Korea Environmental Remediation Technology Co., Ltd.

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Soil Remediation

1. Remediation of Contaminated Soil (Basic Matters)

The Legal Principles of The Remediation of Contaminated Soil
Remeding Method of Contaminated Soil
On-site Remediation Method

Oil pollutants

Soil cultivation, soil cleaning, thermal desorption, and chemical oxidation

Non-oil pollutants

Soil cleaning, heat desorption, chemical oxidation, etc

Remediation period

Up to 4 years
Soil remediation within the site
(The difficulty of proceeding with site development
projects during soil remediation.)

Off-site Treatment Method (Export Remediation)

Target for off-site remediation

Ministry of Environment Notification No. 2016-260 (Contaminated Soil Subject to Off-site Remediation)

Oil pollutants​

Soil cultivation method, etc

Non-oil pollutants

Soil cleaning, heat desorption, etc

Remediation period

Approximately 6 months
Soil remediation outside the site
(no changes to the site development project)

2. Process for remedying and verifying contaminated soil

Remediation Design Procedure

∙ Apply separate methods for high concentration (exceeding countermeasure standards) and medium/low concentration (exceeding concern standards)

∙ Select economic and eco-friendly methods considering the characteristics of oil contamination

∙ Select methods capable of remediating heavy metals (zinc) and oil contaminants

Soil Remediation (Construction) Procedure

∙ Conduct thorough segregated excavation for contaminated and non-contaminated soil during the excavation process.

∙ Perform process management by tracking and managing contaminated soil throughout the entire process of excavation, transport, and backfilling.

∙ Effectively exclude and treat civil drainage (contaminated groundwater) generated during the excavation process.

Soil Remediation Verification Procedure

3. Soil Environment Conservation Act

Soil Contamination Remediation Manager
Classification Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4
Behavior
Soil contamination pollutant (leakage and spillage of soil pollutants, disposal, prevention)
Owner, occupant, or operator of the facility subject to soil contamination management (at the time of soil contamination occurrence)
Person who has succeeded rights and obligations through merger, inheritance, etc.
Past and current owners or occupants of the contaminated site
Responsibility Relationship
Actual pollutant
Deemed as remediation responsible party
Soil Environment Conservation Act Terminology Definitions
Category Description
Soil Contamination
- Contamination of soil due to business activities or other human activities
- A state that harms human health, property, or the environment
Soil Contaminants
- Substances causing soil contamination as defined by environmental regulations
- According to the Soil Environment Conservation Act enforcement regulations, there are 23 types of soil contaminants (refer to the appendix for soil contaminants and standards)
Facilities Subject to
Soil Contamination Management
- Facilities, equipment, buildings, and structures involved in the production, transportation, storage, handling, and use of soil contaminants, or any other that is defined by environmental regulations as likely to cause soil contamination
Specific Facilities
Subject to Soil Contamination Management
- Facilities currently likely to cause soil contamination as defined by environmental regulations
Soil Contamination Survey
- Investigation of areas exceeding or likely to exceed concern levels to determine the types, levels, and scope of contaminants according to environmental regulations
Contaminated Soil Remediation
- Biological, physical, or chemical treatment methods to reduce, remove, or neutralize contaminants in soil to mitigate harm
Verification of Soil Remediation
- Process to verify the types, levels, and scope of contaminants through a contamination survey and confirm remediation responsibility and completion
Soil Contaminants and Standards
Regional Soil Contamination Standards (Article 5)
(Unit: mg/kg, for dioxins: pg-TEQ/g)
NO Substance Region 1 Region 2 Region 3
1
Cadmium
4
10
60
2
Copper
150
500
2,000
3
Arsenic
25
50
200
4
Mercury
4
10
20
5
Lead
200
400
700
6
Hexavalent Chromium
5
15
49
7
Zinc
300
600
2,000
8
Nickel
100
200
500
9
Phenol
400
400
800
10
Organic Compounds
10
10
30
11
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
1
4
12
12
Cyanide
2
2
120
13
Phenol
4
4
20
14
Benzene
1
1
3
15
Toluene
20
20
60
16
Ethylbenzene
50
50
340
17
Xylene
15
15
45
18
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
500
800
2,000
19
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
8
8
40
20
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
4
4
25
21
Benzo(a)pyrene
0.7
2
7
22
1,2-Dichloroethane
5
7
70
23
Dioxins (including purified dioxin)
160
340
1,000
Land Classification under Spatial Information Act
Region 1
Areas where the land is used for fields, rice paddies, orchards, pasture, forest, wilderness, large plots (residential), school sites, district, housing, fish farms, parks, social welfare facilities, cemeteries, and children’s playgrounds (except indoors).
Region 2
Areas where the land is used for shops, workshops, warehouses (excluding those in the 1st zone), factories, rivers, water supplies, sports facilities, recreational areas, religious sites, and some mixed-use zones.
Region 3
Areas where the land is used for industrial complexes, parking lots, gas stations, roads, railroads, waste disposal sites, and military facilities (excluding those in the 2nd zone) and some partial military sites.
Other Region
* Other areas designated for public projects and specific areas likely to be contaminated.
* If there is a planned change in land classification, the planned land classification is referenced.

Soil Environmental Assessment

Soil Environmental Assessment Procedure

Groundwater Remediation

Legal Standards
Category TPH Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene Xylene n-Hexane SS COD BOD
Remediation Standards
1.5
0.015
1
0.45
0.75
1
40
50
40
Applicable Law
Groundwater Law "Domestic Water" Standards
Discharge Water Standards in 'Clean Areas' per Water Quality Act
Treatment Standards
Groundwater Treatment Standards (mg/L)
Discharge Water Treatment Standards (mg/L)
Groundwater Remediation (Construction) Procedure

– Implement immediate measures to remediate contaminated groundwater and prevent external spread

– Conduct immediate actions in areas where mobile oil is found on roads and sidewalks (preventing spread)

– Select remediation methods that meet groundwater quality standards

   ➜ Treated water will be recycled as process water and reinjected on-site

Step-by-Step Remediation Plan
Groundwater Remediation Process Flowchart
Conceptual Diagram

Civil Works

Civil Engineering Design

– Civil engineering design for soil remediation (construction)

– Excavation design for contaminated soil to prevent spread of contamination

– Safety design through various structural reviews

Soil Excavation (Soil Remediation Area)
  • Excavate the soil in the direction from upstream groundwater flow to downstream.
  • Prioritize excavation of trenches with a width of 80cm or more in 10m units, check the contamination status, and then perform precision excavation.
  • Apply partitioning methods to the boundary areas of the site before excavation.
  • Sequence of excavation for contaminated soil: prevent recontamination from traffic and contaminated groundwater.