How France deals with environmental impacts of former mining sites

Transcription

1 How France deals with environmental impacts of former mining sites International Committee on Contaminated Land Session A: Contaminated Site Remediation / Legal, Technical, Finance and social issues Melbourne 2015 Emilie FAVRIE French Ministry of ecology, sustainable development and energy Ministère de l'écologie, du Développement durable et de l Énergie

2 European legal framework Article 20 - Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from extractive industries and amending Directive 2004/35/EC Member States shall ensure that an inventory of closed waste facilities [from extractive industries], including abandoned waste facilities, located on their territory which cause serious negative environmental impacts or have the potential of becoming in the medium or short term a serious threat to human health or the environment is drawn up and periodically updated The public agency GEODERIS is in charge of : the inventory of polymetallic and coal mines environmental assessments of potentially hazardous former mining sites Geoderis is a public benefit corporation that aims at assessing former mining sites in terms of geotechnical, health and environmental hazards. 2

3 Mission of GEODERIS Article 20 - Directive 2006/21/EC Inventory of closed waste facilities Polymetallic mines GEODERIS Coal mines Other agency Uranium mines Health and environmental criteria Geotechnical criteria Inventory Classification 3

4 Methodology Polymetallic mines health and environmental criteria Phase 1 Pre-selection Phase 2 Data collection Sites visits and/or Documentation-archives and Mapping Phase 3 Classification Non selected mining sites: Research mining sites, uranium exploitations, exploitations with low production, coal exploitations, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon exploitations Data collection sheets and maps positioning waste piles 1. Integration of data (Géodéris and environmental data) 2. Scoring 3. Classification Water and soil contamination in Carnoulès, (Pb, Zn) 4

5 Phases 1 and 2: Selection of sites and information gathering Phase 1: Sites selection based on the National database according to criteria (extracted substances, volumes, ore treatment units etc.) Phase 2: Information gathering historical and documentary study on site visits 5

6 Phase 3 : Classification The methodology of identification is based on the following parameters: Potential of transfer Potential of exposure Source Pathways Receptor For each parameter a ranking (1, 3, 5, 8 or being the highest score) is made in order to classify the sites. Hazard Score = Toxicity potential (Transfert potential Exposition potential) Receptor : a combination of parameters In the end, all selected sites have been ranked in order to classify their potential dangerousness. This classification now leads the priority of health, environmental and geotechnical assessments that are conducted. 6

7 Phase 3 : Classification Toxicity potential of the source Source characterisation depends on : the volume of the deposit the nature of the deposit (granulometry, slope, cover etc.) 2 toxicity potentials are evaluated for : populations ecosystems «Nature du of résidu the» deposit Volume of the «deposit Volume» du dépôt

8 Phase 3 : Classification Transfert potential and exposition potential Pathway : Transfert potential + Exposition potential Transfert potential Transfert from the source to the pathway Exposition potential Transfert from the pathway to the receptor 4 transfert pathways: Soils Surface waters Groundwater Air 6 exposition pathways Soils Surface waters Groundwater Fauna/Flora Pasture Cultures, gardens and orchards Example of a transfert potential in soils Accessibilité Accessibility of the au site Taux Vegetation de végétalisation of the deposit

9 Phase 3 : Classification Receptors 4 receptors: Population Surface waters Groundwater Fauna/flora Example of evaluation of a score for the population Receptor: population Description Grade Target at more than 1km from the deposit 1 Target between 300m and 1km from the deposit 3 Target between 100m and 300m from the deposit 5 Target between 50m and 100m from the deposit or /and Leisure activity on the deposit 8 Target at less than 50m from the deposit 10 9

10 Number of sectors Results of the inventory 2109 polymetallic mine deposits identified, mainly in the South of France 1727 coal deposits identified 233 sectors identified and classified according to the potential risks they represent for human health and the environment Class A : no risks identified no specific action Class E : sector including at least 1 waste facility with a potentially high risk for human health AND the environment Health and environment risk assessment or remediation ensuring safety % 29% 13% 9% 7% 5% A B C- C+ D E Class 10

11 How to deal with the most contaminated sites? 3 kind of studies will be conducted for sites with a high potential of risks for human health and the environment : 12 detailed environmental and health studies (based on interpretation of state of the environment) (classes E and D) 18 "Orientation" studies (studies where available information is insufficient to assess the risks) (Classes C- and C+) lead to a re-classification: B or A if the risks are not significant D or E if the risks are significant and a detailed study is needed 10 "Houses on deposit" studies (environmental studies that consider houses located on deposit) 11

12 "House on deposit" studies 1. Communication 2. Historical and documentary study 3. On site investigation : Population interview on their habits (use of a well, vegetable garden, use of surface water etc.) Assess the deposit s impact (groundwater and surface water monitoring, soil and vegetable analysis ) Comparison to background values 4. Assessment of the compatibility between the habits and the impacts of the deposit 5. Recommendations 12

13 Example of a "House on deposit" studie Holiday centre on Pierrefitte former mining site Pollutant concentration in soil in lead : mg/kg in zinc : mg/kg in arsenic : 780 mg/kg in antimony : 250 mg/kg Pollutant concentration in surface water lead (upstream : <5 µg/l ; downstream : 40 µg/l) cadmium (upstream : 0.28 µg/l ; downstream : 6.7 µg/l) copper (upstream : <2 µg/l ; downstream : 16 µg/l) nickel (upstream : 15 µg/l ; downstream : 130 µg/l) zinc (upstream : 16 µg/l ; downstream : 1200 µg/l) Groundwater pump for drinking water Acid water (ph : 3.68) Nickel 760 µg/l Cadmium 25 µg/l Garage Housing F G D I H C B A Water unsuitable for human consumption Holiday housing Water drilling from groundwater River flow E Playground Holiday centre 13

14 Analyses of the uses and recommendations Source Pathway Potential of exposure Soil Direct contact Soil ingestion Targets Adults (owners) : maintenance of green spaces in the holiday centre Children (users) : playing in the holiday centre Children (users) : green corridor Groundwater Direct contact Water ingestion Adults and children Short term recommendations : Information of the owner about the measures to avoid contamination and the interdiction to have a vegetable garden Information of the users of the holiday centre about those measures Consumption of the groundwater is banned Long term recommendations: Closing of the holiday centre or covering all the site with topsoil Provision of topsoil around the house Continuation of studies for the green corridor to improve the knowledge about the use 14

15 Thank you for your attention! For further information : emilie.favrie@developpement-durable.gouv.fr alexandre.chevallier@developpement-durable.gouv.fr julie.albrecht@geoderis.fr 15