Soil
What is Soil Contamination Testing?
Soil contamination testing is a legally mandated inspection carried out to verify the presence and level of contamination at facilities designated for soil contamination management. Facility operators are required to conduct regular and occasional inspections through specialized soil agencies, in accordance with Article 13 of the Soil Environment Conservation Act. These inspections help prevent and investigate soil contamination, and failure to comply with inspection requirements may result in penalties.
Inspection Targets and Items
| Facility Type | Inspection Items |
|---|---|
| Petroleum manufacturing and storage facilities | Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) |
| Manufacturing and storage facilities for hazardous chemicals | Cadmium, copper, arsenic, mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium, zinc, nickel, fluorine, organophosphorus compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, cyanide, phenol, trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), 1,2-dichloroethane, benzo(a)pyrene |
| Pipeline facilities | Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) |
| Other facilities requiring special management as designated by the Minister of Environment | Inspection items specified by the Minister of Environment for each target facility |
Inspection Cycle
| Type | Target | Inspection cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Periodic Inspection | After installing the storage facility | Initial survey → 5 years → 10 years → 15 years, then every 2 years |
| Occasional Inspection | Termination or closure of operation | From three months before the change until the date of the change |
| Change of representative | From three months before the change until the date of the change | |
| Replacement of storage facilities and change of materials | From three months before the change until the date of the change | |
| In case of contamination leak | Immediately |