How Much Does it Cost for Site Remediation?

Randall D. Shaw, Managing Director of Associate Redlog, UAE

June 22, 2023

This second article from our Associate in UAE, Redlog, will focus on the issue that is central to all remediation projects: How much will this cost to clean-up the site?

The first article, Site Remediation: Terminology and Approaches, provided an overview of approaches for remediation of contaminated sites.

The boiler plate answer we as consultants inevitably give when our clients ask how much it would cost to clean up the site is, in short, “it depends” - depends on the extent of the contamination, risks, and regulatory clean-up requirements so we need more information before we can come up with a realistic cost estimate. That is of course not the answer a business wants to hear - for internal planning purposes, there is often a need for some idea of timelines and clean-up costs long before work starts at the site.

Estimates of remediation costs are not easy to come by, and are not something that one can readily find by searching the internet. This is not unexpected due to the complexities and differences among sites, the many types of environmental remediation approaches, differences in requirements among regulators, the confidential nature of this work, and the general opacity of consultants and contractors pricing.

We at Inogen Alliance strive for transparency.

The information presented below is based on my direct experience with Redlog, which includes carrying out these types of studies over the last thirty years at many sites in Canada, South-East Asia, and the Middle East, and input from colleagues within the Inogen Alliance across Europe, UK and the US from our global Remediation Working Group. We believe this information will be useful to those who are looking for preliminary and “ballpark” estimates for timelines and site cleanup costs.

Of course, it goes without saying that all of the following estimates of remediation costs are, by necessity, greatly simplified to provide examples of our more common remediation projects, but those values can easily vary an order of magnitude depending on the specifics of any site. So in short - this is to be used more as a starting point for framing costs.

Preliminary Remediation Costs and Timelines

As discussed in the previous article in the series, remediation projects are generally executed in a phased manner. The first stage - the preliminary works - are done prior to site works. In the best case, they can be completed in weeks, but more typically will require 1-2 months, and in large and complex situations much longer than that.

Costs associated with preparing these various reports are given in the following table for a “generic” and “medium-sized” site, but the typical costs range from $5,000 for a smaller site to $50,000 and more for a large and complex site. Most of these initial costs are typically associated with field sampling and laboratory analysis as needed to characterize the site and delineate the probable zone of contamination.

Typical Costs and Timelines Prior to Site Works

DELIVERABLE	Duration (Weeks)			COST (USD)			COMMENT
PRELIMINARY RISK ASSESSMENT / SCOPING ASSESSMENT
Scoping Report – desktop study, OR	1-4		$1,500 to $4,000				Use readily available information to provide an overview of site conditions, issues and a general plan for site characterization.
Scoping Report – site visit	1-2		$2,500 to $5,000				As above, but also includes a site visit and perhaps meetings with key stakeholders to gain additional information.
SITE INVESTIGATION
Site Investigation Report	4-8			$10,000 to $25,000			Assuming 20-30 soil samples at depths of 1-2 m and 4 groundwater wells at depths of less than 10 m. Report includes data, table comparing data to regulatory standards, assessment of zone of contamination.
Additional data collection, if needed	4-8			$2,500 to $25,000			It is not surprising to find additional issues during the site investigation phase, e.g., other contaminants, plumes extending deeper or wider than originally anticipated. More sampling is sometimes required to accurately characterize the site.
RISK ASSESSMENT (IF NEEDED)
Risk Assessment Report, if needed	1-4				$2,500 to $5,000		Conventional risk assessments regarding human health and ecological receptors, as appropriate, using site data collected in the previous phase and regulatory screening tables and/or toxicological databases to quantify risk. Provides a basis for establishing site-specific clean-up criteria.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES (IF NEEDED)
Feasibility Study Report, if needed	2-4					$2,500 to $10,000	Assessing the potential effectiveness of different remediation technologies via lab or pilot-scale tests for input to the Risk Assessment and/or Remedial Action Plan.
REMEDIAL ACTION PLAN (IF NEEDED)
Remedial Action Plan Report, if needed	1-4	$2,500 to $5,000					Plan submitted and approved by regulator prior to implementing site remediation works.

Remediation Site Approaches and Cost Estimates

Remediation approaches / technologies are discussed in detail in our Part 1 article and were divided into three broad categories:

1. Do Nothing

2. Removal and Disposal

3. On-Site Treatment

Here are some general assumptions made for deriving these cost estimates:t:

Moderate size
- For groundwater: assuming a relatively small site with a shallow contaminant plume and in the order of 100,000L of contaminated groundwater to remediate.
  Unit costs for smaller sites may be somewhat higher and unit costs for larger sites may be somewhat lower.
- For soils: assuming a relatively small site with 1,000 m² area of soil contamination that extends 1 to 2 m deep.
  Unit costs for smaller sites may be somewhat higher and unit costs for larger sites may be somewhat lower.
Reasonable site logistics – assuming ready access to the site for equipment and machinery (e.g., drill rigs) and the site is in reasonable proximity (e.g., less than 100 km) to service providers, equipment, disposal facilities, etc.
Access restrictions (e.g., at an airport or other areas with high security and special safety issues to consider) or great distances from contractors, hazardous waste disposal sites, etc. will increase costs.
Common contaminants – assuming we are dealing with common contaminants such as hydrocarbons, PAHS, metals.
Others, such as dioxins, complex mixtures, explosives, etc., may incur much higher sampling and laboratory and/or contracting and/or disposal costs that will, of course, also increase overall costs.
No site restrictions – assuming no restrictions that may affect timing or schedules. Sites located in an area with sensitive archaeological/ecological issues, UXO, etc. will increase costs.
Receptive regulator – assuming regulator is receptive to risk-based approaches for remediation; if not, then remediation costs could be higher.

The table below summarizes the relative capital and operating costs for these various remediation approaches / technologies. Details of how the cost estimates were derived are in the following tables.

Capital costs:

Very Low ≤ $15,000;
Low >$15,000 to ≤ $30,000;
Moderate $30,000 to $100,000;
High >$100,000

Annual operating costs:

Very Low ≤$10,000;
Low $10,000 to ≤$25,000;
Moderate $25,000 to $100,000;
High >$100,00

Relative Costs for Various Site Remediation Approaches/Technologies

Approach / Technology	Initial Capital Cost	Ongoing Operating Cost
“Do Nothing”
Do nothing	Nil-Very Low	Very Low
Removal And Disposal
Pump and disposal - groundwater	Very Low-Low	Low-Moderate
Excavation/backfill and disposal - soils	Low-Moderate	Moderate-High
On-Site Treatment - Groundwater
Pump and treat	Moderate-High	Low-Moderate
In situ – Chemical/biological amendments	Moderate	Low-Moderate
Permeable reactive barrier	Moderate-High	Nil-Very Low
Air sparging	Moderate-High	Very Low-Low
On-Site Treatment - Soils
Soil capping	Low-High	Very Low-Moderate
Landfarming/biopiles	Very Low-Moderate	Low-Moderate
Chemical/biological amendments	Moderate-High	Low-Moderate
Phytoremediation	Low-Moderate	Low
Soil washing	High	Moderate-High
Thermal treatment	High	High
Soil vapor extraction	High	High

Do Nothing Remediation Approach and Cost Estimates

Costs for this approach are very low compared to other approaches. Capital costs, if any, are related to items such as fencing the area, monitoring wells, etc.

Operating costs are related to ongoing monitoring and reporting that may be required by the authorities.

Costs for "Do Nothing" Alternative

ITEM

COST (USD)

COMMENT

Groundwater monitoring wells, if needed

$5,000 to $15,000

Capital expense for 4 shallow monitoring wells includes drilling, installation of casing and screen, development, and testing of the well.

The actual cost can vary depending on factors such as the type of drilling method used, soil conditions, and accessibility of the site. May be able to reduce costs by using the same wells installed for the site characterization studies.

Monitoring and reporting

$10,000 to $25,000 per year

Assuming quarterly contaminant data submitted to the regulatory authority with a brief interpretive report.

This cost includes regular monitoring visits to each well, labor costs associated with sampling and data collection, laboratory analysis costs, and the cost of any necessary maintenance or repairs.

This may need to continue for several years.

Removal and Disposal Remediation Cost Estimates

Costs for removal and disposal are highly variable and may be cost prohibitive, depending upon volumes of contaminated media to be removed, transport costs, and tipping, plus destruction and/or disposal fees associated with different types of contaminants.

Costs for Removal and Disposal

ITEM	COST (USD)		COMMENT
GROUNDWATER
Pumping and monitoring wells		$15,000 to $30,000	Capital expense for installing and testing 2 pumping and 2 monitoring wells including pumps, monitoring equipment, tanks, etc.
Pumping		$5,000 to $10,000 per year	Annual operating cost for pumping such as electricity and maintenance of the pumping system.
Disposal		$100 to $250 or more per cubic meter	Assuming reasonable proximity to a treatment facility. Treatment fees vary widely depending on the type of contaminant and the type and location of the disposal facility. Pumping rates will vary significantly depending on the contaminant characteristics (e.g., soluble vs NAPL) and hydrogeological characteristics of the media. Can range from a few liters per day to thousands of liters (1000 liters=1 cubic meter) per day.
SOILS
Excavation and backfill with clean soils	$25 to $50 per cubic meter		Assuming reasonable proximity to contractor and backfill material.
Disposal	$50 to $250 or more per tonne		Assuming reasonable proximity to landfill. Landfill tipping fees vary widely depending on the type of contaminant and the location and type of the disposal facility, e.g., hazardous waste landfill or incinerator.
MANAGEMENT
Management, monitoring and reporting	10 to 15 % of total		Some jurisdictions require extensive on-site monitoring and reporting. That can increase costs considerably for certain contaminants.

On-Site Treatment Remediation Cost Estimates

Capital costs for on-site treatment technologies are higher than approaches described above for off-site disposal. These additional costs are associated with the equipment and installation costs required for the ex situ or in situ treatment technologies.

They may however be balanced by the lower operating costs, e.g., in cases where off-site disposal costs are very expensive.

Typical Costs for Selected On-Site Groundwater Remediation Technologies

ITEM	COST (USD)	COMMENT
PUMP AND TREAT
Capital costs	$50,000 to $250,000	P&T involves extracting contaminated groundwater through recovery wells or trenches and treating the groundwater by ex situ processes, such as air stripping, carbon adsorption, biological reactors, or chemical precipitation. Costs vary widely depending on characteristics of the aquifer, well and pump size and placement, type(s) of contaminants, extent of the contaminant plume, and treatment process employed.
Operation and maintenance (O&M) costs	$25,000 to $100,000 per annum	Costs include O&M of the wells and treatment equipment.
CHEMICAL / BIOLOGICAL AMENDMENT
Capital costs	$50,000 to $100,000	This technology involves the injection of chemicals or biological amendments into the groundwater. There is a wide variety of amendments to adjust chemical-biological processes to reduce contaminant levels, e.g., pH adjustment, chemical oxidation reactions, enhanced biodegradation, etc. Costs include wells and dosing equipment. They vary widely depending on characteristics of the aquifer, well and pump size and placement, type(s) of contaminants, extent of the contaminant plume and amendments employed.
O&M costs	$25,000 to $100,000 per annum	Costs include operation and maintenance of the wells and dosing equipment and amendments.
PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS
Capital costs	$50,000 to $250,000	In situ treatment zone of reactive material that degrades or immobilizes contaminants as groundwater flows through it. Costs vary with depth, type of PRB media and whether permanent or replaceable and include materials, excavation and installation, equipment, and site preparation. Assuming a typical PRB size of 10-20 meters long and 5-10 meters deep.
O&M costs	Nil to $5,000 per annum	Generally long-lasting, but may become less effective over time.
AIR SPARGING
Capital costs	$50,000 to $150,000	Air sparging involves adding air (or oxygen or other gas) into the contaminated zone. The goal is to strip volatile compounds from groundwater and to elevate dissolved oxygen levels to facilitate aerobic biodegradation of the contaminants in the aquifer. The costs of air sparging can increase if the system requires additional treatment technologies, e.g. activated carbon or biofiltration.
O&M costs	$10,000 to $30,000 per annum	These costs can include the electricity required to run the system, the maintenance and replacement of equipment, e.g. blowers and compressors, and the ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the system.
CONTINGENCY & MANAGEMENT
Contingency	10 to 25% of total	Higher contingency generally needed for more complex sites with uncertainties in quantity to be treated.
Management, monitoring and reporting	10 to 15% of total	Some jurisdictions require extensive on-site monitoring and reporting. That can increase costs considerably for certain contaminants.

Typical Costs for Selected On-Site Soil Remediation Technologies

ITEM	COST (USD)	COMMENT
CAPPING
Capital costs	$25,000 to $200,000	This cost typically includes the cost of site preparation, including excavation, grading, and the installation of the cap. The cost of the cap itself can vary widely depending on the material used, e.g. local clay vs advanced composite cap made from several layers of different materials. The capital cost for soil capping can range from $50 to $200 per square meter.
O&M costs	$5,000 to $50,000 per year	Cost includes monitoring and maintenance activities. Generally considered a long-term solution and may require long-term monitoring and maintenance to ensure that the cap remains effective. Typically, the cost of monitoring and maintenance for soil capping ranges from $0.50 to $5 per square meter per year, with an average cost of around $1.50 per square meter per year.
BIOPILES / LANDFARMING
Capital costs	$5,000 to $50,000	Biopiles are compost piles where the contaminated soil is mixed with bulking agents such as sawdust, straw, or wood chips and then aerated to promote microbial degradation of the contaminants. Landfarming is similar to biopiles but involves spreading the contaminated soil in a thin layer on the surface of the ground, and then adding nutrients and microbes to promote biodegradation. The capital costs for biopiles and landfarming will depend on various factors, including the size of the contaminated area, the extent and nature of the contamination, the type of equipment and materials needed for the project, and the site-specific conditions, but generally range as follows: Biopiles: $20,000 to $50,000 per hectare; Landfarming: $5,000 to $20,000 per hectare.
O&M costs	$15,000 to $100,000 per year	The cost includes the materials and equipment for mixing, aerating, adding nutrients and microbes, monitoring, labor and energy/fuel costs. If irrigation is needed costs can rise significantly.
CHEMICAL / BIOLOGICAL AMENDMENT (IN SITU)
Capital costs	$25,000 to $250,000	For chemical remediation, typical amendments include oxidants, such as potassium permanganate, or reducing agents, such as zero-valent iron. For biological remediation, typical amendments include bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that can break down or metabolize contaminants in the soil. Capital costs include the purchase and delivery of the amendment, the cost of installation equipment and the labor required for installation, and any necessary site preparation or cleanup.
O&M costs	$10,000 to $100,000 per year	Operating costs may include regular monitoring and maintenance, dosing of additional amendments, tilling, etc. If irrigation is needed costs can rise significantly.
PHYTOREMEDIATION
Capital costs	$10,000 to $50,000	Phytoremediation uses plants to absorb and break down contaminants. Capital costs may include site preparation, soil analysis, planting, irrigation, and monitoring equipment.
O&M costs	$5,000 to $15,000 per year	Costs will vary depending on factors such as the maintenance required for the plants, soil preparation, and the need for supplemental irrigation or fertilization.
SOIL WASHING
Capital costs	$500,000 to $2.5 million	Soil washing separates contaminants from the soil through a physical or chemical process. The process typically involves excavating the contaminated soil and transporting it to a treatment site, where it is washed with water or a chemical solution. During the washing process, the soil is first screened to remove any large debris, such as rocks or roots. Then, the soil is mixed with water or a chemical solution to create a slurry. The slurry is then passed through a series of physical or chemical separation processes that remove the contaminants from the soil. Physical separation processes can include sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation, while chemical separation processes can involve ion exchange or precipitation. Once the contaminants have been removed from the soil, the cleaned soil can be returned to its original location or used as fill material. The contaminated water generated during the washing process is typically treated before being discharged to a receiving water body. Costs include the design and engineering of the system, the purchase and installation of the equipment and machinery (such as screens, conveyors, and wash tanks), and the construction of the necessary infrastructure (such as access roads and drainage systems). The cost of disposal of the contaminated soil after treatment is also a major consideration.
O&M costs	$50,000 to $500,00 per year	Some of the major operating costs include the cost of electricity to power the system, the cost of chemicals and water for the washing process, and the cost of labor to operate and maintain the equipment.
THERMAL
Capital costs	$500,000 to $2 million	Thermal treatment of soil contamination involves the use of heat to remove or break down contaminants in soil. Some common thermal technologies used for soil remediation include thermal desorption, incineration, and pyrolysis. The cost of these technologies can range from a few hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars per project. For example, a basic thermal desorption system for treating contaminated soil can cost between $500,000 to $1,500,000.
O&M costs	$500,000 to $1 million per year	This includes the cost of fuel, electricity, maintenance, and monitoring. These costs can vary depending on the type of technology used, the volume of contaminated soil treated, and the duration of treatment. In general, thermal treatment methods such as thermal desorption and incineration can be expensive to operate due to the high energy requirements and maintenance costs associated with these technologies. For example, the annual operating costs for a typical thermal desorption system for a site with a contaminant concentration of 10,000 ppm and a throughput of 50 tons per day can range from $500,000 to $1,000,000. This includes costs for electricity, natural gas, labor, and maintenance.
SOIL VAPOR EXTRACTION
Capital costs	$100,000 to $500,000	Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is a common soil remediation technique used to treat volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contaminated soils. The cost of implementing an SVE system can vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the site, the depth of contamination, and the concentration and type of contaminants present. The cost estimate given is for a moderate-sized site with a mobile treatment system and includes drilling or installing extraction wells, vacuum blower system, control system and instrumentation, vapor treatment system, site preparation and restoration.
O&M costs	$75,000 to $150,000 per year	The annual operating costs for SVE depend on the volume of air that needs to be treated and the concentration of contaminants present in the soil. The estimate is given for a moderate-sized site, assuming the system needs to operate for 8 hours per day, 5 days a week. The costs include electricity, maintenance and repairs, monitoring and testing, treatment chemicals, disposal of extracted vapors.
CONTINGENCY & MANAGEMENT
Contingency	10 to 25% of total	Higher contingency generally needed for more complex sites with uncertainties of quantity to be treated.
Management	5 to 10% of total	Project management, monitoring and reporting.

In Conclusion

If you have any questions or comments or are facing contamination or remediation challenges at your site, feel free to contact myself (Middle East) or any of my Inogen Alliance colleagues in other areas of the globe. We will be more than happy to help you find cost-effective solutions for your contaminated site challenges.

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