Remediation status and practices for contaminated sites in China: survey-based analysis

This study aims to determine the current remediation status of contaminated sites in China to support future decision-making for the cleanup of contaminated sites. A survey was conducted in which a questionnaire was administered to 76 remediation practitioners working across China. The major driving force behind remediation was the redevelopment of contaminated brownfield land for residential purposes, mostly funded by profit-driven developers, particularly in Beijing. A large proportion of brownfield sites have been contaminated with organic compounds, reflecting past land use by chemical plants. Risk assessments of contaminated sites are typically based on the guidelines from China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and local governments. The most frequently used criteria to assess site contamination in China are environmental quality standards, screening values, or both. The majority of remediation efforts use low-technology approaches to treat contaminated soil (e.g., cement kiln, in situ and ex situ solidification/stabilization, landfill, and mechanical soil aeration), while sophisticated, high-technology approaches (e.g., in situ and ex situ thermal desorption, in situ chemical treatment, and bioventing) are less often used. The implementation of the latter, while limited, illustrates that the necessary technology exists to support optimal land remediation in China. In addition to high-technology remediation methods, 6W/1H ideology can be employed when assessing contaminated site for remediation. Graphical abstract ᅟ.