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Contaminated land is defined by the Ministry for the Environment as sites at which hazardous substances occur at concentrations above background levels and where assessment indicates it poses, or is likely to pose, an immediate or long-term risk to human health or the environment.
Land can become contaminated through the manufacture, use, storage and disposal of hazardous substances and while contamination is usually associated with industrial activities, the use of hazardous substances in agriculture can also cause contamination, as can residential activities and buildings.
People can become exposed to contaminants in soil through:
- contact with the soil
- soil ingestion
- eating produce grown on contaminated land and
- drinking contaminated ground or surface water
- exposure by inhalation if a contaminant is volatile.
The health risk associated with contaminated soil will depend on the type of hazardous substance, the exposure route and the length of time a person is exposed.
Community and Public Health works collaboratively with territorial local authorities and other agencies to ensure the public health effects of contaminated land are identified and risk assessed, so that the hazards can be isolated, decreased or remedied.
Community and Public Health also provides information and advice on specific land contaminants, including lead (lead based paint) and asbestos (asbestos cement sheeting and other asbestos building products) and other hazardous substances. Health advice can also be given to persons who believe that they may have been exposed to other soil based contaminants.
Documents
Links
Ministry for the Environment
Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment)
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