A review of the site activities and history provides a starting point to assess whether current or past use may have contributed to contamination of the site. This includes consideration of whether the site or adjacent sites may be associated with potentially contaminating activities; complaints about pollution or illegal dumping of wastes; and whether there are gaps in, or doubts about, the site history.
An inspection of the site and its surrounds may provide physical indicators of contamination or harm. Examples of indicators of contamination are:
- case(s) of a biologically plausible illness or health impairmentamong people who have had exposure to a particularcontaminated site
- the presence of chemicals either on, or in, surface water orgroundwater at the site (for example, abnormal colouration ofthe water, odours emanating from the water)
- visible signs of toxic responses to contaminants in flora and fauna (for example, unusual numbers of birds dying on or nearthe site, abnormal domestic animal or wildlife behaviour, deadvegetation within, or adjacent to, areas of otherwise normal growth)
- the finding of liquid or solid chemicals or chemical wastes on, or in, the soil during site works
- unusual odours emanating from the soil
- the entry of chemicals into on- or off-site service trenches
- the presence of discarded explosive materials on site
- the presence or the storage of bulk liquid dangerous goods onsite
- the presence of illegal and/or uncontrolled landfills on site
- evidence of off-site migration of contaminants into adjacent or nearby environments (for example, migration to residential areas, creeks, rivers, wetlands, sediments or groundwater).
Note that this list is not exhaustive, and there may be additional indicators that are relevant to some sites.
In some cases the indicators themselves will provide enough evidence to conclude that the contamination should be reported to DECC. In those cases where the indicators suggest that contamination is present but there is uncertainty as to whether the contamination should be reported to DECC, further investigation may be needed.
Guidelines on the Duty to Report Contamination under the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997
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