Our Soil Contamination Sampling & Laboratory Testing Services
Whether it's for buying or selling land, laying water pipes, growing vegetables or you're simply curious about the risk of contamination on your land or site, our tailored soil contamination testing services for professional and domestic clients can help. We can carry out soil sampling as part of our assessment or we can send you a soil testing kit for you to take samples yourself. After your soil samples have been tested in our UKAS accredited laboratory, we will provide you with an interpretive report, including explanation of the results, potential risks and putting it into context for your specific site or project.
Soil Sample Collection - We can visit your site or property to carry out the soil sampling, for contamination testing in a UKAS accredited laboratory, alternatively, we can send you a soil testing kit for you to take samples yourself. We can also provide recommendations for appropriate sampling at your site to ensure that the sampling is representative of the site or potentially affected soil.
Laboratory Soil Contamination Testing - Our laboratory soil contamination testing can include a huge variety of contaminants from heavy metals and hydrocarbons that are often found on brownfield sites, to PCBs that may be present on sites near electrical sub stations and other contaminants associated with industrial land uses, sewage leaks and landfill sites. Simply tell us your situation and we can either build a suitable suite of contamination testing or carry out testing based on your specific request. Alternatively, if you're looking for a generic assessment of common contaminants, we can provide a generic suite of contaminants to allow assessment of soil contamination levels and the suitability of soil for the proposed use e.g. growing vegetables, residential garden, industrial or commercial etc.
Clear & Jargon Free Reporting - After your soil samples have been tested, we will provide you with a detailed analysis and interpretation of your results. We will assess them against industry screening values to determine whether your site is suitable for its intended use and can also provide a recommendation for further investigation or remediation, if necessary.
Ask a question →
How Our Soil Contamination Testing Can Help
We offer a quick and convenient soil contamination testing service, fully tailored to your specific needs, however, there are a number of common reasons for needing soil contamination testing.
It's important to note that a soil contamination test alone may not be sufficient for discharging planning conditions. This will likely require us to produce a full phased Contaminated Land Investigation, including a desk study, in line with planning policy guidance.
General Investigation - If you don't know what specific contaminants are potentially present at your site, or if you are simply curious about the condition on your land, we can carry out soil contamination testing for a generic suite of contaminants that pose a risk to human health. While contamination is far more likely on brownfield sites, elevated levels of contaminants can be present on undeveloped greenfield land and since these areas will not have been tested for contamination in the past, it may be desirable to carry out soil sampling and contamination testing for peace of mind.
Buying or Selling Land - When buying a plot of land or a site with some element of exposed natural ground, you may wish to identify potential soil contamination. If there is unidentified contamination at the site, you may be putting yourself and others at risk and may even be liable for environmental penalties if your site is found to be a significant contamination risk, even if this contamination occurred prior to your ownership of the site. Besides the obvious health risks, land that's contaminated will be far less valuable, due to the potential remediation costs, so if you purchase the land without prior knowledge of contamination issues, you may risk losing money. On the other hand, testing soil on land that you intend to sell to prove that it's free from contamination can add significant value to the land, particularly on sought after brownfield sites.
Growing Vegetables - A very popular request, from our domestic clients, is for the assessment of contamination at their property or allotment, prior to growing vegetables for domestic consumption. For projects similar to this we would usually conduct soil contamination testing for a general range of common contaminants and assess the results against specific criteria for homegrown produce, allowing us to advise the client on the suitability of consuming produce grown in sampled areas.
Water Supply Pipes - Prior to the installation of water supply pipes, it is often necessary to carry out soil contamination testing to ensure that the water supply will not be affected by soil contamination and that pipes will not be physically damaged by the soil conditions. The local water authority may request a soil condition report as part of a development and this will include soil sampling and testing for a suite of contaminants recommended by the United Kingdom Water Industry Research (UKWIR). This will allow you to specify pipe materials that will be appropriate and safe for the soil they are being laid in. A preliminary risk assessment may also be required prior to soil sampling and contamination testing, particularly on larger sites, so this should be confirmed in advance.
Soil Contamination Testing Case Study
Mid Suffolk District Council got in touch with us about our soil contamination testing options following their decision to dredge and rejuvenate a pond near the village of Wattisfield. Their specific requirement was to know more about what contaminants may lie within the silt to be dredged and how they could re-use or dispose of it. In order to keep costs and turnaround low the client opted to take soil samples themselves, using our sample test kit service. Soil contamination testing was carried out within days, following this, Mid Suffolk District Council kindly posted this review on Google and listed us as an approved supplier.
Very professional service and easy to communicate with. We sampled silt from a pond. Oakshire delivered the sample pots and arranged collection promptly. Report emailed out was clear and in plain English so I know exactly how to dispose of the silt safely.
- Mid Suffolk District Council
Meet Our Soil Contamination Consultants
Louis Turner, Technical Director - Having graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Environmental Science, Louis is recognised for his technical leadership and precision in environmental consultancy. Louis provides strategic oversight across all service areas, ensuring projects meet the highest standards of compliance, accuracy, and environmental responsibility. Louis oversees soil testing programmes, ensuring samples are collected, analysed, and interpreted to UKAS-accredited standards. His expertise provides clients with reliable data on soil composition, contamination levels, and suitability for development to support sustainable land use.
Joe Turner, Operations Director - Providing practical expertise and a client-focused approach, Joe ensures that every project is delivered quickly, efficiently, and without unnecessary hassle. He has successfully managed a wide variety of project types across the consultancy, bringing a wealth of operational knowledge and a reputation for keeping projects on track. Joe's leadership guarantees a smooth process for clients, from initial enquiry through to final reporting. Joe coordinates soil testing programmes, overseeing sample collection, laboratory analysis, and reporting. His leadership ensures that results are delivered quickly and reliably, supporting compliance with British Standards and providing clients with the data they need to progress projects confidently.
Richard Turner, Director - With over 30 years of experience in site development, he provides invaluable insight into pragmatic solutions that balance costs, practicalities, and client objectives. Richard has a detailed understanding of building regulations and a clear sense of what is and isn't possible on site, making him a trusted advisor for developments of all sizes. Richard oversees soil testing projects with a focus on practical application, ensuring that laboratory results translate into clear, actionable steps for construction and development. His approach bridges technical data with on site realities.
Request Soil Contamination Testing
Contact us for an informal discussion about your requirements or, if your requirements are more complex, a more formal consultation may be necessary. Following initial consultation we can provide an outline proposal detailing how we can help and the costs involved. If you're looking for more information about our services or our company then complete the below contact form and we will endeavour to respond to your enquiry in a timely manner, alternatively, give us a call on 0800 433 2906 and our experienced consultants can provide actionable advice and guidance.
If you need help or have a question, let us know and we will endeavour to respond same day. By sending this form you agreeing to our Privacy Policy and for the personal data entered above to be saved to allow us to properly respond to your enquiry. Data is not shared with third-parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does soil testing cost? - Although soil testing costs are highly correlated to factors, including size of site, project type, reporting requirements and the scope of UKAS and MCERTS accredited laboratory testing, our soil testing services start at £275. For samples taken using our soil test kit service, allowing you to take the samples, the cost of your testing will largely depend on the number of samples and the testing you select, whereas, for soil sampling carried out by our consultants, a number of other factors will also be taken into account.
Do I need a soil test for removing construction waste? - If you're removing soil waste, produced by business activities (e.g. a groundworks construction company excavating earth for foundations of a building), you will need to determine whether the soil you are removing is hazardous or not, as this will determine how the waste will be disposed of and whether soil could be re-used, avoiding the need for disposal. A waste classification test will be required to measure the levels of potentially toxic heavy metals and hydrocarbons and to classify the waste. If landfill is the chosen destination for your soil waste, leachate analysis will be needed and this is known as a Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) test.
How to classify excavated waste from utilities work? - To dispose of excavated utilities waste, such as material destined for landfill, waste carriers and landfill operators require detailed chemical analysis and accurate classification as either hazardous or non-hazardous. Under the Street Works UK protocol, a desktop risk assessment and site assessment are mandatory before excavation. Materials must be segregated, ensuring bituminous layers and sub-base layers are kept separate. In addition, at least 1% of qualifying excavations must undergo UKAS/MCERTS-accredited laboratory analysis. If the correlation between field and laboratory results falls below 93%, the proportion of samples tested increases to 3%.
What is UKWIR water authority soil testing? - Your local water authority will usually request that soil be tested prior the installation of water supply pipes, if it's suspected that soil may be contaminated. United Kingdom Water Industry Research (UKWIR) published "Guidance for the Selection of Water Supply Pipes to be used in Brownfield Sites" in January 2011 to aid developers, self-lay providers, water companies and consultants when planning, designing, and constructing water mains and services in brownfield sites. While this guidance states that it applies only to brownfield sites, the same process should be carried out for greenfield sites assumed to be potentially contaminated.
What is a waste classification test? - Soil waste classification testing is an essential part of the waste disposal process, as it allows for the accurate classification of waste soil (hazardous or non-hazardous) and ensures appropriate management of waste. If a site is believed to be potentially contaminated, a soil waste classification test will be required prior to disposal of soil waste from site. Soil waste classification testing may save you money by reducing disposal costs, if waste can be classified as non-hazardous, and avoiding potential penalties for wrongly disposing of soil waste.
What is a WAC test? - The Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) sets parameters for different types of waste and determines criteria for waste to be accepted to a particular landfill type (in other words, a WAC test tells you which landfill you can send your waste to). A WAC test will essentially analyse the leaching ability of contaminants in the soil to identify how contaminants will act when in landfill. So, after soil waste has undergone basic characterisation to classify it as non-hazardous or hazardous it can then undergo WAC testing.
References
CL:AIRE. Category 4 Screening Levels (C4SLs)
Environment Agency. Land contamination risk management (LCRM)
Environment Agency. Waste Classification: Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste
Land Quality Management. The LQM/CIEH S4ULs for Human Health Risk Assessment
UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR). Guidance for the Selection of Water Supply Pipes to be used in Brownfield Sites.