Contamination of land

Soil surveys relating to construction work require samples from at least the depth of excavation water seepage may cause cross-contamination of land. Some guidelines for the classification of contaminated soils are summarized in Table 13.11 some materials are difficult to dispose of safely on land (Table 13.12). 

The wide range of potential sources and their environmental persistence may well explain why PCDDs and PCDFs are ubiquitous. It is believed that there are two main routes by which PCDDs and PCDFs are released into the environment via the atmosphere leading to deposition on soil, water and plants and via solid or liquid waste with subsequent contamination of land (e.g. sewage sludge). These findings should help to reduce the already extensive effort needed to trace back the contamination to its sources, although the persistence of PCDDs and PCDFs in the environment for many years means that historical as well as current sources need to be taken into account. 

PAHs are released to the environment from a number of sources pyrogenic sources including fossil fuel combustion and pyrolytic processes of organic matter such as incineration and petrogenic sources such as oils spills. Direct oil spilled from stationary sources and accidents cause contamination of land. Oil spills at US Army bases in South Korea is reported as a source of soil and groundwater contamination to nearby area... 

For humans (both workers and the public) there are three potential measures of risk either from the stockpile or from stockpile destruction acute lethahly acute and latent non-cancerous health effects and latent cancer. The potential adverse consequences for the environment are the contamination of land and/or water and adverse effects on native or endangered species. 

Chemical agent contamination of land surfaces poses a threat of food... 

Many metal pollutants (e.g. mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel and zinc) are hazardous to human health and terrestrial ecosystems. The determination of metals in contaminated soils may be carried out for a variety of reasons, such as measurement of total or defined extractable content, which provides knowledge of soil components in respect of changes in soil composition produced by natural or anthropogenic contamination. In addition, the analysis may be designed to investigate and categorise degrees of contamination of land for current or intended use. An environmental survey of a polluted site may be undertaken to obtain information about the nature, quantity, distribution and behaviour of contaminants and, if necessary, to select the most appropriate use of the site (Hester Harrison 2001 Kibblewhite 2001). 

Contamination of land can harm humans and the environment and needs to be controlled. Uncertainty about the existence and potentially hazardous nature of land contamination reduces confidence in existing and planned development on brown field sites and so increases demand for green field sites.1... 

Further impacts, such as contamination of land, impacts on local amenities - caused by dust, odor, noise, traffic, and aesthetics. 

In particular, risks of the contamination of land or water can be assessed as well. In Switzerland limit values for these types of damage have been specified (vid. Fig. 8.4). 

Level 3 PSA, which estimates public health and other societal risks such as the contamination of land or food. 

Nuclear weapons present hazards in virtually all areas of their life cycle. Production and testing have their own impacts. The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimated that the release of iodine-131 in fallout from U.S. nuclear test explosions was by itself responsible for 49,000 excess cases of thyroid cancer among the U.S. popnlation [8]. A 1991 pubhcation by the hitemational Physicians for the Prevention of Nnclear War estimated that the strontium-90, cesium-137, carbon-14, and poloninm-239 released worldwide in all nuclear test explosions would be responsible for 430,000 cancer deaths by 2000 [9]. Additional widespread health and enviromnental effects of nuclear-weapons prodnction include massive contamination of land by radioactive materials and toxic chemicals. 

After the Second World War, industrialization took place at a tremendous pace without giving any thought to its effects on the environment, flora and fauna, and peoples safety and heath. This led to increased global warming, depletion of ozone protective cover from harmful UV radiation, contamination of land and water ways due to release of toxic chemicals by industries, reduction in nonrenewable resources such as petroleum, destructions of forest cover due to acid rains, increased health problems, and industrial accidents resulting in loss of life and property. 

Risk to human health from contamination of land - as defined in general accordance with the contaminated land regulatory regime (under Part 2A EPA 90). 

The contamination of land is mostly caused by the disposal of solid wastes by manufacturing industries. With the introduction in the UK of the land fill tax the disposal of solid wastes by incineration will be more cost effective and environmentally friendly in the future. 

Control of emissions to the air, discharges to water recipients and contamination of land ... 

Known contamination of land used for commercial or industrial purposes above C/I EQC values Land is known not to be contaminated... 

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