Brownfield sites are a good way to reuse land in the UK. It is land that was previously developed for a different purpose. Often, the land has been used in industrial or commercial applications. The land that is abandoned could be contaminated, especially if it was used previously for industrial purposes. Contaminants can include hazardous wastes and pollutants from industrial chemicals.
This type of land is available in England in 66,000 hectares, with the majority of them located in the highly desirable areas of Greater London, South East England and East England. In 2008, the goal was to build 60% of all new homes on brownfields. This target has been exceeded. This is a simple case of recycling the land.
Brownfields can also be used to create open space and recreation areas for communities or localities. These sites can be used for conservation and woodland areas. A brownfield site must be assessed by an expert in environmental science due to its level of contamination. Soil analysis is required. Testing of surface and groundwater will be required to determine if there are any pollutants present and what the potential risk is. For Remediation Contractors, visit https://soilfix.co.uk/services/soil-and-groundwater-remediation/
Special laws and regulations must be followed, as well as strict environmental regulations. Reclaiming and developing brownfield sites also requires special licenses. The next step in the process, if the assessment results are positive, is remediation.
It is a process of removing contaminants from soil in order to restore the land to a safe condition for human health. It can be a time-consuming and complex task. If the costs are greater than the benefits of using the site then it will not be used.