Useful links

Contaminated land

UK AND EUROPEAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

Defra
Defra's contaminated land pages

Environment Agency
Environment Agency's land quality pages

European Environment Agency
Agency of the European Union, tasked with providing independent information on the environment

Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
Advises on and implements the government's environmental policy and strategy in Northern Ireland.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Scotland's environmental regulator, equivalent to the Environment Agency in England and Wales

CIRIA
CIRIA's contaminated land portal

Information and resources

ContamLand
News, information and forums for contaminated land professionals

EUGRIS
Web portal offering information and services on topics related to soil and water

Soil Environment Services' contaminated land portal
Information on contaminated land issues, specifically in relation to soil analysis, soil surveys and remediation, from soil consultancy Soil Environment Services

Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum For Environmental Research (SNIFFER)
Knowledge broker - limited company and charity that manages and delivers knowledge relating to the environment and quality of life; includes information on contaminated land

TechDirect (US EPA)
Information service that highlights new publications and events of interest to site remediation and site assessment professionals

Careers and training

Ask what if?
Community for people interested in careers that have a positive impact on other people’s lives, the environment and the community they live in.

Guide to Environmental Science and its Components
Information on a range of environmental science types with links for careers, programmes and more.

Forums, networks and discussion groups

Association for Environmental Health and Sciences (AEHS)
US-based, facilitates communication and cooperation among professionals concerned with the soil protection and cleanup

ContamLand
News, information and forums for contaminated land professionals

Commonground
Discussion community for property due diligence professionals

National Academic Mailing List Service's contaminated land forum
Discussion forum for academics and practitioners to share and discuss research, knowledge and best practice on contaminated land

National Academic Mailing List Service's Part 2A forum
Discussion forum for academics and practitioners involved in Part 2A

North East Contaminated Land Forum
Home page

Scottish Contaminated Land Forum
Professional organisation dedicated to the promotion of contaminated land issues

Remediation technologies and strategies

CL:AIRE
Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments (CL:AIRE) - an independent not-for-profit organisation which aims to raise awareness of, and build confidence in, remediation technologies

Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR)
Works to build a collaborative atmosphere among federal agencies involved in hazardous waste site clean-up (US-based). Includes a Technology Screening Matrix for screening potentially applicable technologies for a remediation project

Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Research
US EPA-led research into technologies and strategies to protect and restore impacted water and ecosystems

How To MNA
LQM course giving information on the technical aspects of monitored natural attenuation in groundwater

Hazardous Waste Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN)
US site offering information about innovative treatment and site characterization technologies to the hazardous waste remediation community

Stabilisation/Solidification Treatment And Remediation Network (STARNET)
Aims to build a network to promote the development of research work on and implementation of UK S/S technologies

Research and knowledge transfer

Contaminated Land Assessment & Remediation Research Centre (CLARRC)
Multi-disciplinary research centre which develops technology for sustainable, cost-effective assessment and remediation of contaminated environments and promotes its transfer to industry

CLARINET
Contaminated Land Rehabilitation Network for Environmental Technologies in Europe. EC-funded project (no longer active)

Cranfield University, Centre for Resource Management and Efficiency
Research, training, education and consultancy in waste and related resource management, including on contaminated land, landfill science and risk assessment

Environmental Knowledge Transfer Network
Formerly IPM-Net and First Faraday, the Environmental KTN works to improve the competitiveness of UK environmental industries, including in including contaminated land, water and wastewater, waste and air

Network for Industrially Contaminated Land in Europe (NICOLE)
Forum on contaminated land management in Europe

Stabilisation/Solidification Treatment And Remediation Network (STARNET)
Aims to build a network to promote the development of research work on and implementation of UK S/S technologies

Radioactive contaminated land

Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment
Independent expert advisory committee advising government on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation

Environment Agency
Environment Agency's radioactive contaminated land pages

Health and Safety Executive
Information on radiation

Industry Profile
Industries Which Have Used Materials Containing Radioactivity, published March 2006

Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)
Charity aiming to advance for the public benefit the science of radiological protection

Radwaste
Internet reference source on radioactive waste, nuclear and radiation related material

RCLEA
Resource for users of the RCLEA (Radioactively Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment) methodology, Defra's recommended approach for screening radioactively contaminated land

Safegrounds
A forum for developing and disseminating good practice guidance on the management of radioactively and chemically contaminated land on nuclear and defence sites in the UK

Ukradon
Radon risk reports and measurement services for householders and employers; a BGS and HPA initiative

Risk assessment

ATRISKSOIL SSV website
Atkins' Soil Screening Values (SSVs) applicable to the UK for common contaminants not currently covered by SGVs issued by Defra and the Environment Agency

CLU-IN Software and Tools
Information about Decision Support Tools for risk assessment and remedial monitoring

ConSim
Developed by Golder Associates on behalf of the Environment Agency and designed to provide a means of assessing the risk posed to groundwater by leaching contaminants

GasSim
Developed by Golder Associates on behalf of the Environment Agency; simulates the fate of landfill gas arising from managed or unmanaged landfill sites

Guideline on Community Consultation and Risk Communication
A 1999 document from the Australian National Environment Protection Council

RCLEA
Resource for users of the RCLEA (Radioactively Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment) methodology, Defra's recommended approach for screening radioactively contaminated land

Risk Identification of Soil Contamination (RISC)
Risk Assessment methodology (software)

SiLC (Specialist in Land Condition)
Aims to develop, and maintain a high quality unifying qualification for the assessment of the condition and remediation of brownfield sites

Triad
‘Triad' approach to decision-making for hazardous waste (US-based)

Vapour Intrusion Research
US EPA-led research

Waste and recycling

Be Compliant
Web resource dedicated to helping producers of hazardous BeCompliant waste

Chartered Institution of Wastes Management
Professional body for waste management professionals

Defra
Defra's hazardous waste pages

Earth Exchange
Subscription-based website using the latest technology and real time accurate mapping to resolve soil, aggregate and building material needs for construction projects across the UK - a construction materials ‘matchmaking' service

Environment Agency
Environment Agency's waste pages

WRAP
The Waste & Resources Action Programme helps individuals and business to reduce waste and recycle more, including industrial waste

Restoration and regeneration

English Partnerships
Now part of the Homes and Communities Agency, the EP site is available for historic reference

Forestry Commission
Land regeneration and urban greening. Establishes forest, woodland and greenspace on brownfield and contaminated land

Groundwork
A federation of Trusts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that promotes sustainable communities and improve quality of life

Homes and Communities Agency
An agency of Communities and Local Government (CLG), this aims to provide funding for affordable housing, bring land back into productive use and improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment.

National Land Use Database
Provides a comprehensive, and up-to-date record of all previously developed land and buildings in England that may be available for development

Human and environmental health

Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe (BARGE)
European network bringing together international institutes and research groups to study human bioaccessibility of contaminants in soils

CIEH
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, which provides information and advice to government and health practitioners on environmental health issues, including contaminated land

Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
Independent advisory committee that provides advice to government departments and agencies on the potential carcinogenicity of chemicals

Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment
Independent expert advisory committee advising government on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation

Environment Agency
Bioaccessibility pages

Environment Agency Science Report
Human health toxicological assessment of contaminants in soil. Science Report - SC050021/SR2, published August 2008

Food Standards Agency
Includes information on chemical contaminants in food

Health Protection Agency
Includes a Compendium of Chemical Hazards

IRIS (US EPA)
Integrated Risk Information System - a compilation of electronic reports on specific substances found in the environment and their potential to cause human health effects

Asbestos and Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer Center
Information on Mesothelioma cancer caused by Asbestos exposure

Asbestos Cancer
Mesothelioma Guide raises awareness, provides support and education for patients and their families with the disease.

Mesothelioma Justice Network at Asbestos.net
A comprehensive resource on the asbestos industry and its medical impacts, including mesothelioma.

Chemicals and hazardous substances

ATSDR ToxFAQs
Information on hazardous substances from the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Environmental Chemistry
News, information & resources on the environment, chemistry and hazardous materials

FOOTPRINT Pesticide Properties Database
EU-funded database of pesticide physicochemical and ecotoxicological data

INCHEM
Canadian site offering chemical safety information from intergovernmental organisations

London Arsenic Group
A multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the source, mobility and fate of arsenic in the environment, from the Research School of Earth Sciences at UCL-Birkbeck

MTBE (US EPA)
Information and FAQs on the hazards and methods of dealing with MTBE contamination

Petroleum Environmental Research Forum (PERF)
Research forum relating to the development of technology for health, environment & safety, waste reduction and system security in the petroleum industry

Asbestos Exposure Information
Where Asbestos exposure can occur and its health risks

Geology and geosciences

British Geological Survey
Provides services, information and impartial advice in all areas of geoscience

Geological Society
Professional body for geoscientists

Geoengineer
Provides resources, news and research information to the geoengineering community

Geoforum.com
Intended to become the prime information and communication service for the geo industry worldwide

World Wide Web of Geotechnical Engineers
Comprehensive library of internet resources about geotechnical engineering, including articles and technical papers

Groundwater

CIWEM
Professional and examining body for professionals and students committed to the sustainable management and development of water and the environment

Environment Agency
Environment Agency's groundwater pages

Environmental Regulation of Mine Waters in the European Union (ERMITE)
R&D project, completed 2004, aimed at providing integrated policy guidelines for developing European legislation and practice in relation to water management in the mining sector

Groundwater Foundation
US-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to educating and motivating people to care for and about groundwater

Groundwater Protection & Restoration Group
University of Sheffield research group on the protection and restoration of groundwater

How To MNA
LQM course giving information on the technical aspects of monitored natural attenuation in groundwater

Water Framework Directive Visualisation tool
SNIFFER site containing images visualising some of the complex processes underpinning the water environment and its management under the Water Framework Directive

Construction

CIRIA
Construction industry research and information organisation

Environmental advice for businesses

NetRegs
Partnership between the UK environmental regulators providing free environmental guidance for small and medium-sized businesses, including on legislation, hazardous waste and invasive weeds

Lobby groups

The Environmental Industries Commission
Aims to provide environmental technology equipment and services suppliers with a voice to influence the future of the industry.

Environmental Protection UK
Lobby organisation campaigning for changes to air, noise and land pollution