Development of Cleanup Protocol for Contaminated Sites in Canada

Abstract

With growing public concern over potential environmental and human health effects associated with contaminated sites, the environmental engineer is faced with a multitude of challenges and requirements for their assessment and cleanup. The engineer must not only be concerned with regulatory or legislative requirements, but must also be cognizant of environmental liability, professional practice requirements, and the protection of public health. An overview of the cleanup criteria for contaminated sites in Canada, which like most countries is still in the developmental phase, is presented here. The overview includes comment on the advantages and disadvantages of the basis on which the Canadian criteria were developed. In addition, the paper includes comment on the role of nonregulatory issues such as environmental liability and professional practice requirements, and their ever-increasing role in decision making on environmental issues.