Environmental Site Assessments Toronto

Oil Tank Extractions

Environmental Services Group is a Toronto based environmental consulting company that provides professional Environmental Site Assessments in the Greater Toronto Area.

Environmental Services Group specializes in the investigation of sites that contain oil storage tanks that have been suspect for leaking oil into the surrounding soil, either above ground, or below.

Before the suspect tank can be removed we must test the surrounding areas to determine if the environment has been compromised in any way shape or form. This testing is defined as an ESA, or Environmental Site Assessment. If a Phase I ESA had been taking previously as a baseline, then our team would determine using a Phase I ESA if the conditions have changed, and if the potential for environmental damage is prevalent. A Phase II ESA will be performed if all leads point to a damaged tank, soil samples will be taken, either from an above ground tank, or an underground unit. The test will determine how much damage has taken place, and the appropriate costs it will take to bring the site up to code.

The Government is currently cracking down on old deteriorating oil tanks used for residential heating. Most homes with oil heating have tanks that are reaching the end of their 25-30 year lifespan, and home insurance companies are refusing to provide insurance to homes with tanks 20-25 years old, unless those tanks are replaced or the resident switches over to natural gas. A pinhole leak can spill 750 liters of oil in eight hours. Cleanup costs range from $5,000 to $150,000 and may require replacement of a home's entire foundation.

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

ESA Phases

Phase I

The Phase I ESA, as per the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), is required by financial institutions and the law courts, for facility owners, operators and purchasers, to demonstrate "due diligence" in order to absolve themselves from the liability associated with impacted properties. An ESA may document "baseline" or current conditions to avoid liability for future environmental impairment. In some cases, property owners/managers may rely on a Phase I ESA to hold people leasing the land accountable for activities leading to adverse impact. A Phase I ESA is a non-intrusive investigation, to determine if a property is or has the potential for adverse environmental impact associated with past or present site activities or adjacent properties.

Phase II

A Phase II ESA, as defined by the Canadian Ministers of the Environment (CCME) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), is different than a Phase I ESA in that it involves intrusive testing of materials, air, soil, surface water and groundwater, to identify and/or confirm the presence or absence of adverse environmental impact. The key to an effective and accurate Phase II ESA investigation is the collection of representative samples and the preparation of defensible conclusions by experienced professional and technical staff. The Phase II ESA identifies site-specific "constituents of concern"; samples are obtained and submitted to accredited laboratories for detailed analysis.

Phase III

The primary objective of a Phase III ESA is to investigate the nature and extent of adverse environmental impact identified by the Phase II ESA, to determine the potential risk to human health and the environment, and, if required, to develop a Remedial Action Plan (RAP). These findings include available remedial (removal) options and their respective estimated costs.

Please contact the professionals at Environmental Services Group for a Site Assessment today at 416-575-6111