ERC was to carry out a bioremediation treatment project for hydrocarbon contaminated soil in Abu Zaabal, Egypt; where the expected life time of the project was a maximum of 2 years resulting in the production of approximately 300,000 m3 of treated soil. Bioremediation was to be carried out in batches for 45,000 m3/batch of a silty, clayey soil. Treatment of the soil was to rely on the “Engineered treatment cells” technology. Environics was commissioned to carry out the EIA for this project.
According to the Egyptian regulations, this project required a Category B EIA. The EIA study included a description of the project’s construction and operation phases, a legal framework, an analysis of environmental impacts, and an environmental management and monitoring plan. The EIA also included a brief on bioremediation, analysis results of soil samples, as well as detailing of the disposal and reuse of the treated soil.