This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Mejoras en el proceso de gestión de los suelos contaminados

The key is to reduce economic uncertainties and facilitate administrative formalities

Improvements in the process of management of contaminated soils

Bruno Coquelet Ortiz, mining engineer of Inerco, S.A.16/12/2008

December 16, 2008

During this last decade, in Spain, have carried out investigations and recoveries of many contaminated sites, mainly motivated by land use changes or changes in ownership. They have been applying and adapting tools developed in the more developed countries. Autonomous regions such as the Basque country and Madrid have already developed their own rules defining generic levels of reference for inorganic compounds, and their guidelines for research and risk analysis.

The rest of the autonomous communities are also working intensively in the same direction. Efforts in the area of policy development are currently focusing on the management of the unsaturated zone pollution. Royal Decree RD 9/2005, which establishes the relationship of potentially polluting activities of soil, the criteria and standards for the Declaration of contaminated soils, has would take important steps in the management of contaminated soils establishing instruments such as the generic levels of reference for organic compounds, the analysis of risks and administrative procedures as the Declaration of polluted soil. With the entry into force of this new regulation, have been systematized the administrative consultations in this area and increased the administrative procedures for the Declaration of contaminated soils.

The recovery phase

The costs and the most important economic uncertainties for the management of contaminated soils correspond to the recovery phase. They vary between hundreds of thousands and millions of euros for some sites. Sources of uncertainty are mainly associated with the quality of the research of soil and groundwater, which in turn has an impact on the hypothesis of the risk assessment. They can be levels of intervention or very conservative quality objectives for the remaining soil. As a result, are often also lead to difficulties in administrative treatment and the actions of final certification.

Soil recovery techniques are often accompanied by performances of recovery of groundwater which is the main receiver and route of transfer of pollution

Treatment in situ techniques which are more economic, have the advantage of being able to act under buildings but have the disadvantage of requiring terms of execution of one to two years, and be associated with significant uncertainties as to performance.

The techniques 'on site' tend to have higher costs, be associated with less important terms of execution of the order of three months to one year, and require a comprehensive area of work.

The technical 'Off Site' of excavation and referral to treatment, such as the landfill Centre, has the advantage of being fast, safe run in the final result, but is associated with high recovery costs.

All of these techniques of recovery of soils tend to be almost always accompanied by performances of recovery of groundwater which is the main receiver and route of transfer of pollution.

The processing of projects

Because the majority of the autonomous regions have not published their guides or technical instructions of work, it is very common that projects face technical and administrative difficulties. In this transitional phase, the role of the engineering firms specializing in the management of the soil is therefore carrying out rigorous studies, provide solutions and a comprehensive technical and economic vision ultimately propose realistic, economically viable solutions and avoid complex administrative procedures which can be harmful to the parties involved. This requires knowledge and experience in research of soil, hydrogeological studies, and above all in urban management, retrieval techniques and in execution of works.

The first requirement of RD 9/2005 was the processing by the holders of potentially polluting activities of a preliminary report of situation (IPS). Since the beginning of 2007, the autonomous regions have received nearly 80,000 IPS. There are probably around 100,000 sites affected by Royal Decree RD 9/2005.

Contaminated soils are some of the most important future environmental challenges

Once reviewed these IPS, the Administration may request to the owner of the activity more detailed follow-up reports and studies of risks, to assess the degree of soil contamination and if require recovery actions. It is very likely that these additional studies begin to apply from this year 2009 starting with sites that present risks of contamination that are considered most important.

Contaminated soils are some of the most important future environmental challenges. We stand at the beginning of a process that will require several decades as it is observed in other European countries.

In the case of suspicions about a possible contamination of the subsoil, it is always advisable to carry out investigations of soil and groundwater to the object, in case of confirming the existence of a pollution, planning actions, costs and investmentsultimately to prepare for future administrative requirements.

In the period 2007-2008, Inerco, has been involved in the treatment of more than 80,000 tons of contaminated land in Spain, being one of the main players in the market. To carry out these projects, Inerco has proposed acceptable technical solutions for the different parties involved, promoters and administrations involved, supported by a team of technicians in research of soil, work managers, specialists in urban planning, environmental work and inspectors supervisors for the certification of the actions carried out.

Based on our experience, suspicion about a possible contamination of soil or groundwater, it is always advisable to carry out initial research (exploratory), internal, applying criteria and procedures for quality, in order to power to anticipate and planwith sufficient time, viable solutions and defining possible strategies for action. This provides greater control over costs and investments and a reduction of uncertainties.