Initial diagnosis of a polluted site - Historical and documentary study

In France, the national policy for rehabilitating and treating polluted sites and soils is based on two major principles:

• systematic and organized identification of potentially polluted sites;

• assessment of the vulnerability and risks associated with each site, in order to define treatment priorities based on the actual impact of the site on the environment and human health, and on its intended use.

The inventory of polluted industrial sites concerns both old and active industrial sites. For old industrial sites, readers may refer to the guide for the Historical Inventory of Old Industrial Sites published by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) [1] . Sites in operation are listed among those subject to the regulations governing facilities classified for environmental protection (ICPE regulations, based on the law of July 19, 1976).

The identification of (potentially) polluted sites among those in operation is preceded by initial diagnostics prescribed to operators by the prefects (circulars of April 3 and 18, 1996). On completion of the initial diagnostics, the sites are either declared "commonplace" (class 3), "to be monitored" (class 2) or requiring in-depth investigations (class 1).

The initial diagnosis is based on the following elements:

• a historical and documentary study (step A);

• additional field investigations (stage B);

• a simplified risk assessment, based on the information gathered in the literature review and, in most cases, on the results of field investigations.

The general principles of these types of study are set out in the Guide méthodologique de gestion des sites (potentiellement) pollués, 1997, published by the French Ministry of the Environment . This article provides a practical approach and illustration of how to carry out stage A of the initial diagnosis. Stage B is covered in the article Soil investigation. Simplified risk assessment .