Soil-polluting activities from localised sources

Generic metadata

Classification

Identification

In the future, implementation of the legislative and regulatory frameworks in place (landfill directive, integrated pollution prevention and control directive, water framework directive) should result in fewer inputs of contaminants into soil that might give rise to severe contamination and in a better control of contamination caused by natural or other events. As a consequence, most of the efforts will be focused on historical contamination.

Local soil contamination is mainly due to municipal and industrial waste disposals, losses during industrial activities and accidents in most of the countries analysed.

Numerous activities have been dated in the past ? however current activities still cause significant impacts to soil.

No information is provided concerning relevant pollutants. However, a broad range of industrial and commercial branches release(d) impacts into soil covering a broad variety of different pollutants. Changes in the scope of soil-polluting activities reflect remedial measures to manage historic contamination on the one hand and pollution prevention measures at active facilities on the other.