Guidance

Land contamination: using soil guideline values (SGVs)

Guidance explaining the use of soil guideline values (SGV) to asses the long-term exposure of chemicals in soil on human health.

Documents

A Guide to using Soil Guideline Values

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This is an introduction to soil guideline values (SGV) used in land contamination assessment. It explains what SGVs are, their purpose and advice on their use.

SGVs and the framework documents provide scientifically based information on the assessment of risks to human health from land contamination. They provide non-statutory technical guidance to regulators and their advisors in support of the statutory regimes addressing land contamination, particularly Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the consideration of land affected by contamination under the Town and Country Planning Acts.

Technical notes and supporting information showing SGVs for different chemicals are listed at Land contamination: soil guideline values (SGVs).

Updates to this page

Published 11 September 2009

Sign up for emails or print this page