ABSTRACT
This chapter presents archetypical background information on the sources/origins of environmental contamination and chemical exposure problems in general and contaminated site problems in particular. It provides a broad overview on the general types of issues that need to be addressed in order to establish an effective risk management or corrective action program for contaminated site problems. The chapter focuses on the key principles necessary for an effective management of contaminated site problems, achievable through an application of the risk assessment paradigm in the overall implementation process. Risk assessment notably represents one of the fastest evolving tools available for developing appropriate and cost-effective strategies to aid contaminated site restoration and risk management decisions. Indeed, to ensure public health and environmental sustainability, decisions relating to contaminated site management should generally be based on systematic and scientifically valid processes—such as via the use of risk assessment.
