The management of contaminated land cannot only be based upon   
contamination levels measured in soil and/or groundwater. On the   
contrary, the management of a contaminated site must be based on an   
appreciation of the risks posed by the contamination, taking into account   
the future use of the site.   
  
The core of a risk-based approach is the elaboration of a site conceptual   
model; this is the first and most essential step to ensure that there is a   
robust and defendable basis for contaminated land management.  
  
Data acquisition was first highlighted by the 2002 NICOLE meeting in Pisa   
as a key step towards deriving a conceptual model. The Pisa workshop   
focused on cost-effective site characterization methods. The workshop in   
Carcassonne on 10-12 May will use real contaminated land case studies   
to emphasis data acquisition for the development of robust and appropriate   
conceptual site models, combining information  on geology, biology and   
the chemistry of the subsoil. Innovative and cost effective data collection   
methods in support of the site management decision making processes   
will be emphasized, rather than “wanting to know what is in the soil”.  
  
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