Soil remediation means removing pollution and contaminants from the soil, which can harm humans, animals, and the environment.
Contaminants come from several places, including:
- Industrial activity
- Pesticides
- Animal dung
- Farming chemicals
- Septic system malfunction
- Improper solid waste management
- Underground oil tank leakage
If the soil is contaminated, soil remediation must be carried out to get rid of toxins and restore the land back to its natural state.
Three common soil remediation methods are:
- Bioremediation
- Soil washing
- Thermal desorption
The type and extent of contamination determine the effectiveness of the above strategies.
Though soil remediation can eliminate the harmful chemicals, in some cases, replacing the contaminated soil with clean fill is the best choice.
How Long Does Soil Remediation Take?
It can take a day or several months, or even years to excavate polluted soil. The time depends on several elements such as:
- Total contaminated area
- Depth of contamination
- Contamination below the water table
Time by Type of Soil Remediation
The amount of time it takes depends on the soil remediation method used and other elements. But one factor that is common in all strategies is the amount of contaminated soil.
Bioremediation
This process involves the growth of microbes that eat up the contaminants. The pollutants work as the source of energy to the microbes that secrete enzymes in the same way the human body does. Once the pollutants are broken into smaller pieces by enzymes, they are digested by microbes. Since this method requires the maintenance of environmental factors, the microbes may take weeks to months to clear up the mess.
Soil Washing
This method works by washing the contaminated soil with a chemical additive. Next, the soil is scrubbed, and the clean soil is separated from the polluted soil and water.
The contaminants bind to fine-grained soils such as clay and silt. These then bind to coarse-grained soils like gravel and sand. The main idea of soil washing is to separate polluted fine-grained soils and wash water from clean coarse-grained soils.
The wash water and contaminated soils can be treated for reuse or tossed off. The clean residue can be used again as a backfill with the complete removal of pollutants.
Thermal Desorption
This process eliminates organic contaminants from the soil with the use of heat in a thermal desorber machine that evaporates the pollutants. The organic contaminants treated by this technique include volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds.
The time required for cleaning depends on various factors such as :
- Size and depth of contaminated area
- Location of desorber (on-site or off-site)
- Size of desorber
- Concentration of contaminants
- Amount of dust, clay, or organic material in the soil.
Looking for Soil Remediation Services in Hockley, TX?
At WM Trucking & Excavating, we provide commercial and residential soil remediation services. Contact us today at 936 372 1399 and get a free quote. We also offer debris removal, trucking, demolition, and excavation services in Hockley, Texas, and nearby areas.