ISO/TC 190/SC 7/WG 10 - Contaminated site assessment

This document provides guidance on developing and using conceptual site models (CSMs) through the various phases of investigation, remediation (if required), and any subsequent construction or engineering works. It describes what CSMs are, what they are used for and what their constituents are. It stresses the need for an iterative and dynamic approach to CSM development. This document is intended to be used by all those involved in developing CSMs and by those who rely on using them such as regulators, landowners, developers, and the public (and other relevant parties). Ideally, this includes representatives from all phases of the investigative and remedial processes, for example, preliminary assessment, detailed investigation, baseline human health and environmental risk assessments, and feasibility study, and, any subsequent construction or engineering work. NOTE 1 This document is applicable whenever the presence of "potentially harmful" or "hazardous" substances are present irrespective of whether they are naturally occurring or present due to human activity (i.e. are "contaminants"). NOTE 2 Although most of the principles described for developing CSMs in this document can apply to other domains, such as groundwater resources management, the present document is specifically written for the management of potentially contaminated sites or known contaminated sites.

This document provides guidance on the range of tests that could be necessary to characterize soil and other soil materials intended to be re-used, with or without preliminary treatment (e.g. screening to remove over large material). It is intended to be of use in determining the suitability of soil materials for re-use (see 3.4.1), and the assessment of the environmental impacts that might arise from re-use. It takes into account the different requirements of topsoil, sub-soil and other soil materials such as sediments or treated soils. International Standard methods are listed that might be of use for characterization. Soil materials include natural soils and other materials (e.g. fill, made ground) excavated, stripped, or otherwise removed from their original in-ground or above-ground location (e.g. stockpile), dredged materials, manufactured soils, and soil treated to remove or destroy contaminants. For manufactured soils, which are often made using excavated materials together with other materials such as "green waste", the characteristics of the components and of the manufactured product might need to be determined. NOTE The terms "excavated soil" and "excavated soil materials" are used for brevity throughout the document to embrace the range of materials covered. An overriding principle governing the guidance provided in this document is that when there is to be no change in intended land use at the target site, imported soil materials cannot lead to a permanent reduction in performance of relevant soil functions. The guidance provided is intended to cover a range of possible end uses, including: — play areas for small children, including nursery schools, kindergartens, etc.; — schools; — gardens and other residential areas; — allotments; — horticulture; — agriculture; — forestry; — recreational areas, e.g. parks, sport fields; — restoration of damaged ecosystems; — mining and industrial sites; — construction sites; — road and rail constructions. It is not applicable to the placement of soil materials in an aqueous environment or to restore underground workings. It does not address geotechnical requirements when soil materials are to be used as construction material. NOTE The sensitive end uses listed above such as play areas for small children, schools, gardens, agriculture and recreational areas require particular care, particularly when excavated soils are derived from contaminated sites.

This document provides guidance on the principles behind, and main methods for, the evaluation of sites, soils and soil materials in relation to their role as a source of contamination of groundwater and their function in retaining, releasing and transforming contaminants. It is focused on contaminated land management identifying and listing relevant monitoring strategies, methods for sampling, soil processes and analytical methods.

This document gives guidelines for the principles and main methods for the determination of background values for inorganic and organic substances in soils at a local/regional scale. The site scale is excluded. It gives guidelines for sampling and data processing strategies. It identifies methods for sampling and analysis. This document does not apply to the determination of background values for groundwater and sediments.

ISO 18504:2017 provides procedures on sustainable remediation. In particular, it provides: - standard methodology, terminology and information about the key components and aspects of sustainable remediation assessment; - informative advice on the assessment of the relative sustainability of alternative remediation strategies. ISO 18504:2017 is intended to inform practitioners about contemporary understanding of sustainable remediation. It is not intended to prescribe which methods of assessment, indicators or weights to use. Rather, it is intended to inform consideration of the concept of sustainable remediation in a local legal, policy, socio-economic and environmental context. The scope of ISO 18504:2017 is restricted to sustainable remediation ? that is demonstrably breaking the source-pathway-receptor linkages ? in a manner that has been shown on a site-specific basis under a specific legal context to be sustainable. The concepts of "green remediation" and "green and sustainable remediation" (so called GSR) that in some parts of the world are conflated with sustainable remediation are neither endorsed nor discussed in ISO 18504:2017.

ISO 15175:2004 provides guidance on the principles behind, and main methods for, the evaluation of sites, soils, and soil materials in relation to their role as a source of contamination of groundwater and their function in transporting, degrading and transforming contaminants. It identifies and lists relevant monitoring strategies, methods for sampling, soil processing and analytical methods. ISO 15175:2004 is applicable to the evaluation of the impact of contaminants on groundwater in relation to drinking water quality, irrigation water quality, industrial use and natural base flow.

ISO 15176:2002 provides guidance on the range of tests that may be necessary to characterize soil materials intended to be excavated and re-used with, or without, preliminary treatment. Soil materials include excavated soil, dredged materials, fill materials, manufactured soils and soil treated to remove or destroy contaminants. It takes into account the different requirements of top-soil, sub-soil and other soil materials such as sediments or treated soils. International Standard methods are listed where available. The test methods are intended to cover a range of possible end uses, such as play areas for small children, including nursery schools, kindergardens, etc.; schools; gardens and other residential areas; allotments; horticulture; agriculture; forestry; recreational areas, e.g. parks, sport fields; restoration of damaged ecosystems; construction sites. It is intended to be of use in determining the suitability of soil materials for re-use, and the assessment of the environmental impacts that might arise from re-use. ISO 15176:2002 is not applicable to the placement of soil materials in the water environment or to restore underground workings. It does not address geotechnical requirements when soil materials are to be used as construction material.