to a plethora of proven or potential problems. From the outset, Spheratest provided us with the best advice for carrying out decontamination according to industry standards. The company has always demonstrated diligence regarding deadlines. The staff is always courteous, punctual, and available. Everyone I encountered was highly knowledgeable in their field. Furthermore, Spheratest has always been transparent about costs, a major factor in such a stressful ordeal. They are a group of people for whom quality seems to be a cardinal value. Moreover, they treat you as a human being. In such a trial, this is invaluable. It is a top-notch company that I highly recommend."

"I wanted to highlight the excellent work of your project manager. It's truly pleasant to work with her. She is reliable, follows up diligently, and summarizes the issues very well. Our calls last an average of 3 minutes; she doesn't waste my time, and I have all the information I need. It's perfect."

"Thank you very much, I have always felt that you are very professional people. I can tell you that we feel confident with you and see such a difference. Thank you for being on our path to help us navigate through a situation for which we would have otherwise passed, believe me."

"On my site, I expected phases 1 and 2 to be a necessary step, and that we wouldn't discover anything more than what I already knew. But that was not the case. The Spheratest team accompanied me throughout the soil decontamination and rehabilitation process, which was long and full of challenges. Fortunately, they were patient in answering my 1001 questions in the face of my total lack of understanding of what we were finding with every shovel of dirt. They were diligent, available, present, understanding, and flexible to adapt to everything my site required. I greatly appreciated working with the Spheratest team, particularly Isabelle and Benoit, with whom I had many exchanges."