ABSTRACT
In 1980, a NATO/CCMS pilot study addressing contaminated land and groundwater was formed. In 1986, 1992, and 1998, the pilot study was renewed by participating countries because of the continued interest in this topic. In this initial pilot study (1980-1985), contaminated land was defined for the purposes of the study as land that contains substances that, when present in sufficient quantities or concentrations, are likely to cause harm, directly or indirectly, to man, to the environment, or on occasion to other targets. The emphasis is on the presence of potentially harmful contaminants rather than on past use. This definition embraces both old industrial sites that have become contaminated owing to their former usage, and hazardous waste problem sites or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. It also implies that a problem is only defined to exist following a proper site investigation and after the evaluation of all available information specific to the site and taking into account the intended use. It is generally agreed that there are three main stages to dealing with contaminated sites:
Identification
Assessment of hazard
Remedial action
