When Should You Arrange WAC Testing? Getting the Timing Right on Site

Deciding when to arrange WAC Testing is almost as important as deciding what to test. Book samples too early and you risk analysing soils that never leave site. Leave it too late and your muck‑away contractor may be waiting on results while trucks sit idle.

The ideal timing depends on project type, but there are some reliable principles. First, gather enough preliminary information – usually via desk study and ground investigation – to understand likely contaminant profiles and volumes. That allows you to design a realistic sampling plan rather than guessing.

Next, link WAC Testing to key decision points. On many schemes it makes sense to test representative stockpiles once bulk earthworks are underway but before the first major disposal campaign. That way, results reflect the material actually being exported, not small‑scale trial pits from months earlier.

For linear infrastructure or street works, a rolling sampling approach tied to work sections can provide timely data without overwhelming the programme. EnviroSolution can help build WAC Testing into your look‑ahead planning, coordinating sampling windows with muck‑shift and securing appropriate laboratory turnaround times so disposal routes stay open when you need them.