Recital (68)

In order to reduce to an acceptable level the risks of contaminated sites for human health and the environment, Member States should ensure that adequate risk reduction measures, including soil remediation, are taken. The optimum risk reduction measures should be sustainable and selected through a balanced decision-making process that takes account of the environmental, social and economic impact. The choice of the technique or measure depends on a combination of criteria such as the nature of the contaminants, characteristics of the soil, volume of the contamination, time and space available, budgetary constraints, soil remediation objectives, current and planned land use, and potential to improve soil health. The risk reduction measures should not have a negative impact on the risk assessment and risk management of the catchment areas for abstraction points of water intended for human consumption set out in Article 8 of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council. As soil remediation focuses on removing the risk that soil contamination poses to human health or the environment, it might be the case that soil remediation would not improve other soil descriptors. Certain soil remediation techniques can also negatively impact soil health. Therefore, all the advantages and disadvantages of the remediation techniques should be taken into account. It should be possible to qualify measures taken under other Union law as risk reduction measures under this Directive if those measures effectively reduce risks posed by contaminated sites.