Services Provided

Magnetometer Scans Underground Tank Location

Just as a metal detector might find objects below the surface of the ground, the Magnetometer performs in just the same manner. This instrument is used primarily to locate any sub-surface anomalies that resemble an Underground Storage Tank. In addition to using a magnetometer to locate an unknown storage tank, we visually inspect the site for the following:

• Low spots in the ground where a tank may once have been located.
   
• The locations of any unknown oil, vent, or fill lines that may penetrate the foundation of the home.
   

Tank Investigations

When a homeowner needs a tank investigated, we prefer to perform soil testing. This method of a tank investigation tests the soil around the tank for the presence of heating oil. This method will not damage the tank in any way. Most home inspectors and home insurance companies accept this method of inspection. In the event that your home insurance carrier requires a tank test, it is recommended that you ask as to whether or not they will accept a soil investigation. The investigation process consists of:

• Determining the tanks contents
   
• Performing soil borings with a Hand Held Auger around the tank.
   
• Physically inspecting the soil for oil odor and residue
   
• Collecting a soil sample for laboratory analysis by an NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) Certified Testing Lab.
   

The samples are analyzed for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPHC) content, a requirement set forth by NJDEP Regulations when testing for the presence of #2 heating oil. For more info on THPC visit http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts123.html
Some Reasons You Might Require A Tank Investigation:

• Converting from an Underground Storage Tank to an Above Ground Storage Tank.
   
• Applying for a Tank Protection Plan.
   
• Changing Homeowners Insurance Carriers
   
• Buying / Selling a Home
   
• A sudden increase in fuel consumption.
   
• Signs your tank may have leaked:
  
  • Obvious fuel spill
     
  • Staining of the ground or concrete directly under an above ground tank.
     
  • Staining of block walls in basement or crawl space near the location of an underground storage tank.
     
  • Water accumulation in the tank.
     
  • Oil odor or oil sheen in your sump pit.
     
  • A lack of plant growth in the area of either an above or underground storage tank.
     

Tank Removals

For over 15 years, our team has been safely removing all types of Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks. Our staff will work with you and for you to assure that this process goes as quickly and smoothly as possible. If you are moving into a new home, converting to a new above ground oil tank or would just like to remove a tank no longer in use, Meridian is the company for you!

The Process:

• Before any work is done, we will visit your property, at no charge to you, to perform a site inspection. This will allow Meridian to look at the location of the tank and give you the best price to remove the tank. Once we have visited the site, we will work swiftly to send the proposal to you. Once you accept the proposal we will contact your township to obtain all of the proper permits and schedule an inspection. At the time that the tank removal is scheduled we will also take further precaution by having all underground utility lines marked out to prevent any damage of sub-surface lines.

• The soil above the tank will be excavated, the tank will be cut open, entered, and cleaned out according to guidelines set forth by the American Petroleum Institute. For more info, please visit the American Petroleum Institutes Web-Site at: http://api-ec.api.org/newsplashpage/index.cfm Once the tank has been thoroughly cleaned it will then be removed from its location in the ground. The tank will be inspected for any holes by our staff and a township official. The ground surrounding the tank and the soil under the location of the tank will be inspected for any discharge. Once the tank has been inspected and cleared for recycling, the excavated area will be backfilled with the previously excavated overburden and clean fill material to grade level. Our office staff will then submit the proper documentation (receipts, disposal tickets) to the township in order to allow the township to close out their permit file.
   

Tank Abandonment

In the instance that a "UST" or "Underground Storage Tank" is located in an area where as the removal of that tank may cause a breach in the structural integrity of the house or building, such as under the foundation / slab / addition / expensive patio / etc., the method of Tank Abandonment "may" be recommended. This process is similar to a tank removal except that the tank is not removed from its location. Once the tank has been thoroughly cleaned, holes are cut in the bottom of the tank so that the soil directly beneath the tank can be sampled and analyzed for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPHC). If the soil samples do not exhibit any evidence of heating oil, then the tank can be filled with an inert material such as sand or concrete slurry and be permanently sealed and left in its location. In the event that there is evidence such as oil odor or residue in the soil, the tank will be secured but not filled until the results of the soil samples received from the lab.

Complete Site Remediation

• Soil Remediation
• Groundwater Remediation

From the initial visit to your property to the final touches on restoration, we guide you through the entire process.  We have the resources and the know how to make the process as simple and efficient as possible!

Soil Remediation

If a discharge of heating oil or any other hazardous material contaminates the soil to a degree that it exceeds the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Soil Clean Up Criteria (SCC) the soil must be remediated or "cleaned up" to bring the site back into compliance with the applicable environmental standard.

For example, in some cases where there has been a discharge from an underground storage tank the soil may not be in violation of applicable NJDEP standard and we can just properly document the conditions and request that the NJDEP Case Manager close the case with a No Further Action (NFA) Letter.

If not, the typical approach to remediating soil contamination is to remove the contaminated soil from the site and properly dispose of that material.  This approach is the most time and cost effective in many cases.  Meridian Environmental has a fleet of excavating equipment and dump trucks to effectively perform a full range of projects from the smallest homeowner oil tank leak to large scale commercial and industrial remediation projects.  We are a preferred contractor with many home insurance carriers, insurance adjusters and environmental oversight consultants, especially on complex excavation projects requiring the removal of contaminated soil from beneath house structures.

Groundwater Remediation

When groundwater is found to be contaminated above the applicable NJDEP Groundwater Quality Criteria, the groundwater must be remediated to bring the subject site back into compliance.

In cases where there is both soil and groundwater contamination, as in many residential oil tank cases, remediation of both media are usually performed at the same time.  In those cases, we dewater the excavation via the use of one of our vacuum trucks, the installation of pumps or with a multi-point dewatering system.  When a vaccum truck is utilized the wastewater is transported to a licensed recycling facility for disposal.  When utilizing a pumping or dewatering system, the contaminated groundwater is treated onsite and discharged either back to the groundwater elsewhere on the site or to the local storm water drainage system, depending on the NJDEP permit.  We are experts in the installation and operation of dewatering and filtration systems.

In cases where the groundwater is contaminated , but the soil does not have to be remediated, we can remediate the ground water by several methods.  In an effort to remediate a small plume of groundwater contamination, depending on the geology, one of the simplest methods is to install a monitoring well in the center of the plume and remove the contaminated groundwater and any floating product via Enhanced Fluid Recovery (EFR).  This is performed with one of our vacuum trucks and can be quite effective in many cases.

In-Situ Remediation

In-Situ remediation methods are commonly referred to as "Bio-Remediation", but bio-remediation is only one type of in-situ method.   This common phrase comes from the earliest methods which introduced microbes that consumed certain pollutants.  Today's methods are much more advanced and rely on several different means to get the job done.

These approaches vary project to project and are very site specific.  The geology and existing environmental conditions play a very important role in determining the best in-situ approach to take.  These methods are meant to change the environmental setting to enhance the natural bio-degradation of the soil or groundwater or to cause a reaction that actually consumes the contaminant leaving behind harmless by-products.  This is accomplished by introducing certain ingredients to the contaminated media, be it soil or groundwater to induce the necessary "reaction".

In regards to remediating home heating oil, for example, there are means of enhancing the bio-degredation potential of the soil or groundwater to help nature degrade the oil or by actually creating a chemical reaction that will consume the petroleum.

This technology is contantly evolving to remediate a greater number of contaminants in greater concentrations in differing environmental and geolocial settings.  We perform and have access to all the latest proven technologies.