For the purposes of CEnvP Certification, “Site Contamination Practice” is considered to be: “a specialised professional area involving a number of disciplines. Practitioners must have a range of competencies and be able to recognise the need for supporting professional advice beyond their own expertise when assessing contamination and its effects on land use and the environment.
The extent to which these competencies are required varies with the level and nature of work being carried out by the professional. For example, the professional may be operating as a third-party reviewer, a specialist professional certifying work under statute or an environmental consultant involved in carrying out contaminated site assessments or operating as an accredited auditor (any jurisdiction). The complexity of contamination issues will vary on individual sites from a single known contaminant with limited site distribution to sites with multiple contaminants of unknown vertical and lateral spread, off-site impacts and obvious human health and environmental risks.
Professional assessments of site contamination deal with health and environmental issues of concern to landowners, occupiers, regulators, local government, planning authorities and the public. These assessments are required by regulatory and planning authorities for the management of contaminated sites and in development approval processes.”
This description makes it clear that a Site Contamination practitioner must have the ability to draw together knowledge from a variety of sources and disciplines.1
1 National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (April 2013), NEPC 2013, Canberra.
Applications will not be accepted from candidates with no ANZ practice experience; applicants with overseas experience must also demonstrate at least two years of environmental practice in Australia and/or New Zealand.
Overview
To qualify for CEnvP Site Contamination certification you need:
• Educational Qualifications: An engineering degree, science degree, or a degree with a substantial environmental component. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Work experience in lieu of educational qualifications: In exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Certification Board, sufficient years of appropriate work experience may be submitted in lieu of a suitable tertiary qualification.
• Work Experience: Ten (10) years of full-time experience in the functional areas of environmental practice gained during the last seventeen (17) years, with a minimum of eight (8) recent years in site contamination practice.
• A Curriculum Vitae: Containing as much detail as possible (experience, roles and responsibilities, skills, outcomes, project list etc.) to evidence you are a respected, competent, ethical and active member of the profession.
Please avoid marketing-style CVs or promotional documents. CVs that are overly generic, visually stylised for sales or branding purposes, or lacking in technical substance may not meet assessment requirements.
• Referees: Nomination of three (3) experienced environmental professionals who are willing to act as Referees with at least one (1) being a current CEnvP-SC or eligible to be a CEnvP-SC and one (1) being external to your current place of employment.
• Areas of Practice: Nomination of one to three (1 – 3) areas of practice that you currently or have been working in.
• Key Proficiencies and Professional Competency: Through written demonstration and documentary evidence:
1- An essay style document answering six questions addressing the six (6) Key Proficiencies listed below.
2- At least four (4) current (methodology/guidelines cited) example reports where you have been a key contributor that demonstrate professional competency in the required key proficiencies. At least one report being from the past five years and all reports under ten years old.
3- If required, submit an additional essay style document explaining how the relevant parts of Section 5 of Schedule B2 of the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (as amended 2013) would have applied to the detailed assessment described in the submitted reports.
Accredited EPA auditors are not required to demonstrate competency in the key proficiencies as the Site Contamination Specialist certification is determined by their existing EPA approval.
• EPA accreditation: Proof of your current EPA accreditation(s) is required if you are an accredited EPA auditor applying for CEnvP-SC certification.
• Past CPD: Detailing previous undertaken training and professional development is highly recommended. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Future CPD: Demonstration of ongoing commitment to training and professional development via a CPD plan that will meet the minimum one hundred (100) CPD points biennially once certified. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Commitment to ethics and professional practice: Including acceptance of the EIANZ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Statement of Claim: A signed and witnessed statutory declaration confirming the accuracy of the materials provided to the Certification Board.
• Optional additional documentation: Such as reports, publications, presentations, awards etc.
Application Process
Application Process
To be certified as a Site Contamination Specialist, practitioners must also hold CEnvP General certification.
Practitioners who do not already hold General certification can apply for both CEnvP General and Site Contamination Specialist certification simultaneously.
Applications can be submitted online anytime during the year and a non-refundable application fee applies.
Applications are usually processed within 3 to 6 months. However, incomplete or flawed applications will be delayed until all missing documentation is received.
As part of the application process, you will be required to attend an online interview with a panel of three certified practitioners. One hour before the interview, you will receive a hypothetical case study to complete. This case study will be a key part of your discussion with the panel, which will also cover your training, skills, knowledge, experience, ethical behavior, and professional attitudes.
During the interview, the panel will ask you to:
1. Elaborate on your work experience and specific roles to demonstrate your competence as an environmental professional and site contamination specialist.
2. Explain how you apply your skills in an ethical and professional context.
3. Respond to one (1) or more ethical scenarios.
4. Discuss your understanding of sustainability and how your work has contributed to sustainability, environmental protection and practice excellence.
5. Comment on your capacity to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) while certified.
Successful applicants will receive an official CEnvP certificate, a personalised CEnvP seal to use and will be entitled to use the title ‘Certified Environmental Practitioner’ and the post-nominal letters ‘CEnvP-SC’ as follows: Mr/s Alex Doe BSc CEnvP-SC.
To maintain your CEnvP status renewal fees must be paid annually and evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) must be provided on a two-year basis. The certification fee for the first year is calculated on a pro-rata basis from the month a practitioner was certified.
Unsuccessful applications can be either deferred for a period no longer than twelve (12) months or rejected and will receive an outcome letter from the Certification Board addressing their decision and shortcomings identified during the application process. Deferred applicants may re-apply within the deferral period without charge when the conditions of the deferral have been met.
Eligibility and Evidence
Educational Qualifications
An engineering degree, science degree, or a degree with a substantial environmental component.
Evidence of your qualifications is required in the form of certified copies (refer to the FAQs on our website for a list of authorised signatories in Australia, and in New Zealand). These must be uploaded and submitted together with the online application. Alternatively, direct access via My eQuals is also accepted. Where necessary, transcript or academic record of your degree may be requested to verify its relevance.
Evidence of Name Change will be required if your current name differs from the name on the educational qualifications.
Work Experience
The minimum requirement is ten (10) years of full-time equivalent professional experience in the functional areas of environmental practice gained during the last seventeen (17) years, with a minimum of eight (8) recent years in the functional areas of site contamination practice.
Only experience gained after obtaining the lowest level of eligible educational qualifications can be counted towards the experience required.
Work experience timeframe: The seventeen (17) year window allows part-time workers as well as those returning to the workforce from a long leave period associated with caring, illness or parental leave, to meet the required full-time equivalence work experience.
For the purpose of calculating full-time equivalent (FTE) work experience, no more than thirty-five (35) hours per week will be recognised (even if working for more than one (1) employer at the time) and the following metrics are used:
• Full-time / 1.0 (35 hrs / week),
• 4 days / 0.8 (28 hrs / week),
• 3 days / 0.6 (21 hrs / week),
• 2 days / 0.4 (14 hrs / week),
• 1 day / 0.2 (7 hrs / week).
Functional work experience: Experience must be related to environmental practice and be fully relevant to management and improvement of the environment, with knowledge specifically in three or more of the following areas:
• Scoping, designing, conducting and project management of complex SC investigations;
• Conduct or review site-specific risk assessments;
• Development or implementation of risk management or remedial strategies, including preparation of monitoring plans, site management plans and remedial action plans;
• Participation in stakeholder engagement and risk communication, including public meetings;
• Preparation and presenting independent expert evidence in environmental planning or court hearings;
• Acting as an independent reviewer or auditor (or similar), preferably as part of a statutory process;
• Contributing to SC policy development; or
• Teaching and research in SC Practice.
Applicants with experience in lieu of education: In exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Certification Board, sufficient years of appropriate work experience may be submitted in lieu of a suitable tertiary qualification.
Work Verifiers: The experience claimed must be independently verified by a “Work Verifier”, a current or former employer, senior colleague, or Referee who knew you at that time and can specifically confirm the experience claimed. Work Verifiers are required to complete an online form sent to them by email after the application has been submitted (please ensure they are notified beforehand). These individuals may be contacted by the Administration team, Registrar, Assessment Panel or Certification Board.
Referees
Applicants must nominate three (3) respected environmental professionals as referees, ensuring the following criteria are met:
• At least one (1) must be an experienced site contamination practitioner who is either a CEnvP-SC Specialist or would be eligible to apply for CEnvP-SC Specialist certification themselves.
• At least one (1) must be external to your current place of employment and familiar with one or more of the supporting documents supplied as part of your application.
• All referees must have must have known you for at least two (2) years in roles such as supervisor, educator, senior peer or client and must be able to comment on your experience, skills and attributes as they relate to the relevant areas of practice, ethics and professional integrity,
• Referees who are not CEnvPs must provide sufficient information / CV / LinkedIn in the Referee report to demonstrate that they are experienced environmental professionals.
Nominated Referees will be required to fill in an online Report sent to them by email after the Application form has been submitted. Please ensure the Referees are notified beforehand.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice are fields you are currently or have been working in (and not recognised as a CEnvP
specialisation). The Areas of Practice you nominate will be discussed during your interview. Once you are certified, these will be used in online profiles and directories.
Key Proficiencies
The following six (6) key proficiencies must be demonstrated by a Site Contamination Specialist in both written application and interview.
For the following four (4) proficiency areas, you must demonstrate a PROFICIENT level of expertise.
1- Determining the nature, causes and significance of site contamination
• Types of industries and land uses (current and historical), and the particular contaminants they produce, which are commonly associated with site contamination.
• The effect of geological, hydro-geological, and environmental settings on contamination issues.
• The significance of the built environment including residences, services, and other land use infrastructure for site contamination issues.
• Environmental chemistry.
• The fate and transport of common contaminants in typical settings including chemical, biological and physical processes as these relate to the solid, liquid and gaseous phases.
• The primary sources used for assessment of the significance of contamination issues including regulatory and
scientifically authoritative references.
2- Preliminary assessment of site contamination
• Planning and contextualising the purpose of an assessment process.
• Site inspection and conducting enquiries sufficient to maximise information for contamination assessment purposes.
• Conduct of a site history incorporating knowledge of common reliable sources and approaches for this.
• Initiation of a Conceptual Site Model based on the above incorporating knowledge of the overall environmental setting including land use/built environment factors , geology and hydrogeology, and surface environment.
• Provision of advice as to whether contamination represents a risk requiring further detailed site assessment by applying understandings in Competency 1.
3- Detailed assessment involving the characterisation of site contamination
• Data Quality Objectives, including quality assurance and quality control practices and their application.
• Soil science.
• Sampling methodology and design for contamination in soils, groundwater, vapour (soil and indoor), surface water and sediments.
• Documentation and management of data for interpretation of contamination significance and site management.
• Quality assurance of data for assessing contamination, including identification of data gaps and areas of uncertainty.
• Assessment of the significance of contamination by applying understandings in competency 1 and/or by using Tier 1 risk assessment, or more advanced risk assessment, to understand potential impact of contamination.
• Validation of a site following remediation works.
4- Professional practice in relation to site contamination
• Ability to lead and integrate multidisciplinary contaminated land assessment studies of moderate complexity (e.g. multiple affected media and/or contaminant types, potentially complete exposure pathways to human and environmental receptors, sensitive land uses affected) and to look beyond mere regulatory compliance to promote best practice.
• Adherence to ethical obligations and standards.
• Sound project management practices – quality, time, cost.
• Understanding of relevant legislation relating to contaminated sites including property and planning law.
• Health and safety management, including workplace safety law, applied to contaminated site activity.
• Writing complete, relevant and understandable technical reports.
• Risk communication with all stakeholders including community consultation.
• Basics of contract law and contract management.
• Understand of the audit system.
For the following two (2) proficiency areas, you must demonstrate a FUNCTIONAL level of expertise.
5- Risk assessment of site contamination
• Criteria and legislative requirements.
• Risk assessment framework.
• Environmental and human toxicology.
• Ecological risk assessment and human health risk assessment and the importance of each for a particular site setting.
• The use and limitations of modeling in undertaking risk assessments.
• Understanding of relevant publications for the purpose of risk assessment.
6- Remediation and management of site contamination
• Remediation and management options including available technologies for particular types of contamination in soil, groundwater, vapour, surface water and sediments.
• Remediation/management frameworks.
• Development of site specific remediation/management objectives, implement and monitor performance of selected approaches, and to validate achievement of objectives.
• Handling of wastes generated from remediation activities.
• Validation sampling.
Definitions
For clarity in expectations, the Certification Scheme uses consistent definitions of “proficient” and “functional” across its specialisations:
Proficient Understanding
• Sound knowledge of competency element
• Broad experience
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and experience to achieve objectives for a range of common issues
• Awareness of limitation of skills and the ability to identify where and how to obtain expert advice for complex issues
• Ability to communicate effectively and at a proficient level about typical issues
Functional Understanding
• Basic level of knowledge of competency element
• Limited relevant experience
• Ability to apply knowledge and experience to achieve objectives for simple issues
• Awareness of limitation of skills and the ability to identify where solutions might be sought to issues
• Ability to communicate effectively within the limits of knowledge
Professional Competency
As evidence to support claims of Site Contamination Specialist proficiencies you are required to:
• Submit an essay style document answering the six (6) questions below (400 – 600 words per question).
1- How have you demonstrated your ability to determine the nature, causes and significance of site contamination?
2- How have you demonstrated your ability to perform preliminary assessment of site contamination?
3- How have you demonstrated your ability to perform detailed assessment involving the characterisation of site contamination?
4- How have you demonstrated your ability to undertake professional practice in relation to site contamination?
5- How have you demonstrated your ability to perform risk assessment of site contamination?
6- How have you demonstrated your ability to perform remediation and management of site contamination?
• Submit at least four (4) current (methodology/guidelines cited) example reports where you have been a key contributor that demonstrate professional competency in the required key proficiencies. At least one report being from the past five years and all reports under ten years old.
• If the example reports submitted as evidence of your professional competency do not thoroughly demonstrate the application of Data Quality Objectives, submit an additional essay style document (300 – 400 words) explaining how the relevant parts of Section 5 of Schedule B2 of the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (as amended 2013) would have applied to the detailed assessment described in the submitted reports.
The written response to the six (6) competency categories represents the most informative stage of the application process and is where you should apply the most effort in demonstrating competency. Registrars are looking for both substantive descriptions of experience and the resultant demonstration of applied knowledge that together shows the applicant is a competent practitioner.
This applied knowledge should be supported by both describing proper application of principles and substantive examples. Relevant examples include reports provided as part of the application but don’t have to be limited to these. Whilst having some stand-alone value as evidence of experience and competency, provided reports are best utilised in making a case for competency through reference in the responses that show where and how elements of the reports support the points being made. With this in mind, you should consider selecting example reports that reflect a range of project types (breadth of experience) and report stages where you hold an active and engaged role. You are advised against over relying on the provided reports alone as evidence of competency without appropriate explanation as to how specific aspects of the report(s) support particular claims being made regarding relevant competencies.
Recommendation: refer to your work evidence reports within your essay to substantiate your claims, explicitly address the relevant competencies/Key Proficiencies.
Commitment to CPD (Continued Professional Development)
To demonstrate commitment to CPD, you will need to provide details of:
• Past CPD. It is strongly recommended you submit a CPD log of the past two (2) years of activities or a statement explaining your past activities to enable the Registrar, Assessment Panel and Certification Board to ascertain your understanding of the requirement post certification.
• Future CPD. Provide a plan to accrue at least one hundred (100) CPD points biennially once certified. This should include the type of activities and the number of hours you are expecting to spend for each of them.
Ethical Conduct and Statement of Claim
It is intrinsic to the CEnvP Scheme that Certified Practitioners behave with the highest levels of integrity and professional conduct. Applicants are therefore asked to:
• ensure you have read, understood and confirmed that you abide by the EIANZ Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct.
• disclose matters relevant to past issues of professional conduct.
A statutory declaration confirming accuracy of the provided materials is required.
Important Information
Before you begin your online application form:
1- Read the Guidance Notes to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for certification.
2- Review the Application Checklist to confirm you have all the necessary information and documents.
3- Download the following Templates: Official Statement of Claim, CPD Log, Commitment to CPD Statement and Key Proficiencies.
Once you start your application form you can save and resume later. However, the last saved link is only valid for 30 days.