JULY 2024ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS REVIEW8 OPINIONIN MYRemediation, abatement, environmental demolition. Scopes like these require technical expertise to remove unwanted material. While it may seem straightforward, the rise of sustainable practices in the environmental industry as a whole raises concepts of waste reduction or waste recycling. The initial response may be, "How are we supposed to incorporate that concept?" into a scope with a goal of mitigating unwanted material due to potential hazards to public health or the environment. Actually, various methods exist to reduce the volume of material originally destined for waste streams. The following project is a great example of utilizing multiple approaches to impact various materials being removed from the worksite. The scope was abatement, environmental demolition, and soil excavation to prepare the property, a former railroad right of way (RR ROW), for the construction of a bike and walking path. Work included demolishing approximately 6 miles of railroad track, railroad ties, railroad ballast, and signal equipment. Over 2.5 miles (by 18 feet wide and approximately 24 inches deep) of soil was excavated. Signal equipment was removed from 23 intersection crossings. Our team provided project, construction, and subcontractor management. We completed the project on time and under budget. Key to success was open and frequent communication with the entire project team and the community. We held weekly meetings with the project team and more frequent focused meetings with subcontractors. Agency documentation was completed accurately, and community concerns were addressed in coordination with the client community relations team. The materials scheduled for removal were diverse, voluminous, and sometimes regulated. Whether the project budget is limited or not, spending is always a primary concern, and this project was no different. Our budget was limited, and By Stephanie Wernette, JD, QISP, ENV SP, Deputy Director-Environmental Project Management Org, TRC CompaniesRECYCLING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRYStephanie Wernette
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