This document summarizes two sub-themes on remediation of polluted sites: monitoring soil pollution and state of the art remediation techniques. It discusses key questions for each sub-theme, including the need for agreed protocols for assessing and monitoring soil pollution globally, and determining criteria for whether a site requires remediation based on human health risk. The document recommends developing best practice guidance for assessing and remediating polluted sites tailored for different countries and building capacity for soil remediation.

2. Theme 3: Remediation of
polluted sites
Ms. Melisa Lim

3. Summary
• SUB-THEME 3.1: MONITORING SOIL POLLUTION
• 11 oral presentations
• posters
• SUB-THEME 3.2: STATE OF THE ART OF
REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES OF POLLUTED SITES
• 15 oral presentations
• posters

4. Key Questions – Sub-theme 3.1
Q3.1-1: Are there agreed upon protocols for
assessing, mapping and monitoring soil pollution at
different levels?
Protocols for assessing and mapping point source
pollution have been developed and refined over
the past decades in many developed countries and
are available for widespread dissemination.
These approaches can be applied to other parts of
the world but adaptations are needed to address
national priorities, existing legislations, availability
of resources and technical capacity.

5. More efforts are needed to assess and monitor
diffuse pollution and develop strategies for
prioritizing pollutants of concern
Need to raise political awareness of the benefits of
soil pollution remediation in developing countries
e.g., by showing impact on food safety and
developing measurements of such benefits in terms
of public health and economic metrics

6. Key Questions – Sub-theme 3.1
Q3.1-2: Is there a baseline of soil pollution at the
global level?
 Soil pollution is determined by a complex
combination of factors, such as the type of
pollutant, site history, geological background and is
therefore specific to the local and regional level.
Several countries have programmes to collect data
on existing level of soil pollution and have
established databases that can be used for policy
development.

7. Q3.2-1: What are the criteria that determine
whether a polluted site can/must be remediated?
 Human health impact should the priority criteria
Many countries now favour a risk-based approach
to decide on whether a site must be remediated
Determination must be site-specific and should
prioritise the presence and sensitivity of receptors
In developing countries, financial resources, human
capacity and availability of analytical tools are
limitations to remediation
Key Questions – Sub-theme 3.2

8. Q3.2-2: Which tools/technologies can be used to
increase the remediation of polluted sites?
 Many tools exist but they can be costly
Better tools are needed to better understand the
complexity of subsurface pollution which is needed for
full remediation
Decision of whether to apply a technology should
follow a risk-based approach
There are many examples of new technologies
including bioremediation being tested in developing
countries
Key Questions – Sub-theme 3.2

9. Q3.2-3: To what extent can polluted sites be restored
for safe food production?
 This is feasible especially in the case of broad
scale, low-level pollution
For the remediation of large agricultural sites, need
cost-effective technologies and more research is
needed in this area.
Key Questions – Sub-theme 3.2

10. Recommendations
Develop best practice guidance on the assessment
and remediation of polluted sites, building on the
long experience of developed countries and the
lessons learnt.
Establish an expert group to develop such
guidance.
Raise political and public awareness of the benefits
of soil remediation and develop appropriate human
health and economic metrics for doing so
Build capacity in developing countries for soil
pollution assessment and remediation.