Contaminated sites within the meaning of the Federal Soil Protection Act are:
- decommissioned waste disposal facilities and other properties on which waste has been treated, stored, or deposited (old deposits), and
- properties of decommissioned facilities and other properties on which environmentally hazardous substances have been handled, with the exception of facilities whose decommissioning requires a permit under the Atomic Energy Act (old sites), which cause harmful soil changes or other hazards to individuals or the general public."
Put simply, contaminated sites are areas where significant soil contamination has already been detected.
Sites suspected of being contaminated within the meaning of this law are "old deposits and old sites where there is a suspicion of harmful soil changes or other dangers to individuals or the general public." In contrast to contaminated sites, soil contamination at suspected sites is initially only suspected on the basis of previous use, but has not (yet) been proven.
Harmful soil changes "... are impairments of soil functions that are likely to cause hazards, significant disadvantages, or significant nuisances to individuals or the general public."
In order to examine suspected contaminated sites within the framework of urban land-use planning (land-use plans, development plans, project and development plans) and for individual construction projects, the Parks and Environment Department investigates suspected sites and, if necessary, carries out additional investigations.
Investigation of suspected contaminated sites and remediation of contaminated sites
As part of the planning process for suspected contaminated sites (old deposits and former industrial sites), the Parks and Environment Department conducts historical research on the sites and, if necessary, commissions soil and groundwater investigations. Investigations are also carried out when the state capital of Mainz buys or sells land.
If the investigations reveal soil and/or groundwater contamination that requires remediation, the Parks and Environment Office coordinates the necessary detailed investigations in consultation with the Higher Soil Protection Authority (Structural and Approval Directorate South) and, if necessary, has remediation plans drawn up. This results in remediation measures tailored to the individual case, which either provide for the removal of the environmental damage or the protection of the affected area.
