What are the Sustainability Benefits of the Remediation of Contaminated Sites?

Most cities have many unused and under-utilised sites and land parcels within the city centre and inner suburbs.   These sites, while being unsightly, are often contaminated and are also potentially harmful to the health of neighbours and other environmental receptors.  Unused land also results in “dead areas” within cities, increases inefficiencies and encourages urban sprawl at the city margins. 

Remediation and development of unused contaminated sites, when integrated with appropriate town planning, can create efficiencies by increasing densities, increasing public transport use, providing public open space and development of energy efficient buildings.  Remediation of these sites has an overall net benefit of improving the visual aesthetics while protecting human health and the environment.

Will Ellis is an Environmental Engineer at Potentia Environment and specialises in the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites.  Potentia Environment has a liability transfer model that allows corporate entities to sell their legacy sites with limited future risk.  Will is also a board member of Engineers Australia - College of Environment, which has been tasked with developing a sustainability training program that will become part of the requirements for becoming a Chartered Professional Engineer. This training is aimed at enabling every engineer to bring aspects of sustainable thinking into design and implementation of projects across all disciplines.

This presentation will provide examples of how integrating aspects of sustainability into remediation projects can achieve better outcomes for society and the environment.