Benchmark Environmental Engineering in San Jose, CA, can test your soil for heavy metals. Contaminated soil has many possible consequences beyond ground level. Keep students, employees, and customers safe with our environmental consulting services. If you’re not sure whether your company or commercial land is pollution-free, invest in soil testing to get answers and peace of mind.
How Land Becomes Polluted
Human-made chemicals, like paint, wood preservatives, and fossil fuels, pollute when they touch clean soil. Waste from septic systems and landfills can leach into the surrounding areas and cause more pollution. If the land your business sits on or any adjacent areas have ever been used for industry, mining, agriculture, or waste disposal, there may be lingering problems that are well worth investigating.
Sources Of Soil Pollution
Some chemical contaminants are stored, dumped, or buried beneath the ground. Others are carried by liquids and gases that come from other areas, like runoff from a heavy rainstorm or settling exhaust from power plants. These potential hazards stick to the dirt either by attaching to the particles themselves or by nestling into the microscopic spaces between them.
Common Soil Contaminants
Most ground contaminants are impossible to detect without the professional laboratory analysis that environmental consulting companies provide. Heavy metals don’t break down easily and can persist in soil for decades. Pollutants like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, for example, were used extensively in the past and still cause problems.
- Antimony
- Arsenic
- Barium
- Beryllium
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Lead
- Nickel
- Selenium
- Zinc
Problems Caused By Contaminated Land
Lead contamination can turn into a health hazard when people come into direct contact with the polluted dirt. Exposure can happen during land development or landscaping. Affected soil can also be tracked indoors or breathed in when the dirt is kicked up into the air.
Contaminants can also seep into drinking water supplies. This is particularly true for buildings that are on well water or are connected to an underground aquifer.
- Sick, Withered Plants
- Damaged Plumbing
- Damaged Well & Aquifer Pumps
- Heavy Metal Poisoning
- Higher Risk Of Developing Serious Health Issues
- Pre-Development, Cleanup Delays
Request Your Quote Today
Save yourself time, money, and stress in the long run. Let our San Jose area environmental consultants test your land for lead and other heavy metals. Contact us at Benchmark Environmental Engineering to schedule a soil contamination inspection today.