07 Jun Formal Recognition for FTL Contaminated Land Expert
In May 2016, Dr Sean Finnigan, Environmental Director was successful in his application to become a Certified Environmental Practitioner in Contaminated Land (CEnvP-CL). The Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand has initiated the CEnvP-CL process in conjunction with WasteMINZ. To qualify, practitioners must have at least 10 years experience and go through a rigorous application process involving submission of their work history, continuing professional development records, detailed assessment of four selected projects against specified criteria and references from two other professionals in the same field. Following initial review and acceptance of their application, Sean had to attend a formal interview in front of a panel of three EIANZ members, one with specific contaminated land expertise. The interview involved a case study review and answering specific questions relating to the case study, followed by detailed, more general questioning.
The National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health (NESCS) (2012) requires all contaminated land work to be managed and signed off by a Suitably Qualified and Experienced Practitioner (SQEP). WasteMINZ have adopted the CEnvP scheme to provide formal recognition of SQEPs in New Zealand. Having been through it, Sean believes the CEnvP application and interview process provides a suitable degree of rigour for SQEP recognition, while the ongoing CPD requirement (100 points every 2 years) ensures he will keep up to date with developments in the contaminated land field and his other areas of expertise.
Sean is one of a small number of contaminated land professionals to have successfully completed this process.
