remediation of contaminated sites

Although there is no legal definition in Germany for the terms Militärische Altlasten (military-contaminated sites) and Rüstungsaltlasten (armanent-contaminated sites), they nonetheless fall within the scope of site contamination and former waste disposal sites. An historical classification is often applied that is based on usage and operation prior to 1945 or thereafter.

Under the unification treaty that was concluded with the former East Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany took possession of the former East Germany’s assets and assumed liability for its debts. As a result, the entirety of the former East Germany’s industrial sector and its contaminated sites also became the responsibility of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Strategic financing of applied research has considerably improved the scientific and technical basis for contaminated-site remediation in Germany.

Remediation technology is the practical manifestation of the myriad remediation measures that are available today. Their selection is determined by the environmental medium being remediated, the extent of the contamination, the type of remediation technique in question, and the remediation site.

The term “site remediation” refers to the following: all systematic steps involving detection, investigation and hazard assessments of suspected contaminated sites; reversal of deleterious changes in the soil; eliminating site pollution; follow-up measures. The main site remediation goal set by the BBodSchG law is hazard avoidance.