Publications

In the past decade or so management of historically contaminated land has largely been based on prevention of unacceptable risks to human health and the environment, to ensure a site is ‘fit for use’, i.e. achieves suitability for beneficial uses. More recently, interest as been shown in including sustainability as a decision-making criterion. Sustainability concerns include the environmental, social, and economic consequences of risk management activities themselves, and also the opportunities for wider benefit beyond achievement of risk-reduction goals alone. This paper provides a global round up of progress by these initiatives and provides signposting to their documentation. It reviews common themes and points of divergence. Information is based on literature review and surveying the various networks involved, with a particular focus on recent developments in the UK. The global round-up updates a previous global roundup presented in Europe in 2013 at Aquaconsoil 2013 (Bardos et al 2013A and B).