A site-specific hydrogeological risk assessment (HRA) must be included in all applications for an Environmental Permit (EP) for a waste disposal site.ESI prepares hydrogeological risk assessments for landfill sites accepting inert, non-hazardous and hazardous waste, in a wide and varied range of locations and geological and hydrogeological environments.
A technical approach to risk assessment has been carefully designed; ESI works closely with regulatory bodies and the industry as a whole on the development and application of practical risk assessment methodologies. Through the production of a robust conceptual model, based on a comprehensive desk study, the level of risk assessment appropriate to the site is determined. If required a suitable computer model is developed to represent conditions as accurately as possible.
ESI has its own in-house modelling software package RAM in addition to other software packages. This software is highly versatile and enables a flexible approach in developing risk assessment models. RAM provides a robustand transparent assessment of risks using the source-pathway-receptor methodology and can incorporate a constant or declining source term.
ESI’s transient version of RAM (known as TRAM) has been developed to allow the assessment of a landfill’s performance through time, taking into account changes to the engineering containment measures that are in place (e.g. geomembrane liners and landfill caps).
ESI’s services to support hydrogeological risk assessments for landfill and waste sites
- Desk study and conceptual model development
- Assessment of the level of risk and the complexity of the risk assessment required
- Construction of an appropriate computer risk assessment model
- Interpretation and concise reporting of the results
- Regulatory liaison
- Engineering design optimisation