Sadat Associates, Inc. services

The Problem: Solid waste is composed of a wide variety of materials ranging from small quantity generator hazardous waste to grass and leaves. Separation of waste into its components and recycling each component is an attractive concept, but often difficult to achieve in an efficient, cost-effective manner. A wide variety of handling and disposal technologies are available for solid waste management. Yet siting and permitting of solid waste facilities is highly controversial. As a result, costs have escalated and the number of legally permitted facilities has declined.

The Problem: Brownfields are properties that are abandoned or underutilized because of either real or perceived contamination. There are an estimated 33,000 potential brownfield sites in the state of New Jersey at any given time. This number does not include unidentified properties. In a state as urban and highly-developed as New Jersey, there is considerable pressure to find sites suitable for development that do not impact or diminish the state’s valuable natural resources and ecosystems. Finding a way to clean up and redevelop abandoned brownfield sites is an ideal fix.

The Problem: The multiplicity of environmental issues in light of complex and sometimes overlapping regulatory requirements from federal, state, and local governments makes environmental compliance a challenge. When regulatory agencies find a permittee or property to be out of compliance with laws and regulations, experienced help is needed.

The Problem: Even a strongly-built structure with an excellent design will not stand on a bad foundation. Although the structure will carry its loads, the earth beneath it may not. The displacements due to inadequate foundations may alter the stress distribution significantly within a structure, leading to cracks and, eventually, failure. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a famous example of a bad foundation but there are many others. The old armory in St. Paul, Minnesota, another strong building erected on a poor foundation, sank 20 feet or more into soft clay. Since the eighteenth century, the need for better design of structural foundations has led scientists and engineers to analyze soil characteristics and to study soil problems in the same manner like other problems in structural design. Investigators turned their attention to the mechanics of soil masses, and developed expressions for earth pressure on walls and the bearing capacity of foundations.

The Problem: Remediation includes a wide range of issues, varying from simple assessment of properties to determining if there were past discharges to major cleanups. Cleanups can involve the removal of waste materials and remediation of Areas of Concern (AOCs) resulting from prior spills or leaks. Some states have adopted cleanup standards, while others maintain guidelines for soil cleanups. Most states have groundwater quality standards that are used to determine the area for groundwater remediation. The complementary Federal requirements for spill cleanup and soil and groundwater remediation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response and Cleanup Act (CERCLA), require reporting of discharges of hazardous materials and a series of cleanup actions. Cost recovery can be sought by affected property owners against partners causing a discharge, as well as by the State and/or Federal Government.

The Problem: Site planning for the types of projects in which SAI participates can be extremely complex. Regulatory requirements for these sites can often be conflicting, requiring intensive agency interaction and coordination in the early phases of the project. Urban and industrial sites can have a wide variety of historical uses that must be evaluated and assessed before much site planning can even begin. SAI staff has extensive knowledge and experience in all phases of project site planning.

The Problem: Clean, usable groundwater is an absolute necessity in maintaining good public health, Plus, it`s the law. Certain commercial and industrial activities can result in heavy groundwater contamination by a variety of substances. SAI’s expert staff is well qualified to assess and mitigate any groundwater contamination issues that may arise in the course of your project.