Environmental Law: Soil Contamination
What is Soil Contamination?
Soil contamination may be the least often detected. Soil contamination can be the result of local carelessness such as improper hazardous waste handling at a landfill or can be the result of years of deposited contamination from a remote source of air pollution.
Soil contamination can decrease your property values and it can also lead to serious health effects, particularly in those often outdoors, such as children. The goal of a soil or property contamination suit is to compensate the property owner for property damages and for any injuries that may have been a result of the contamination.
Several common sources of soil contamination are illustrated below:
- Landfills – PCBs, dioxins, lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals, etc.
- Incinerators – Dioxins, furans, lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals
- Smelters – Lead, arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals
- Farming operations –
Many of these contaminants are carcinogenic or are suspected of causing other serious illnesses. Individuals suffering from soil contamination may not realize until they have been exposed for years, and may already have developed symptoms of exposure.