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The SAFEGROUNDS project has identified five key principles for the management
of all contaminated land on nuclear and defence sites. They are an integral part of the SAFEGROUNDS guidance documents. The principles have
been established through a consultative process in which representatives of
a variety of stakeholder groups were involved. The principles are non-overlapping
and complementary and should be applied together, and form a central part
of the SAFEGROUNDS ethos. The key principles are as follows:
Principle 1: Protection of people and the environment
The fundamental objective of managing contaminated land on nuclear-licensed
sites and defence sites should be to achieve a high level of protection of
people and the environment, now and in the future.
Principle 2: Stakeholder involvement
Site owners/operators should develop and use stakeholder involvement strategies
in the management of contaminated land. In general, a broad range of stakeholders
should be invited to participate in decision-making.
Principle 3: Identifying the preferred land management option
Site owners/operators should identify their preferred management option (or
options) for contaminated land by carrying out a comprehensive, systematic
and consultative assessment of all possible options. The assessment should
be based on a range of factors that are of concern to stakeholders, including
health, safety and environmental impacts and various technical, social and
financial factors.
Principle 4: Immediate action
Site owners/operators should take measures immediately to monitor and control
all known (or suspected) contamination and continue such measures until an
acceptable management option has been identified and implemented.
Principle 5: Record-keeping
Site owners/operators should make comprehensive records of the nature and
extent of contamination, the process of deciding on the management option
for the contaminated land and the findings during the implementation and validation
of the option. All records should be kept and updated as necessary.
The key principles apply primarily to options for the long-term management of contaminated land. The extent to which some of the principles are to be applied depends on the scale of the contaminated land problem. Amplification of the Key Principles expands on the principles and gives guidance on their application. Further guidance for nuclear-licensed sites and defence sites is in Appendices A and B, respectively.
16 October 2003