Q&A: Beyond Remediation

What is the role of remediation professionals and how do they typically support clients?

Remediation professionals leverage technology and expertise to develop solutions for diverse and challenging sites. Langan’s clients have site-specific and nuanced needs, and we support these specific needs with the technology that best fits their goals. We provide expertise in bioremediation, chemical oxidation, and chemical reduction, and can directly perform treatability studies, pilot tests, design, permitting, and implementation. Langan employs innovative, industry-leading design tools for equipment-intensive remediation systems, including soil vapor extraction, air sparging, and sub-slab vapor intrusion systems.

Langan is keenly aware of the challenges and constraints associated with land development, and how those factors influence the ability to effectively remediate a site. Yet our remediation practice extends far beyond the byproducts of development and redevelopment.

What are some less traditional remediation scenarios the team faces regularly?

Langan provides technical expertise on a variety of environmental projects with the goal of supporting our clients in the unique ways that each site requires. These projects include:

• Industrial wastewater treatment: Many of the basic principles, unit processes, equipment, and instrumentation used in groundwater remediation can also be used to solve industrial water and wastewater treatment issues. Indeed, many of the remediation technologies we think of as “traditional” were born from experience with wastewater treatment.
• Air pollution control: The vapor control systems used for remediation sites can also be applied to commercial and industrial processes; for example, air filtration systems for cannabis grow rooms.
• Technology partnerships: Langan works closely with technology vendors, allowing us to provide our clients with the most remedially effective, innovative, and cost-effective solutions.
• Treatability and experimentation: Langan’s partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology provides the opportunity to perform in-house scientific studies and field pilot tests to not only evaluate remedial technologies but to also develop and test site-specific strategies.
• PFAS remediation: Our science-centered, no-nonsense approach has naturally drawn us to this emerging field, which Langan is helping pioneer from investigation through remediation.
• Sustainable remediation: While this field has garnered attention over the last 10 years, its importance is being recognized more than ever with the emergence of ESG and environmental justice.

Matthew Ambrusch, PE, MBA is a Senior Project Engineer with over 10 years of experience specializing in in-situ remediation. His experience spans the entirety of the remedial process, including sample collection and characterization; 2D and 3D pneumatic modeling; remedial system design; remedial system OM&M and optimization; remedial system installation observation; and preparing reports, permits, and other environmental regulatory documents.