6. Key messages Contaminated sites are part of a changing socioeconomic reality in an urban area, often covering more than a century of urban development and industrial heritage.
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Similarly, the process of redevelopment of such sites can take a long time, but often
determines the image of the city for the coming century. The redevelopment of urban contaminated sites is not only an environmental duty, but also opens opportunities
for land recycling, sustainable urban planning and renewal, and establishing healthy environments.
Redeveloping contaminated sites provides environmental, economic, social and health benefits to local communities as well as to local authorities. Based on lessons learned from past site redevelopments, the following key messages are extracted for urban planners and stakeholders considering future interventions:
Redeveloping contaminated sites is a promising public health intervention. The remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites are complex and challenging, but can have significant benefits for environment and health. The conversion of contaminated sites requires careful management to ensure that potential removal of contaminants does not lead to risks in other places. Public health considerations should be fundamental for all negotiations on site interventions, and the compliance with environmental and health standards should be a prerequisites for all discussions with site owners, investors and other stakeholders.
A sound site investigation is the baseline for all decision-making. A detailed site investigation, leading to a good understanding of the contamination and site characteristics, is essential to develop effective remediation strategies and ensure healthy and sustainable site redevelopment. Site investigation should therefore not only consider environmental dimensions, but also include health risk assessment. A well-defined quantification of the site contamination can help to create a clear baseline for discussion with various stakeholders, including future site developers. Regular screening and monitoring during remediation as well as after the redevelopment should be considered to identify and mitigate unexpected problems occurring at the site.
Protecting health through urban redevelopment of contaminated sites
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