Soil protection in the Netherlands: a changing perspective

Transcription

1 Soil protection in the Netherlands: a changing perspective Sandra Boekhold, Soil protection technical committee The Hague, Netherlands boekhold@tcbodem.nl

2 Soil Protection Technical Committee (TCB) Permanent advisory Committee, scientific scope National and regional governments Soil Protection Act Technical/scientific aspects of environmental policy regarding soil and groundwater In force since

3 Content The Dutch delta Development of soil policy and legislation * Soil protection * soil remediation * Soil quality standards * Risk based approach: toxicology and assessment * sustainable land management Ecosystem services, threats and opportunities Summary Film Terra 3

4 Dutch delta» Rapid urban development (400 inh./km 2 )» Highly industrialized (historic and present)» Intensive land-use and turnover» Many stakeholders» 17 million people» Ten times more animals in farming:» 1 million sheep» 4 million cows» 12 million pigs» 100 million chicken LAND USE % AGRICULTURE / NATURE 80 RESIDENTIAL 10 INDUSTRY 3 INFRASTRUCTURE 2 RIVERS / LAKES 5 4

5 Soil types: Clay (green) Sand (brown/yellow) Loam (red) Peat (purple) From south-west to north-east: Below sealevel 5

6 Start legislation for soils in the Netherlands 1980 Lekkerkerk 1983 Interim act 1987 Soil Protection Act 6

7 Volgermeerpolder, former dump site for chemical waste 7

8 Groundwater contamination by chlorinated hydrocarbons due to dry cleaning Source: SKB cahier Source: Witteveen+Bos 8

9 1987: Soil Protection Act Aimed at actions executed upon or into the soil Rules for soil protection: duty to care; fully clean-up after incidents Clean-up operation Definition of soil: the solid part of the earth including the liquids and gasses in it and organisms. Multifunctionality, standard setting Soil protection measures: Obligation to install liquidtight floors under petrol stations and car graveyards; Rules for handling light contaminated soils; Removal of underground oil tanks; Reduction of disposal of wastewater onto soils and into surface water; Rules for groundwater retraction; Rules for waste dump sites; Rules for the use of building materials; Directive on soil protection during entrepreneurship. Rules for the use of manure on agricultural land 9

10 Soil policy letter 2003 Soil quality: biological, physical and chemical Soil use and soil function are leading in clean-up goals Rationally coping with risks Responsibilities at local scale 10

11 Standards: good, bad and ugly contaminated doubt/grey Intervention values clean Target/background values 11

12 Standards: ecotoxicology End 1980 s onwards Recognition of the importance of soil ecology for soil functioning Development of standardized soil test methods Introduction of Species Sensitivity Distributions From Posthuma et al

13 Human exposure (Csoil model) Soil contamination Soil use scenario Exposure calculation. Compare with health criterium, TDI Picture from: Into Dutch Soils, 2010, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment 13

14 Dutch Clean-up decision criterium ( Sanscrit ) Step 1: severely contaminated? (Intervention value) Step 2: unacceptable risks? (simple risk assessment) Step 3: unacceptable risks? (refined risk assessment) 14

15 15 Faber JH, HERA 12 (2006)

16 Sustainable management: re-use of soil Yearly demand of earth materials: 80 to 100 million tons 70% from sand extraction 30% reuse of clean or slightly polluted soil 16

17 Dutch soil quality standards 17

18 Soil quality standards in mg/kg dry weight 18

19 Where do we stand now? Soil remediation operation is considered almost completed 2000 sites need risk reduction urgently 400 human health: before 2015 Other: focus on sustainable land management Area oriented approach Local government leading Stakeholder participation Soil management is part of spatial planning issues 19

20 Broadening the scope From: soil contamination issues (chemicals, manure) Towards other threats - compaction, soil sealing, loss of organic matter, salinization, soil subsiding, biodiversity loss And towards opportunities, the contribution of soil to societal issues as: - water management - adaptation and mitigation to climate change - energy supply (heat-cold storage, geothermal energy) - health in urbanized environments - role of soils in a biobased economy - soils as a source for raw materials 20

21 Provisioning services Regulatory services Cultural services Food Timber/fuel/energy Genetic resources Biochemicals /natural medicines Ornamental resources Fresh water After :MEA, 2005 Pollination Seed dispersal Pest regulation Disease regulation Climate regulation Air quality regulation Water regulation Erosion regulation Natural hazard regulation Invasion resistance Water purification /waste treatment Supporting services Primary production Photosynthesis Provision of habitat Soil formation and retention Nutrient cycling Water cycling Spiritual and religious values Education and inspiration Recreation and ecotourism Cultural heritage Aesthetic values Sense of place 21

22 Summarized (1/2): From dangerous and toxic towards rationally coping with risks From protection alone towards sustainable land management From a centrally organized governmental operation towards an area oriented approach From civil engineering solutions towards sustainable use of ecosystem services 22

23 Summarized (2/2): international cooperation Soil quality is about chemical, physical and biological quality From the upper soils towards lower depths as well: heat-cold exchange, geothermal energy, CO2-storage, mining. Integral policy development: connecting soil with water, spatial planning, energy, climate change issues, health 23

24 Film Terra, communication tool, awareness building From soil as a slave towards soil as Mother Earth towards soil as a partner 24

25 Thank you for your attention!