Environmental Liability Report

What is Environmental Liability Report?

The Environmental Liability Report is a technical document that investigates the existence of significant damage or potential risk to the properties of a well balance environment.

A contaminated area presents harmful chemicals in the air, on the ground or water, on the surface or beneath the surface, as a result of human activities, such as the presence of residues.

According to the National Environmental Policy (Law No. 6.938/81), the following goods deserve environmental protection:

• The health and well-being of the population;
• Fauna and flora;
• The quality of the soil, water and air;
• The interest of nature and landscape protection;
• Territorial ordering and regional urban planning;
• Security and public order.

Thus, environmental liabilities represent damage not only to the water and soil quality, but also a risk to the population health.

The CONAMA resolution nº420/2009 defines risk assessment as the process by which they are identified and assessed the risks to human health or the environment as well.

What is the content of a Report of Environmental Liabilities?

The report presents a conclusion concerning the existence of environmental liability, following the methodology of CONAMA resolution nº420/2009 as well as the CETESB Manual of Contaminated Areas Management (2005).

The preliminary assessment if the initial analysis based on available historical information and inspection of the site, with the main objective of finding evidences or facts that leads to suspect the existence of contamination in the area.

The confirmatory research is the step that has a main objective to confirm or not the existence of anthropogenic origin in suspected areas, in soil or groundwater at concentrations above the research values.

The CETESB Manual of Contaminated Areas Management (2005), important reference related to the contaminated areas and environmental liabilities, classifies an area as contaminated when, after a risk assessment, are observed quantities or concentrations of matter in such conditions as to cause or likely to cause damage to human health.

Therefore, in addition to an investigation of the history of the area, it is necessary a sampling plan, conducting surveys and samples collections to be analyzed by accredited laboratories.

Who needs an Environmental Liability Report?

Are examples of industrial and commercial activities potentially contaminating soil and groundwater, according to the CETESB Manual of Contaminated Areas Management (2005):

Extraction of minerals, fuel extraction, manufacturing of pipes, tubes and fittings, tiles, porcelains, cement, asbestos, metal artifacts, wood structures, plywood, charcoal, ration, meat, blood, bone, detergents, oil refining, dyeing, metalworking industry, industrial waste treatment, among others.

Must be highlighted the great acting of CETESB, in São Paulo, in the monitoring of gas stations, which should present the report to characterize the presence of hydrocarbons in the basement, with geological and hydro geological report.

How can we help?

Master Ambiental has a specialized and multidisciplinary team able to evaluate evidences of environmental liabilities and manage all the arrangements concerning the sampling and laboratory analyses, services provided by third parties partners.

Contact us! We can answer your questions, ask for a quote!