Policy and Governance Terms
Environmental Management Act (EMA)
Provincial legislation governing the management and cleanup of contaminated sites in British Columbia.
Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR)
A regulation under the EMA defining contamination thresholds, assessment procedures, and cleanup standards. It allows for numerical or risk-based approaches to remediation.
Certificate of Compliance (CoC)
Official provincial confirmation that a site meets CSR cleanup criteria and is safe for redevelopment.
Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
A phased process for evaluating contamination:
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- Phase I: Historical review and visual inspection.
- Phase II: Soil, water, and vapour sampling and lab testing.
- Phase III: Cleanup strategy and monitoring design.
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Orphan Sites
Contaminated properties without an identifiable or financially responsible owner, where the government assumes remediation responsibility.
Rezoning and Development Permit
Municipal approvals in Vancouver requiring proof of CSR compliance before construction or land-use change.
Greenest City Action Plan/ Broadway Plan
Municipal sustainability frameworks influencing redevelopment policy and integrating remediation with broader ecological goals.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
A financial tool allowing municipalities to fund remediation by leveraging future increases in property tax revenue.
Phytoremediation Terms
Phytoremediation
An environmentally sustainable remediation method using living plants to remove, degrade, stabilize, or immobilize contaminants in soil and water.
Phytoextraction
Uptake of contaminants (especially metals) from soil into plant biomass for later harvest and disposal.
Phytostabilization
Immobilization of contaminants in the root zone, preventing migration or leaching.
Phytodegradation
Enzymatic breakdown of organic pollutants (like hydrocarbons) with plant tissues.
Rhizodegradation
Microbial degradation of pollutants in the rhizosphere (root zone) enhanced by plant exudates.
Phytovolatilization
Conversion of contaminants into volatile compounds released through plant transpiration.
Phytodesalination
Extraction of salts from saline soils using halophytic (salt-tolerant) plants.
Hyperaccumulators
Plant species capable of storing exceptionally high levels of heavy metals without toxicity.
Rhizosphere
The soil region influenced by root activity and associated microorganisms; critical for contaminant breakdown.
Bioaugmentation
Intentional introduction of specific microbes or fungi to enhance contaminant degradation.
Mycorrhizal Fungi
Symbiotic fungi that enhance plant nutrient uptake and may improve contaminant tolerance or degradation capacity.
Contaminant Terms
Anthropogenic Soils
Human-altered soils containing construction debris, altered pH, or chemical residues from industrial or urban use.
Heavy Metals
Toxic elements such as cadmium, copper, manganese, nickel, zinc, and lead, commonly found in industrial fill, paints, or fertilizers.
Inorganic Contaminants
Elemental pollutants found on the periodic table that have been released into the environment.
Organic Contaminants
Pollutant compounds that typically contain bonds of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Metal Bioavailability
The fraction of metal contaminants that can be absorbed by plants or organisms; reduced through stabilization or organic binding.
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
Organic compounds derived from oil and fuel, frequent pollutants in brownfields from past industrial activity.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Persistent organic pollutants formerly used in electrical equipment, difficult to degrade via phytoremediation.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Organic contaminants from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes.
Soil Microbiome
The community of microorganisms in soil that mediate nutrient cycling and pollutant degradation.
Redevelopment Terms
Brownfield Site
Previously developed urban land potentially contaminanted by industrial or commercial use.
Bluefields/ Blackfields/ Greyfields/ Goldfields
A typology describing brownfield variations:
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- Bluefields: Waterfront or port-adjacent sites.
- Blackfields: Former industrial or energy production sites.
- Greyfields: Underused commercial properties.
- Goldfields: Sites with high redevelopment potential.
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Soil for Landscape Development
A design approach emphasizing soil as a living infrastructure essential to urban ecology and aesthetics.
Desiring Waste
A conceptual framework viewing waste and brownfields as cyclical and educational opportunities rather than endpoints.
Community Demonstration Site
Publicly accessible remediation landscapes used for education, engagement, and monitoring during the phytoremediation process.