Contaminated land basics
Types of contaminant
A wide range of substances may be responsible for the classification of land as contaminated. They can generally be characterised according to the hazard they introduce.
Table 1: Hazards and contaminants | |||
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Hazards | Contaminants | ||
Toxicity to humans or animals by ingestion of soil (particularly children) or home-grown produce | Heavy metals, hydrocarbon compounds, pesticide residues |
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Toxicity to humans or animals by direct contact | Oils, tars, phenols and other hydrocarbons, acids and alkalines |
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Toxicity to humans by inhalation | Contaminated dust and particles, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphides and other gases, Asbestos fibres | ||
Attack on services, e.g. plastic pipes, or building materials, e.g. concrete | Phenols, oils, coal tars, sulphates, sulphides and chlorides |
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Risk of explosions or fire | Landfill and mine gas, flammable or combustible materials |
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Phytotoxicity | Zinc, copper, nickel, sulphates |