Current or historic site activities such as the improper storage, use, or disposal of raw materials or waste products can contaminate soil and groundwater at a site. Site contamination is identified by conducting audits and site investigations to define the nature and extent of contamination.

Once soil contamination is identified, chemical transport and fate can be evaluated through monitoring programs or modelling and analysis. Human health and ecological risk assessments are used as tools for developing risk-based, site-specific clean-up criteria and recommendations for remediation.