Contaminated sites and soils

While the fight against industrial pollution remains topical with, in particular, the issue of emerging pollutants and their transfer (PFAS, HCH, microplastics...), it is necessary to restore degraded soils due to their waterproofing or artificialization and to enhance wastelands, which constitute key land resources in the fight against urban sprawl.

The new European strategy adopted at the end of 2021 aims to provide legal protection for land as well as water and air. Based on a “Soil Health” directive planned for 2023, the main objective is to reduce soil pollution to “levels considered safe for human health and natural ecosystems” and achieve the “net zero artificialization” target by 2050.

In addition to improvements in the areas of diagnosis, treatment and management of excavated land, new solutions are emerging with the aim of "re-boosting" soil quality and ensuring their refunctionalization.