| Current status | 2021 |  |
| Short term status | 2016 - 2021 | |
| Long term status | 2010 - 2021 | |
Click on the charts below in order to see the full resolution versions.
Contaminated soil is usually generated in land development or redevelopment projects and is largely the result of construction and demolition activities, or excavated soil from contaminated sites. Data on the quantity of contaminated soil treated off-site in Ireland or exported abroad is collated by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of their Hazardous Waste Treatment Survey, including data collected by the National Transfrontier Shipment Office. These data do not reflect contaminated soil treated in situ at its point of generation.
From 2008 until 2015, due to the economic downturn in the construction industry, there was a marked decrease in the quantity of contaminated soil generated for treatment off-site in Ireland or exported abroad. Since 2015 there has been a slight increase in contaminated soil however this increase is occurring at much lower level than that observed pre-2009. In 2021 the generation of contaminated soils fell, and it has been noted that activities at Limerick Gas Work (previously a source of high tonnages of contaminated soil) came to an end in 2020 which is a major factor in the reduction. There was a major change in the percentage of soils being treated Ireland in 2021 with 99% of soil treatment occurring within the country.
The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for preparing National Hazardous Waste Management Plans. The current plan sets out the priorities to be pursued from 2014-2020 and beyond to improve the management of hazardous waste.
The latest statistics from the EPA can be found here: https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/waste/national-waste-statistics/hazardous/
More information on contaminated soil treatment in Ireland can be found in the EPA’s National Waste Reports here: http://www.epa.ie/nationalwastestatistics/hazardous/
The latest National Waste Management Plan 2014-2020 can be found here: https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/waste/hazardous-waste/
Guidance on the management of contaminated land and water can be found here: http://www.epa.ie/enforcement/contaminatedland/
Quantity of contaminated soil sent for remediation
Contaminated soil represents a chronic pressure on soil biodiversity, detrimentally altering soil-dwelling organisms and the ecosystem services they provide. In Ireland, contaminated soil is largely generated by the construction and demolition industries. This indicator tracks the quantities of contaminated soil processed within Ireland or exported from Ireland per year.