INCORE focuses on the development and partial implementation of an new approach to contaminated land assessment and revitalisation in urban industrial areas 
comprising three cycles: (a) the investigation of groundwater contamination emission at the scale of entire sites, (b) the evaluation of the contamination 
source zones and (c) the development of emission oriented remediation strategies. The major advantage of the new approach is that the number of sites to be considered 
is reduced within each cycle. Furthermore cost-effective revitalisation measures could be implemented based on the level of tolerable groundwater emissions. 
            

NCORE- Achieved Objectives:         
According to the INCORE working plan an integral approach to contaminated land assessment an revitalisation in urban areas, focusing on groundwater quality 
and complex contamination patterns, which are typically for may European cities, was developed.  To enhance the implementation of the integral approach for 
the quantification of subsurface contamination, additionally, a set of  reports, guidelines software tools, and case studies were released.  Thus, following 
objectives could be achieved:        
        
1. Technology development for the integrated investigation of groundwater contamination at regional scale        
2. Technology development for site analysis at site scale        
3. Development of strategies for the implementation of innovative remediation technologies        
4. Development of strategies for the economic revitalisation of urban industrial areas 
            

Summary        
        
The Integrated Concept for Groundwater Remediation (INCORE) outlines a new strategy for the investigation, remediation and revitalisation of industrial 
areas which is based on an integrated quantification of total contaminant emissions. It considers entire industrial areas instead of particular single sites, 
in order to achieve a high level of confidence in the investigation results.        
        
An innovative cyclic approach is applied to contaminated land and groundwater management beginning with the screening of groundwater plumes at the scale 
of entire industrial areas, and ending with the remediation of individual source areas or the containment of plumes. The major advantage of the approach is 
that the number of local scale sites, or the size of the area to be considered, is reduced stepwise from one cycle to the next. Thus, a large potentially contaminated 
is screened but ultimately only a small area may need to be remediated. During the project, the new concept was implemented at the four project areas Linz (Austria), 
Strasbourg (France), Milan (Italy), Stuttgart (Germany) and Bydgoszcz (Poland).         
        
At least in Germany the application of the new integral approach is used as a strategy for investigation of contaminated groundwater and land in industrialised 
urban areas. The implementation of the cyclic approach is under discussion.         
        
INCORE - available resources        
        
In order to facilitate the implementation of the Integrated Concept for Groundwater Remediation (INCORE) reports and tools are provided describing in 
detail steps need to be taken towards the new integral contaminated land management strategy. The reports and tools are organised according to the INCORE project 
work packages.         
        
The implementation of innovative plume investigation methodologies is supported by the following resources:        
        
1. Data inventory         
Product: guideline, database        
2. Integral groundwater investigation         
Product: reports, case study        
3. Delimiting source zones        
Product: guideline        
4. Localisation and identification of contaminant sources        
Product: reports, guideline, case study        
5. Human health risk assessment        
Product: guideline, report, software        
        
Resources for the implementation of administrative concepts include:         
1. Natural attenuation        
Product: case study        
2. Integral remediation concepts        
Product: report        
3. Development of administrative concepts        
Product: report        
4. Cost comparison        
Product: report        
5. In-situ remediation technologies        
Product: software