What is a Brownfield?
A brownfield is an area of land which was: a) used for commercial or industrial uses, b) has some type of contamination, c) has been abandoned.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines brownfields as "any land in the United States that is abandoned, idled or under used because redevelopment and/or expansion is complicated by environmental contamination that is either real or perceived."
Source of Information:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/brownfield.htm.
What is Brownfield Remediation?
Brownfield remediation is a process in which contamination at brownfield sites is addressed so that the sites can be redeveloped. The process of environmental cleanup restores a polluted or contaminated site to a state that is not harmful for human beings and other living organisms. Because the environmental cleanup can be very complicated legally and environmentally, brownfield remediation often involves government agencies.
During the brownfield remediation process, the contamination is identified and addressed. Cleanup efforts can include actively removing contaminants, isolating contaminants so that they cannot leak into the environment, or just re-zoning the land for a use which allows the presence of some contaminants.
Source of Information:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brownfield-remediation.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_5322678_awareness-over-environmental-remediation.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brownfield-remediation.htm
