Standards Development

Scope

This document provides an overview of principles and characteristics on most commonly used remediation techniques. In particular, it provides:

— standard terminology, principles, scope, and key aspects on design/dimensioning and monitoring for each remediation technique, but also an overview of the known advantages/limitations of each technique;

— informative advice on the remediation option appraisal stage, i.e. how to assess and choose the most relevant single or combined remediation technique taking into account the type of pollutant as well as the local legal, policy, socio-economic and environmental context.

The scope of this document is restricted to the remediation of contaminated land — that is demonstrably breaking the source-pathway-receptor linkages — in a manner that has been shown to be sustainable on a site-specific basis in a specific legal context.

Purpose

There are no well-accepted references giving an overview of the most commonly used remediation techniques depending on context and pollutants of concern. The purpose of this standard is to inform practitioners about the main characteristics of the most commonly used remediation techniques. However, it is not intended to prescribe which techniques to use depending on the context. Possible context will also only be mentioned regarding certain details. Rather, the document is intended to assist in the remediation option appraisal stage.

Therefore, this document will encourage more consistent practice in the application of remediation processes and furthermore the use of techniques that are less conventional and possibly more sustainable since a full description of advantages and limitations of each technique will be provided.