Industry Profiles

The table below lists all the original Department of Environment (DoE) industry profiles (there are more than 47 as the Profile of miscellaneous industries contains six industries which have been separated out into individual profiles). In the table, 15 profiles have been listed alongside potential contaminants in generic groupings that may be associated with the different industries. Each industry profile is hyperlinked to a dedicated page giving a greater level of detail about the background of the profile and associated potential processes and operations relevant to that profile. Each profile contains a table of potential contaminants of concern, links to the original DoE industry profile and provides further sources of information. The remaining profiles will be updated as and when funding becomes available.

Important notes to bear in mind when reading the industry profiles:

Contaminant groupings:

The potential contaminants of concern table is divided into (i) organic and inorganic contaminant types and (ii) into contaminant groups taken from the Environment Agency remediation options applicability matrix. It is recognised that there is overlap between some groupings (e.g. VOCs and halogenated/non-halogenated hydrocarbons; PFAS and POPs, and others).

The contaminant groups are the same for all profiles and a black dot is shown for contaminants in that group that might typically be associated with a specific industry. Other contaminant groups (and hence other contaminants) may be present at a particular site. Where there is a blank row (i.e. no black dot), these contaminant groups are not typically found on these sites. To help the user with their understanding, three examples from each contaminant group are provided in a separate table Example Contaminants. Of course it is essential to consider other contaminants within those groupings.

At the bottom of some of the contaminant tables there is a row for “Other potential contaminants of concern”. This is where examples of contaminants not covered by the generic groups are listed and where readers are directed to the original profiles for a more extensive listing of individual chemicals that may be present. Again this list is not exhaustive.

Locations:

Most profiles contain several site locations where contaminants are typically found, marked by black dots. Where there is a blank row (i.e. no black dot), these contaminant groups are not typically found at these locations.

Where locations are common to most industrial sites they have not been included in the contaminant tables unless they are considered to have a close association with that site. Common locations and their main contaminant group include: fuel storage areas (non-halogenated hydrocarbons), electrical transformer areas (PCBs) and buildings/building fabric (asbestos).