Environmental due diligence services
Independent environmental due diligence that surfaces liabilities before they become your problem.
Environmental due diligence gives buyers, lenders, and investors a clear view of the environmental risks attached to a site or business before a transaction completes. Contamination, unlicensed activities, non-compliant approvals, and unfunded remediation obligations can all transfer with ownership and materially affect value. Environmental Specialists Australia conducts structured due diligence that examines a site's history, current condition, and regulatory standing so decision-makers understand what they are acquiring and where residual exposure sits.
The depth of a due diligence engagement is scaled to the transaction. A preliminary review may draw on historical records, aerial photography, and regulatory databases to flag potential concerns, while a more detailed program may include intrusive investigation and cost estimation for identified issues. We frame findings in commercial terms, distinguishing matters that warrant a price adjustment, a warranty, or further investigation from those that are immaterial. The aim is to give clients the information they need to negotiate, price, and complete transactions with confidence.
When is this service required?
- Acquisition of industrial, commercial, or development land with a potentially contaminating history
- Corporate transactions where environmental liabilities may sit on the target's balance sheet
- Lender or financier requirements for environmental risk review before finance is advanced
- Portfolio reviews where a company needs to understand aggregated environmental exposure
- Divestment of assets where a vendor wishes to understand disclosure obligations
- Change of land use that may bring latent contamination into a more sensitive setting
Our process
- Scope and information gathering: We agree the due diligence scope with the transaction team and assemble available records, reports, and regulatory data.
- Historical and regulatory review: Site history, past land uses, licences, and compliance records are examined to identify potential liabilities.
- Site inspection: Where access allows, a walkover assesses current condition, storage, and visible signs of contamination or non-compliance.
- Risk and cost assessment: Identified issues are ranked by materiality, with indicative cost ranges for further investigation or management.
- Reporting and advice: A commercially framed report sets out findings, residual risks, and recommended contractual or investigative responses.
What we deliver
- Environmental due diligence report scaled to the transaction
- Site history and regulatory compliance summary
- Register of identified liabilities and data gaps
- Materiality ranking of environmental risks
- Indicative cost ranges for further investigation or remediation
- Recommendations on warranties, price adjustments, or conditions
- Advice on any further investigation warranted before completion
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between due diligence and a site contamination assessment?
- Due diligence is a risk-focused review that supports a transaction decision and considers the whole environmental picture, including compliance and liability. A site contamination assessment is a technical investigation of soil and groundwater. Due diligence may recommend a contamination assessment where the history warrants it.
- How quickly can due diligence be completed?
- A desktop review can often be delivered within one to two weeks, subject to record availability. Where site access and sampling are required, timeframes extend. We scale the program to the transaction and can prioritise a preliminary view where a deadline is tight.
- Can findings be used to negotiate the transaction?
- Yes. We present issues in terms of materiality and indicative cost so they can inform price negotiation, warranties, indemnities, or completion conditions. Where a matter needs quantification, we set out the further work required to firm up the exposure.
- Do you review environmental compliance as well as contamination?
- We do. Beyond contamination, due diligence considers whether the site or business holds the approvals and licences it needs, whether it is operating within them, and whether any outstanding regulatory obligations could transfer to a new owner.