The Brazilian Environment Ministry announced a series of measures Wednesday to treat polluted soil that has affected around two million people.

These measures were enforced on Wednesday and were included in Resolution 420 of the National Environment Council after being approved in November, the ministry said in a statement.

Companies and individuals responsible for pollution are asked to provide detailed plans to treat polluted soil and commit themselves to solving environmental problems, according to the resolution.

The resolution also includes emergency actions in case of dangerous conditions. Moreover, it provides necessary procedures to determine if an area is polluted or not and offers criteria to control and treat pollution.

The resolution foresees that once the polluted areas are identified, environment organizations will conduct investigations to assess the damage and determine responsibilities.

According to the ministry, two million Brazilians are currently living on land polluted by chemical substances including agricultural toxics, petroleum derivatives, industrial remains and metals.

Between 2004 and 2008, 2,527 areas were registered as polluted, most of which were in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Norte.