Waste and chemicals can cause land and groundwater contamination. Changes in land or groundwater quality can pose a risk of harm to human health and the environment.
Commercial, mining, industrial and agricultural sites often have some contamination. You may need to take steps to ensure you adequately manage any risks of harm. This is the case even when the use that caused the contamination happened before you took control of the land.
Types of activities that can cause contamination
Contamination typically comes from particular industrial, agricultural or commercial activities. For example, chemical or waste spills and leaks. The reasons for contamination can include:
- poor waste management
- poor construction, industrial or agricultural practices
- illegal dumping or unsafe storage of harmful products.
Contamination in significant volumes may spread from the original site to nearby properties or public areas such as creeks and rivers. This can happen via:
- contaminated soil blowing off a site as dust over time
- contaminated surface water run-off
- harmful surface products leaching into groundwater
- contaminated groundwater flowing offsite.
The table below sets out the main activities linked to contamination. To understand if contamination might be present check past and current uses of land you manage or control:
Land use activities linked to contamination
Read next
Our approach to managing contamination in Victoria
Why it’s important to investigate contamination
Databases and further information about contamination
Understanding your contaminated land duties
Reviewed 17 September 2020
