Environmental information on contaminated sites and areas suspected of being contaminated sites: Information

The term contaminated sites refers to areas where there is a suspicion of contaminated sites. Contaminated sites are, for example, disused storage sites for municipal or commercial waste (old deposits) or disused plants, armament sites and operating areas where environmentally hazardous substances have been handled (old sites), insofar as this causes harmful soil changes or other hazards. The list of contaminated sites summarizes the data on contaminated sites and areas suspected of being contaminated sites.

According to the Environmental Information Act (UIG), every person has the right to free access to environmental information held by a body obliged to provide information. The UIG applies in Lower Saxony in conjunction with the Lower Saxony Environmental Information Act (NUIG). Access may be granted by providing information, granting access to the file or by other means. Upon request, any person can therefore obtain information from the register of contaminated sites. Such information is important, for example, when buying or selling a plot of land, in construction projects or demolition projects as well as in the case of groundwater use in the vicinity of contaminated sites. However, in many cases, the information about a contaminated site or area suspected of being contaminated can be personal data. The competent authority must then examine whether the disclosure of the information would significantly prejudice the interests of the person concerned; if necessary, it must carry out a balancing act.