Effective communication in contaminated risk management

The process of managing contaminated land projects is complex and the necessary skill set required to communicate contaminated land risk has become extensive. The communication of contaminated land risk has become more important as a result of greater pressure placed on the redevelopment of brownfield sites, easier access to basic environmental information, increased public concern about human health risk and possible harm to controlled waters, and less trust that risk is communicated fully and honestly to stakeholders. These drivers have culminated in the task of effective communication associated with contaminated land becoming more onerous but a detailed consideration of their impact on stakeholders is critical to the successful delivery of remediation projects. The necessary skills required for the effective communication of contaminated land risk are considered. These skills are appropriate for contaminated land consultants, planners, civil engineers, specialist contractors and land owners who have to communicate risk issues to a lay audience. The part IIA Manywells landfill site is provided as an appropriate case study, in which effective communication and stakeholder management has been successfully implemented.