Relocating Citizens From Urban Environments Exposed to Hazardous Levels of Contamination: A Rapid Scoping Review

Background Hazardous levels of contaminants produced by anthropogenic activities are increasingly pervading residential environs and urban areas. Hazardous contamination can pose significant health risks for citizens dwelling in exposure pathways. Relocation interventions can reduce citizens risks when remediation is not feasible but it is known to be a policy option of last resort. There is a paucity of consolidated knowledge about contamination risk‐based relocation policies and processes. Methods We conducted a rapid scoping review of peer‐reviewed literature examining government relocation interventions to mitigate citizens' risks from hazardous contamination in places of habitation. We searched Scopus, PROQUEST, Web of Science, JSTOR and Google Scholar. Results Of 1590 articles, 59 studies met the inclusion criteria. More than half ( n = 36) involved relocating citizens from chemical contamination events and n = 18 from radiological disasters. The studies indicate contamination risk‐based relocation is a high salience issue with poor policy processes. Key themes included temporality, psychosocial dimensions, economic factors, and environmental justice. Evacuations were likely to become protracted or evolve into permanent relocation. Conclusion Governments can underestimate the need for resettlement support to reduce adverse health and wellbeing outcomes for relocatees.