The purpose of the study was to investigate how inventories of suspected polluted areas as a part of the planned control of existing companies cab be designed in order to achieve as great effect as possible. The study was conducted in cooperation with Piteå municipality. An analysis of regional inventory projects, local municipal strategies and a pilot study in Piteå was conducted. The experience from both the regional projects and the pilot study was that in order to achieve an effective control a number of factors were inportant: an efficient selection of companies, a good dialogue between the controlling agency and the companies, sufficient resources, education of municipal inspectors and guidance for decisionmaking. Another inportant result was that the municipal planning can prevent an efficient inventory if the control of city development projects is allowed to take time from the planned control. The conclusion was that the unit for health an environmental care in Piteå municipality should try to achieve these factors in their work and start a cooperation with the municipal planners in order to create an efficient organization for treating polluted areas. Suggested future studies was to investigate how the planning process and the work of the municipal controlling agency can be synchronized in order to achieve a common goal.