Redevelopment of contaminated sites for restricted or unrestricted use is becoming an exciting trend, with economic and liability protections often the prime incentive. Although certain sites may be cleaned to the point of approval for ‘unrestricted use’, most properties require implementation of institutional and engineering controls to mitigate potential exposure to the public. For unpaved areas, this usually means the application of an earthen cap to seal-off underlying contaminants from above ground receptors. Earthen caps may also be used when overall grade at a contaminated site must be brought up in elevation to meet specifications by the design architect or engineer.

An earthen cap typically involves compaction of Certified Clean Fill over an area of concern. The definition of what constitutes ‘clean fill’ varies between states and regulatory jurisdictions. Considering the ever-changing regulatory environment, it is a complicated process to determine what is considered ‘clean fill’. Failure to properly identify and classify a ‘clean fill’ can create substantial liabilities. ECC has extensive experience in navigating the myriad regulations and has developed a tracking system to match sellers and buyers of ‘clean fill’ sources based on structural and environmental characteristics.