Part 1 of this report on contaminated sites is one of six in a series of reports issued by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency under the general heading of Environmental quality criteria. The others are entitled The Forest Landscape, The Agricultural Landscape, Groundwater, Lakes and Watercourses and Coasts and Seas. 

The purpose of the series is to enable local and regional authorities and others to make accurate assessments of environmental quality on the basis of available data, thus providing a more solid foundation for environmental planning and the establishment of environmental objectives. Each of the reports includes assessment criteria for a selection of parameters relating to objectives and threats that are associated with the main subject of the report.

A contaminated site is a landfill site or area of soil, groundwater or sediment which is so contaminated by a point source that concentrations significantly exceed local or regional background levels. The environmental quality criteria described in this report may be used to assess individual contaminated sites. They are a tool for assessing the risk associated with a contaminated site on the basis of limited information. The area is assigned to one of four risk classes as a result of the assessment.

The risk classification is an overall assessment of the degree of hazard posed by the contaminants, the level of contamination, the potential for migration of the contaminants as well as the degree to which protection of human health and the environment is required in the area. Criteria, questionnaires and tables have been provided to assist in various aspects of the assessment. Only a small part of the information required for risk classification is derived from environmental monitoring programmes. Most of the data is generated by special studies and investigations conducted at each site.

Part 2 of this report provides guidance regarding the requirements that must be met by the input data used in order to classify the risks associated with contaminated sites with an adequate degree of reliability. The guidance also explains how to collect the necessary data, plan and carry out the required sampling and analysis. Together, parts 1 and 2 comprise a complete guide for all the steps involved in conducting inventories of contaminated sites.

The model thus described is entitled MIFO, which, in Swedish, stands for Methods for Inventories of Contaminated Sites, and consists of two phases. The first phase is a preliminary survey, which begins with the identification of relevant objects for assessment and industries, followed by data-collection from maps and archives, together with on-site inspection and interviews. The preliminary inventory concludes with descriptions, evaluations and a final report.

The second phase is a preliminary site investigation that begins with an on-site inspection and the drawing up of a geological profile and sampling plan. Samples are then taken at strategically selected locations and analysed to quantify the relevant parameters. The preliminary site investigation concludes with descriptions, evaluations and a final report.

This report also contains information on quality assurance and safety issues.