Case Studies

EWMI assisted in the design of the waste characterization plan necessary to obtain shipping approvals to a network of disposal facilities. EWMI’s site wide material management plan was implemented by all onsite trades to avoid any cross contamination of fill. EWMI is responsible for daily coordination of ~150+ loads to various beneficial reuse facilities and landfills. Transportation and disposal was coordinated by EWMI, for over 250,000 tons through the tight streets of DUMBO over the course of only a few months.

Watch the time-lapse video.

The client located in the North Eastern part of Luzerne County Pennsylvania, generated a pile of non-hazardous soil for removal. EWMI was contracted to conduct waste classification analysis of the soil and once analyzed dispose of properly, this project was completed in two phases. Prior to loadout of material during both phases of work sampling were conducted to gain approval into the Bethlehem Landfill Facility (subtitle D landfill). Excavator crew was mobilized to site for both phases of the project once approval was obtained. EMWI loaded out pile onto permitted tri axle dump trucks as quickly as possible working within the DEP tonnage constraints of the landfill. This consisted of successfully transporting 8 loads of soil out a day until the pile was diminished. This project was successfully completed over the duration of 3 months and executed smoothly, with zero incidents. Once loadout of the non-hazardous soil was completed, EWMI demobilized from the site in a timely manner.

EWMI completed the remediation of petroleum impacted soil and the completion of road restoration. EWMI removed asphalt and concrete to excavate the impacted soil to depth of 5 feet. All impacted soil was excavated and disposed offsite the same day. A total of 950 tons of road debris and impacted soil was removed off site. Public utility pipes (public water, natural gas and storm-water) were also located in the impacted areas. All utilities were located by soft digging and excavating near the pipe locations. Public water supply for 3 residents was disconnected and a temporary water supply was installed during the activities of replacing the water main pipe. All daily activities of the road had to be fully restored and opened for vehicle traffic daily. EWMI managed six subcontractors who were involved in specific daily activities. Project was completed with zero incidents.

After a catastrophic fire severely damaged a New York City Synagogue in 2011, restoration and rebuilding included the discovery of pesticide impacted soil under the building’s existing concrete floors. After a year of design and permitting, EWMI was called in to manage impacted soils during a mass underpinning and structural rehabilitation program. EWMI would excavate, handle and dispose of impacted soil in all areas where historic foundation upgrades would take place. All soils had to be gridded out and planned carefully to remove and dispose of Chlordane impacted soil. All while critical, time sensitive and ongoing construction with other trades was commencing. Large, buried granite blocks and brick footings from historic foundations had to be cut, broken and removed where pile cap excavation and installation were planned. A strict summer schedule had to be met while the children were on break from the adjacent School. Each wheel barrow of soil had to be covered with plastic and carefully maneuvered out of the basement, through freight elevators, across active city sidewalks, and to the roll-off containers staged in the street one load at a time. Since it was a mass construction project in New York’s busy streets, each roll-off from four different waste streams had to be carefully planned to avoid interruption with adjacent building tenants, and other trades during construction. EWMI saved our client money with gridding out the soil and surgical excavation in multiple layers according to its pre-characterized soil borings.

This large scale excavation involved sandy soil conditions to depths of 50 feet. Both shoring and sheeting as well as benching were proposed by EWMI. Ultimately, benching was chosen over driving sheeting for multiple reasons. EWMI, with an independent engineer, designed an excavation plan to safely bench the proposed excavation to remove approximately 18,000 tons of contaminated soils. Total soil movement and management involved 80,000 tons.

The final excavation was a massive excavation with engineered slopes per the plan (see pictures below). Certain walls/floors exceeded the site clean up plan and further “chasing” of some areas was also required. Multiple excavators and articulating dumps were necessary to meet the time schedule for an excavation of this size. Backfilling of the area(s) was completed using 12” lifts and subsequent proof rolling. All transportation and disposal was managed and completed by EWMI. Two (2) disposal facilities were utilized due to the aggressive schedule and truck volume production required per day. All soils managed by EWMI were non-hazardous and went to beneficial reuse/recycling facilities.

EWMI conducted a Lead Waste Fill and Sediment excavation along a prestigious lake in Sussex County, NJ. EWMI deployed a temporary aqua dam to hold back water and dewater inside the barrier to safely excavate Hazardous Lead sediment at the outfall of a culvert pipe. A large portion of the excavation commenced in a very small parcel along a winding, busy, rural roadside. Approximately 5,000 tons of high lead content soils were excavated, loaded and transported to multiple approved facilities. During the course of excavation, EWMI became challenged with high volumes of infiltrating ground water as we approached the lake’s shoreline. EWMI mobilized a carbon, and filtration groundwater treatment system to dewater, treat and containerize the liquids. The water was sampled, and either discharged or disposed of at approved facilities. Due the sites very tight space constraints, EWMI successfully transported soils and liquids with little or no impact to daily travelers on this busy roadway. EWMI procured, and placed NJ DEP approved wetland mixture topsoil and plantings and provided a multi-year maintenance monitoring plan.