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.

The range of possible remediation methods is diverse and extends from physical to biological and chemical techniques, both in-situ and ex-situ. The choice depends on the environmental medium to be remediated, the pollutants to be treated and the site-specific conditions.

The management of contaminated sites includes the identification, investigation and risk assessment of contaminated and potentially contaminated sites, the remediation as well as the monitoring afterwards. The aim is to ensure that pollutants in the soil and groundwater do not pose a risk anymore.