Phase I, II and III assessments and development of remediation, monitoring and/or management plans. We tailor our assessments to Chilean or international regulations according to our clients’ needs.
Hydrogeological investigations, ground and surface water contamination assessments, monitoring of environmental quality and aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental compliance monitoring, management of environmental permits as well as advice on environmental contingencies.
Site-specific risk assessments, contaminant science, assessments in coastal and marine environments, acid and metalliferous mine drainage (AMD) assessments, among others.
We are an environmental consultancy specialising in soil and water contamination issues, founded in 2020. Our solid know-how based on science and practicality allows us to propose cost-effective solutions for the investigation and management of soil and water issues. This has been recognised by our clients and differentiates us from other consultancies.
The clients who have trusted EnSoil over the years cover a wide range of sectors, among which are: • Construction • Waste management • Mining • Power generation • Paper industry
We have also supported other consultancies in environmental assessment processes, and worked with Chilean public entities as well as international organisations in site investigations and the development of contaminated land legislation (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, Municipalities, Regional Governments, UNDP), including updating of the Chilean "Methodological guidelines for the management of contaminated sites". EnSoil has a multidisciplinary team and works closely with associated professionals from other areas (law, biology, engineering), according to the needs of our clients.
Co-Founder and Senior Specialist
Co-Founder and Project Director
Project Engineer
Aquatic Ecosystems Specialist
Environmental Specialist
Environmental Specialist
Soil contamination is a serious issue that can pose considerable risks to human health and the environment. Although the matter is not completely regulated in Chile, there has been an increase in investigations due to the regulator´s requirements, in particular as part of environmental assessment processes.
There are also major commercial incentives for private parties in knowing the contaminated land status of their site or a site they are planning on buying. Remediation can be quite costly, and acting proactively and knowing current liabilities can help to plan ahead for a site currently owned, or it can even save thousands of dollars prior to a site acquisition.
Below are commonly asked questions.
Soil contamination is the presence of chemical substances (contaminants) in the soil at levels that can cause harm to people or the environment.
Broadly speaking, two main groups of contaminants can be distinguished: organic contaminants (e.g. certain compounds contained in fuels, oils and solvents) and inorganic contaminants (e.g. heavy metals). The major difference is that organic contaminants can eventually degrade or change to less harmful substances (under certain conditions), while inorganic contaminants will not (though they may become airborne or transported to surface or groundwater).
Contaminants can come from a variety of sources, which include industrial and agricultural activities, solid waste, chemical spills, among others. Examples of industries where these activities take place include chemical plants, service stations, mines. There are around 10,000 potentially contaminated sites In Chile.
The overarching environmental legislation in Chile (Law 19,300) protects the environment (as a whole) from contamination, however, there are no specific contaminated land laws in place. In fact, Chile is one of the few OECD countries without environmental quality standards for soils, thus international criteria are currently used to establish "safe" thresholds.
The only official document that specifically relates to contaminated land in Chile is the Guía Metodológica para la Gestión de Suelos con Potencial Presencia de Contaminantes (Methodological Guidelines for the Management of Soils with Potential Contaminants), which indicates the recommended methodology for a site investigation (Phase I, II and III). These guidelines largely follow international procedures.
https://sqi.mma.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/g4-Guia-Metodologica-Evaluacion-y-Gestion-de-Riesgo-SPPC.pdf
Generally speaking, soil contamination relates to long-term health effects. Exposure to contaminated soil on a one-off basis will probably not cause any effects (unless concentrations in the soil are extremely high); however, constant exposure (i.e., living or working in contaminated land for years) can cause cancer or other illnesses (chronic effects). Aside from human health impacts, there is also potential for harm to the environment, including reduction in the presence of certain species, or even damage to the functioning of the ecosystem in general.
Investigations are important when risks to human health and/or the environment from soil contamination are suspected. Currently, the regulator in Chile is mandating soil investigations as part of the environmental assessment processes (EIA, EIS) when the planned project is located on potentially contaminated land.
There has also been a recent increase in soil investigations undertaken to reduce risks in commercial settings (due diligence), such as in the case of the purchase and sale of land between private parties, to avoid acquiring environmental liabilities (or to establish the costs involved in remediation), prior to the transaction taking place.
In general, the process begins with the collection of background information for the definition of a conceptual model, which is a "snapshot" of the possible contamination source, the migration/transport/exposure pathways, as well as the potential receptors to said contamination. This is followed by soil (and in some cases water) sampling and comparison of concentrations with threshold levels. Since there are no mandated values for contaminants in Chile, international standards are used to determine if a site is contaminated or not. Soil investigations have been separated internationally into "phases" (Phase I, II and III) which require increasing detail, depending on the complexity of the site.
The concept of remediation implies the elimination or reduction of risk through the removal, destruction or reduction of contaminants, utilising different techniques (e.g., disposal, bioremediation, incineration, etc.). Alternatively, risks can also be reduced to acceptable levels by implementing measures that prevent people or ecological receptors from coming into contact with contaminated material (e.g., encapsulation). The latter are also known as management measures (rather than remediation) and require maintenance and/or monitoring over time.
La remediación de sitios puede significar altos costos y retrasos. Conocer la situación de un terreno previo a una transacción es crucial para mitigar riesgos en inversiones. En Chile, aunque
Hoy celebramos nuestro primer año como EnSoil! 🎉Ha sido un año desafiante y a la vez muy gratificante al ver que hemos concluido varios proyectos de los que nos sentimos
Luego de cerca de 7 meses de trabajo, hemos concluido los estudios “Elaboración de lineamientos estratégicos con miras al desarrollo de instrumentos normativos y de gestión de suelos” y “Análisis
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Environmental Civil Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, specialising in environmental consulting and focused on issues related to contaminated soils. Has over 6 years of experience conducting environmental investigations of soils and waters, health risk assessments, and developing remediation alternatives. Additionally, she has been involved in a series of studies aimed at the development of a future soil management system and quality standard for Chile, as well as the update of the Chilean 'Methodological Guidelines for the Management of Contaminated Sites'. Has held roles as coordinator and specialist in environmental consulting projects for the public sector, private sector, as well as international organizations.
Master of Environmental Sciences from the University of Sydney (Australia), holding dual citizenship of Chile and Australia, bilingual, with over 13 years of experience (7 in Australia) leading contaminated land studies (Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III), risk assessment, soil and water quality studies, site remediation, acid mine drainage studies, among others. Has undertaken numerous projects for private entities (construction companies, mining companies, etc.) and public clients, as well as directed initiatives for the development of contaminated land regulation for Chile, including updating the Chilean 'Methodological Guidelines for the Management of Contaminated Sites'. Proficient in managing multidisciplinary teams, negotiation, and cost-benefit analysis.
Environmental Civil Engineer from the Universidad de Los Andes with experience in environmental management and regulation consulting. Has been involved in the development of studies and research associated with the management of contaminated sites through health risk assessments, and remediation, with an emphasis on mining environmental liabilities. Has experience in studies for the development and revision of pollutant emission standards, air quality standards, and plans for the prevention and/or atmospheric decontamination. Has also undertaken analysis of environmental data from various industrial processes and their potential effects on different environmental matrices.
Marine Biologist and PhD in Biological Sciences with a major in Ecology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, with more than 10 years of experience in monitoring of the marine environment and evaluating biota-environment relationships. Specialist in the evaluation of impacts on coastal systems with a solid knowledge of advanced statistical techniques for data management. Has participated as an expert in diagnostic studies of the environmental and ecological quality of various coastal systems in Chile, in addition to developing monitoring plans and management measures for socio-environmental impacts related to the marine environment. Has several scientific publications and given presentations at national and international conferences.
Environmental Civil Engineer and Master of Engineering Sciences from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, with 7 years of experience in soil contamination issues in various locations throughout Chile, such as Chañaral, Copiapó, La Serena-Coquimbo, Andacollo and Santiago. Has worked for both the public and private sector, providing services related to soil sampling, analysis of concentrations, compliance with regulations, declassification of solid waste, studies of saline intrusion in coastal wetlands, among others (with some of these originating scientific publications). Has also a focus on socio-environmental issues, including related to environmental inequality, as well as stakeholder engagement processes.
Chemical Civil Engineer from the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María with over 5 years of experience in assessment of contaminated sites, including site inspections, soil and water sampling, health risk assessment, and evaluation of remediation alternatives. Has provided technical assistance to the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Assessment of Spain on issues related to compliance with European laws and regulations. Has also participated as a consultant and coordinator in various projects for the public and private sector in Chile and Spain.
