Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
This 2nd edition of this booklet was written for the Ministry
of Infrastructure and the Environment by Frank Lamé and
Linda Maring of Deltares with a contribution of Frank
Swartjes of RIVM.
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The photos
The Netherlands is a typical delta area, with and look at the development of the Netherlands between 12 B.C. and 450
two major rivers, the Rhine and the Meuse, Netherlands as we now know it. The rivers A.D. saw their roads and buildings bring
flowing into the North Sea. were able to move freely over the land, substantial progress to the Netherlands. The
The Netherlands as we know it today depositing clay, sand and gravel during River Rhine formed a natural northern
developed predominantly during the seasonal floods within a wide floodplain. border of the Roman Empire.
Holocene, approximately the last 10,000 Swamps developed in the coastal area and The late Middle Ages (1050 - 1500 A.D.)
years, when the ice sheets of the last ice age the slightly higher-lying eastern part of the specifically saw exploitation of the peat
melted and retreated to the north. As a Netherlands was covered by woods and high swamps and moorlands. Ditches were dug to
consequence, between 10,000 and 5,000 moorlands. drain the swamps and dikes were build along
years ago, the sea level rose by some 35 Early inhabitants were hunter-gatherers, the rivers and the coast. This allowed
metres. For the last 5,000 years the sea level but progressively they settled and became permanent occupation of the western parts
has risen by only a few metres. This rising farmers, clearing the woods for farmland. of the country. Social and organisational
sea level caused the western part of the The western part of the Netherlands structures started to develop, resulting in the
Netherlands to become largely covered by gradually evolved due to deposition of sand world’s very first democratically chosen form
the sea some 5,000 years ago. and clay and the development of peat in the of administration, water authorities. These
coastal area, with the sea becoming a water authorities were responsible
Before focusing on the way the Dutch deal diminishing influence on the coastal area. for the water management of the lower
with their soil, let us first go back in history The presence of the Romans in the regions.
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Some facts and figures
The River Rhine is 1,320 km long. From its source in
the Swiss Alps, it passes through France and Germany
with a catchment area of 185,000 km2 and an average
of 2,200 m3/s of water flows through the Netherlands.
flat, except for some remnant lateral moraine of the Above sea level
Cities
last ice age in the central part, and a hilly area in the Rivers
south east. The highest point in the Netherlands is
323 m, right on the border with Germany and
Belgium. The lowest point is 6.76 m below sea level.
The Netherlands below and above sea level
In all some 40% of the land area lies below sea level.
(Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland)
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Into Dutch Soils | 09
‘The concept of defining soil quality with legislative
reference values was so new, that it was even
implemented in a number of other countries’
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Dutch soil: types and quality
The description of the formation of the western and northern part of the sheet occasionally reached halfway into the
Netherlands during the past 10,000 years in Netherlands. Further inland is the former country.
the previous chapter provides a framework coastal swamp region. Given the significant
for the soil types present. These soil types excavation of peat deposits throughout the Soils in the Netherlands, specifically in the
are strongly related to the altitude of the centuries, the peat is no longer as wide- clay areas, are rich and a great source for
soil throughout its formation. spread as it used to be. What often remains crop production. Indeed, agriculture is an
here at the surface is the marine clay which important activity in the Netherlands.
Starting at the North Sea coast in the west, was originally at the base of the peat.
we first encounter a coastal dune area With the industrial revolution at the end of
whose sands are marine in origin and In the central part of the Netherlands a zone the 19th century, the Netherlands changed
deposited by onshore winds. This is a with river deposits can be found. The main from a predominantly agricultural to an
relatively narrow zone, but of great soil type here is river clay. Away from this industrialised society. As an agricultural
significance for sea defences. The dunes not central area, in the somewhat higher society, the Dutch predominantly lived in
only protect the low country from flooding, regions to the north, east and south, sandy harmony with the soil but industrialisation
but also provide a barrier between the salt soils occur, while in the northern part of the made demands on the soil with which it
water of the North Sea and the fresh country boulder clay is found. These could not cope. The self-sustaining farmer
groundwater inland. deposits were formed during the last few ice of the past became a citizen who no longer
Just east of these dunes is a zone with ages, when the climate in the Netherlands understood the needs and capabilities of
surface marine clays that covers both the was much colder and the large northern ice the soil and former agricultural land
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Soil types in the Netherlands
(Brus et.al. Environmental Pollution 157 (2009), 2043 - 2052)
With the discovery of the first major soil with the objective of allowing every contamination before 2010. However,
polluted sites in the late 1970s, the Dutch kind of reuse after remediation. acknowledging the discovery of more and
government realised that it was due time to more polluted sites, the National Environ
develop a soil contamination policy. In addition, the Soil Protection Act came mental Policy Plan of 1997 amended the
Bearing in mind that at the time only a into effect on 1 January 1987 with the aim of ambitions by stating that all sites with soil
small number of contaminated sites had preventing soil contamination. For pollution should be known before 2005 and
been expected, it was assumed that these situations where new soil contamination that all sites with serious risks shall be
problems could be completely solved. The nevertheless developed, the ‘polluter pays controlled prior to 2030.
initial policy approach, therefore, was that principle’ was introduced. The person or
all contamination should be eliminated. organisation that causes the soil contamin- As for new soil contamination, the principle
Consequently, a remediated site would be fit ation is liable for its remediation (see also of a multifunctional soil remained, as it
for all possible future functions, ranging the chapter ‘Liability: who pays the bill?’). does today. However, for soil that was
from heavy industry to a domestic vegetable Since then this principle has been embraced contaminated prior to 1 January 1987, the
garden. as a funding mechanism for soil reme concept of a multifunctional soil was
Considering the urgency of dealing with diation in a large number of countries. abandoned. In view of experiences over
serious soil pollution, such as directly under previous years, it was evident that the
domestic housing, the first Interim Soil In the National Environmental Policy Plans demands of the multifunctional soil
Remediation Act passed in 1983. It intro- of 1989 and 1993, the aim was still to concept for ‘historical’ soil pollution often
duced the concept of a ‘multifunctional’ remediate all sites with serious soil cannot be met. Additionally, technological
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The second part is the result of the Together with the Soil Quality Decree also
incorporation of the Building Materials the financial means were made available to
Decree which originally became effective on fulfil its policy goals.
1 July 1999. With the establishment of the
Soil Quality Decree, the Building Materials The Soil Quality Regulation, which provides
Decree is no longer a standalone decree. a technical and practical translation of the
Although the Soil Quality Decree brought Soil Quality Decree, contains an entirely
some changes, its contents are comparable new system of regulatory values for soil and
with the former Building Materials Decree. dredged sludge, replacing the set of Target
It aims to regulate the environmentally safe and Intervention values published in 2000.
use and reuse of stony building materials. This set is now defined from the perspective
As such it provides an important field of of soil (re)use. As the Soil Quality Decree
application for secondary building materials does not include legislation with respect to
like slags, that would otherwise have had to groundwater, it does not change the Target
be disposed of in the absence of environ- and Intervention values for groundwater set
mentally safe reuse regulation. in 2000.
The third part deals with soil and dredged Despite the fact that the Soil Quality Decree
sludge. It sets soil quality criteria for does not include Intervention values, these
different soil functions that apply both to still exist. A partly updated set of
the soil in-situ as well as to soil or dredged Intervention values was published in 2013
sludge that will be applied on land. Setting as they continue to be the criterion for the
soil function criteria aims to incorporate remediation of contaminated sites.
the soil quality as a criterion in site
redevelopment and spatial planning. It
provides a sound basis for sustainable land
management.
Number of sites
inated sites were undertaken in the Netherlands, but many 500.000
uncertainties remained. In 1998, the government decided on 425.000
400.000
a new thorough investigation, based on the evaluation of 35.000
300.000 330.000
environmental permits, knowledge of activities that are a
threat to soil quality, and aerial photographs. This resulted in 200.000 255.000
250.000
a number of 615,000 potentially contaminated sites in 2004,
100000
of which a workload of 425,000 potentially seriously con- 4.200
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Environmental Management Act
Air quality Waste Soil Water quality
legislation legislation legislation legislation 2018 Environment and Planning Act
European
Directives
and Regulation Remediation
Compulsory Soil Cases of non-duty Designation Uniform Financial Provisions
Sewage sludge
Investigation at to report Soil Competent Authorities Remediation Soil Remediation
Directive
Industrial Sites Degree Remediation Decree Soil Protection Decree Decree Decree
Construction
products Soil Clean-up Uniform Registration Limitations
Regulation Assessment Remediation (Soil Protection Act)
Regulation 2006 Regulation Regulation
Landfill of
waste Directive Soil Remediation
Circular 2009
Water
Framework
Directive Prevention and sustainable land management
Groundwater Discharge Landfill Infiltration Exemptions Decree
Directive Soil Quality Household Water
(Soil Protection) (Soil Protection) (Soil Protection) for Landfilling outside
Decree Discharge Decree
Industrial Decree Decree Decree Installations
Emissions
Directive Soil Quality
Regulation
Environmental
Liability Soil and
Quality Building
Directive Dredged
Assurance materials
sludge
Overview of current Dutch soil legislation, together with related European Directives
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Into Dutch Soils | 27
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Many parties involved
During the process of identifying and environmental laboratory. The results of the consultant will be contracted again, though
remediating a contaminated site, the lab analyses will go to the consultant who this is rarely the same consultant as involved
number of involved parties easily goes up to will use it to write a report for the person or in the investigation phase. The Remediation
16. This underlines the need of good organisation that contracted the consultant. Plan will be announced in a local news
communication. An example: If there is serious soil contamination due to paper by the competent authority, in order
the extent and concentrations found, a to inform neighbouring residents.
The owner of the (potentially) polluted site Main Investigation will be necessary. At this
is obviously the first party that is involved. It stage at least the competent authority will The competent authority will take a formal
might be that for a specific type of industry be informed. decision with respect to how the site will be
(e.g. drycleaners, fuel-filling stations), an remediated. Then a contractor (or a
umbrella association is delegated to deal While the same consultancy firm may combination of contractors ) will be
with the specific soil problems of the sector. perform the Main investigation, often involved in the actual remediation. The
If so, it will obviously be involved. another consultancy firm is contracted. remediation method applied will determine
if groundwater needs to be treated on site
A consultant will be contracted to perform The competent authority must be informed and if polluted soil will be excavated. If the
an investigation of the site although the about what was found as well, to take a latter, the technical and financial feasibility
actual fieldwork will be delegated to formal decision with respect to the of cleaning that soil will determine whether
sampling specialists. The resulting samples remediation of the site, if necessary. For the the soil is cleaned or taken to a landfill.
will then be transported to a specialised development of a Remediation Plan a Slightly polluted soils might be reused on
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Into Dutch Soils | 31
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Decisions of the
competent authority
The competent authority plays a vital formal provide a draft decision which, for a period can appeal within six weeks. If the appeal is
role in the appraisal and remediation of of six weeks, will be available for comments rejected, a final appeal can still be made to
contaminated sites. The Soil Protection Act by people and/or organisations that have an the State Council.
designated the larger Dutch municipalities interest in the specific site. A formal
and the provinces as competent authority. decision will be taken by the competent The previous procedure takes a considerable
At the various stages of dealing with a authority 15 weeks after receipt of the amount of time. This is acceptable for
contaminated site, a formalised process will notification. Interested parties can still complex situations but for less complex
lead to a formal decision of the competent appeal to the State Council against the situations it could hinder further develop-
authority. formal decision. ments on the site. In fact, the procedure
After the remediation is finished, the com- could take more time than the site
Depending on the complexity of the local petent authority must receive the evaluation investigation and remediation itself. For
situation, two different processes exist. report. For post-remediation care, the same less complex situations, therefore,
applies to the report on the post- a national uniform regulation has been
In a complex situation, both the Main remediation care programme. Based on provided by the national government
Investigation (see the chapter ‘Investigating the report(s), the competent authority will whereby the competent authority needs to
the soil quality’) as well as the development come to a final decision, eight weeks after be notified of the fact that remediation will
of a Remediation Plan starts with a formal an evaluation report and six months for a follow the simplified procedure. A standard
notification to the competent authority. post-remediation care programme. Again, form is available for this notification.
Based on this, the competent authority will parties with an interest in the specific site The competent authority should decide
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Into Dutch Soils | 35
‘Although the polluter
pays principle is still
valid, for practical and
juridical reasons this
principle can’t always
be followed, while
stimulation of the
remediation process
also triggers continued
governmental
funding.’
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Liability: who pays the bill?
As mentioned before, the ‘polluter pays already been aware of the severe danger of The availability of expert information,
principle’ has already been embedded in contaminating substances, and putting however, still does not imply the availability
Dutch soil legislation since 1987 when these substances directly or indirectly into of common knowledge about soil contam-
liability became the key term in recovering the soil could already have been seen as a ination. This changed with the publication
the cost of soil remediation. Despite that, culpable act, the ‘polluter pays principle’ is of the Soil Protection Act in 1987. The
the need persists for soil remediation still valid. presents of legislation implied that, at least
funding from the national government. in legal terms, everybody in the Netherlands
Generally speaking, prior to 1975, an expert should be aware of the need to protect the
According to jurisprudence, it is generally working with chemicals could not have soil against contamination.
assumed that before 1975 people or been aware of the adverse effects these
companies could not have been aware of chemicals could have on the soil quality. During the ‘grey’ area between 1975 and
the fact that activities might contaminate There were just too few scientific publica- 1987, it is accepted that non-experts were
the soil. Consequently, all remediation costs tions about soil contamination. still unaware of existing soil contamination.
for a contamination caused before that date Since 1975, these publications started to For property and premises, for example,
are, in principle, covered by the national emerge more frequently, so an expert achieved between 1975 and 1987 where the
government. This does however not should have taken note and measures to buyer was unaware of (the risk of ) soil
completely exclude contributions from protect the soil. If not, a company employ- contamination, the government may still
companies in respect of contamination ing such experts is regarded as liable for the fund the remediation.
caused prior to 1975. If the polluter had soil pollution it caused.
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Into Dutch Soils | 39
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Soil functions and ambitions
The Soil Quality Decree generically defines competent authority still has to formally cooperation with responsible parties like
what the Dutch want to achieve with respect accept it. another unit within the community’s civil
to their soils as well as provides opportunit- service, or the water authority, for example.
ies for local authorities to deviate from The Soil Ambition is formulated in a local
these general principles. The local authority Soil Management policy document which The current soil quality can be maintained
is encouraged to formulate its own soil concretises the local Soil Ambition. or enhanced. Taking the option of main-
quality aims in a Soil Ambition that may taining the soil quality, local deterioration is
relate to all the soil the competent authority Apart from the ‘chemical’ quality, the soil is allowed, something that might prove
is responsible for, or may be limited to a also defined in terms of its physical property necessary in order to obtain sufficient
local spatial development. The Soil and ecological properties, the geological, flexibility in the local soil management.
Ambition directly relates to the current and/ archaeological and culturally historic value, Otherwise the soil quality could be an
or future function of the soil: the land use. the soil threats (e.g. erosion, depletion, obstacle for further spatial development. In
The competent authority - the municipal- salinisation) and the use of the soil for other fact, when defining the Soil Ambition, the
ity, the province or the water authority - is purposes (e.g. mining, production of competent authorities should consider
responsible for the formal acceptance of drinking water, storage capacity). It is up to future spatial developments. This makes the
the Soil Ambition. However, while a the competent authority to define the terms relationship between the soil function and
property developer may also take the of local relevance, all of which must be the soil quality tangible - it uses the
initiative to define a local Soil Ambition for taken into account when developing a local opportunities the soil presents.
the area he is planning to (re)develop, the Soil Ambition. This should be done in close When a municipality decides to implement
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Into Dutch Soils | 43
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Knowing the soil quality
The whole concept of sustainable land anyone, both the lay and professional public, management aim that is part of the local
management for clean and slightly polluted to focus on a specific site in the Netherlands Soil Ambition (see the chapter ‘Soil
soils is based on an extensive knowledge and obtain its contamination status. One can functions and ambitions’). These Soil
about the soil quality. Dutch soil has already simply find out whether a site is suspected of Quality Maps are based on the available soil
been investigated for three decades, not only soil contamination, is under investigation or data and may pertain to the whole, or part,
at contaminated sites but also at uncontam- has been remediated. The nationwide map of the municipal area. For example,
inated sites. Theoretically, this implies that does not provide actual soil quality data. For agricultural land may be excluded if
there is a huge amount of soil data available. this information, one has to contact the insufficient soil quality data are available.
In practice, however, this is misleading since municipal authorities. Obviously, as this map
older data tend not to be digitally available focuses exclusively on (potentially) contam- The Soil Quality Maps provide generalised
and soil data are considered to be valid for a inated sites, it does not provide soil quality soil quality information for specified zones
period of only five years. Nevertheless, most information on the major part of the within municipal borders. These zones
of the soil data that are valid are indeed Netherlands. tend to be distinguished by the municipal-
digitally available. ity’s development history. Even in the
More detailed information on the soil absence of soil quality data, a distinction
As already mentioned, all potential contam- quality is contained in the Soil Quality Maps in soil quality may be expected between an
inated sites were identified in 2005. This primarily produced and maintained by the area developed between 1900 and 1940 and
resulted in a nationwide map that is publicly municipal authorities. These Soil Quality an area developed, for instance, only in
accessible through internet. It allows Maps are an essential part of the local soil 1990.
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exceeds a Background value, routine testing Contaminated sites that need urgent remediation, 2013
of that substance is necessary. Total number of sites: 1643
Like the close relation between soil and water from the rivers. Surface water is also stances also govern the groundwater and
groundwater in the Netherlands, ground- directly used for crop irrigation and surface water quality. In addition to these
water is an integral part of the Dutch drinking water for cattle, and serves an substances, nutrients are of specific
regulations for soil. important ecological and recreational role. relevance to groundwater and surface water
To some extent the contamination of quality.
The chemical equilibrium between soil and groundwater and surface water poses a
water implies that the quality of the soil bigger threat to human health than soil For example in the southern part of the
determines the quality of the groundwater contamination. The risk of direct contact Netherlands, intensive cattle breeding on
and, when present, the surface water. with contaminants, either through skin sandy soils has resulted in extensive
Specifically for the western part of the contact or ingestion, is much greater for nitrification of the groundwater. An
Netherlands, there is a close relationship water than for soil. Although the concentra- overload of nutrients in the surface water
between the groundwater and soil. Often tions in water are far less than in soil, this causes eutrophication. Algae can make the
the saturated zone is (far) less than a metre highlights the importance of protecting the surface water less attractive for recreational
away from the soil surface, implying that groundwater and surface water quality. purposes, and some algae even pose a direct
where the soil is contaminated, the risk to human health. Consequently,
groundwater will also be contaminated. Soil quality is often defined in terms of the measures have been taken to diminish the
concentrations of chemical substances like release of nutrients into groundwater and
Groundwater in the Netherlands is the main heavy metals, mineral oil and PAHs. And surface water.
supply of drinking water, together with depending on the solubility, these sub-
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Into Dutch Soils | 51
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Technical guidelines
In the past, prior to the Soil Quality Decree, Consultants help the communities to the legislator, the regulator, provinces,
the aims for the soil were pretty much develop their Soil Ambition (see the chapter water authorities, municipalities, industry,
defined by the national government. Since ‘Soil functions and ambitions’) and take consultancy firms, environmental laborat-
the early 1980s, the predominantly care of the development and maintenance ories and others.
pioneering nature of soil remediation of the standards and protocols necessary to
business has changed into a professional perform the work. In developing these A large set of standards, protocols and
sector. With the development of the Soil documents, the consultants generically guidelines is available for defining the
Quality Decree this professionalism has define the quality that should be realised. At technical quality of the work. Almost all the
been acknowledged. The main responsibil- the same time, their day-to-day perform- steps of the process are formalised by these
ity for maintaining soil quality shifted from ance has to comply with the quality documents, for which there are three main
national government to the municipal demands of these documents. categories:
authorities. At the same time, the develop- 1. guidelines published by or on behalf of
ment and maintenance of technical Obviously, the technical definition of the the national government;
guidelines are now primarily a responsibil- aspired quality is not the task of a single 2. standards published by the Netherlands
ity of the organisations that actually use consultant. Here the modus operandi of the Standardisation Institute (NEN);
these technical guidelines. As such, the role Netherlands Standardisation Institute (NEN) 3. certification and accreditation schemes
of the consultants who operate in this field steps in. This implies that the development published by the Foundation
has become more dominant. of standards, protocols and guidelines is a Infrastructure for Quality Assurance of
process that involves ‘all parties concerned’: Soil Management (SIKB).
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Into Dutch Soils | 55
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Risk assessment
Human exposure modelling is the basis of appraisal of the contaminated site. It is • exposure through inhalation of indoor
human health risk assessment in many important to define the timeframe for which air (mainly relevant for volatile
countries. Two human exposure models the risk assessment is applicable, since contaminants).
have been developed in the Netherlands. factors that influence human health risks will Additionally, exposure through the
The CSOIL model determines exposure to change over time. Moreover, calculated inhalation of soil particles, dermal uptake
contaminated terrestrial soils, while the exposure and critical exposure (toxicological via soil material, groundwater consumption
SEDISOIL model determines exposure to reference value) should be consistent with and inhalation of air during showering may
contaminated sediments. These models regard to the duration and toxicologically in specific situations contribute to the
recognise three elements: relevant exposure period in the lifetime of exposure of particular contaminants.
• contaminant distribution over the soil or the exposed population. Equations for all
sediment phases; relevant exposure pathways have been Exposure through soil ingestion is
• contaminant transfer from (the different included in the CSOIL exposure model. The calculated according to soil ingestion intake
phases of ) the soil and sediment into main exposure pathways are: rates for children and adults. For site-
so-called contact media; • exposure through soil ingestion after specific applications, the actual bioavailab-
• direct and indirect exposure to humans. hand - mouth contact (mainly relevant for ility in the human body is determined in the
immobile contaminants); Netherlands using the in-vitro IVD model or
A human exposure calculation combined • exposure through crop consumption the Unified Barge Model. Plant-soil
with toxicological reference values results in (mainly relevant for mobile concentration relationships are used for
the risk characterisation, that is, the risk contaminants); assessing exposure through crop consump-
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Contaminated sites that need Distribution over soil fractions
Urgent remediation, 2013 representative
SOIL CONTENT
Total number of sites: 1643
8% 9%
2% SOIL AIR PORE WATER
8% concentration concentration
2
1% Transfer processes
transport to transport to uptake by /
SURFACE SOIL GROUNDWATER deposition on
VEGETATION
risk
toxicity ecology
The TRIAD approach for scientifically based and efficient site-specific ecological risk assessment
Reference has been made earlier in this be of relevance with respect to the occur- It meant that the urgency of remediation
booklet to the fact that Dutch soil quality rence of soil contamination and, to some has to be determined. In practice, remedi-
standards have been developed over the extent, this mirrors the contaminated sites ation takes place for urgent cases of soil
years in a number of stages (see the chapter encountered at that time in the remediation, in particular cases that are
‘Developing a soil policy’). Netherlands. The A values related to the urgent on the basis of human health risks.
The first set of soil quality standards for soil background concentration, while the C Other sites with serious soil contamination
and groundwater, published in 1983 as part values were primarily derived based on generally can be remediated at a convenient
of the Interim Soil Remediation Act, were ‘expert judgment’. moment in time, for example, when
the A, B and C values for soil and ground- building activities or other soil-related
water. Concentrations below the A value In 1994, these three values were replaced by activities take place at the site.
implied that there was no soil contamina- a set of two values, the Target value and A major difference was the scientific basis of
tion. Exceeding the C value (‘serious soil Intervention value for soil and groundwa- the Target and Intervention values; they
contamination’) implied that remediation ter. The Target value had a similar function were derived applying risk assessment. The
was necessary. The B value was the trigger as the A value. The role of the Intervention Target values are based on ecological risks
for a Main Investigation: it suggested that if value was comparable to the C value: and background concentrations and the
concentrations above the B value were exceeding means a ‘serious soil contamina- Intervention values are based on human
found, serious soil contamination might be tion’, for which remediation is necessary. health and ecological risks. Although there
present. The A, B and C values were defined However, exceeding the Intervention value was no longer a formal intermediate (B)
for a list of substances that were thought to does not imply an immediate remediation. value, in practice such an intermediate value
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ue
e
alu
val
nv
nd
tio
ce
rou
ry
en
n
ust
de
ckg
erv
si
I nd
Ba
I nt
Re
Sustainable land management Site remediation
Contaminant concentration
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Into Dutch Soils | 65
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Investigating the soil quality
Prior to investigating the soil quality of a Knowing why the site requires investigation Based on the obtained information a
site, it is important to identify the motive already provides important clues to the kind ‘conceptual model’ of the sites contamina-
for the investigation. Different motives are of soil investigation that is necessary. tion situation is defined. For this a limited
possible and might trigger an investigation. number of basic assumptions with respect
Obvious motives for an investigation are Soil investigation always starts with a to the potential contamination is used. If
present or past activities on the site that Preliminary Investigation. It consists of a contamination is expected, the spatial
have a strong likelihood of causing soil desk study and a site inspection. The distribution over the site is either homo-
contamination. (Re)development for purpose of the Preliminary Investigation is geneous or heterogeneous.
residential purposes also triggers an to establish whether the site might be If a homogeneous distribution is expected,
investigation in the Netherlands to prevent contaminated on the basis of historical the suspected depth will be identified. For
building on a seriously contaminated site. information: past and present activities on simple situations, the contamination level
Yet another reason could be a property the site as well as the site’s geological and will be more or less stable over the
transaction between two (private) parties, hydrological situation. Obviously, if the site contaminated surface. However, even
whereby the potential new owner wants to has a long history, it might prove very hard significant variation in contamination levels
exclude the risk of acquiring a contaminated or even impossible to obtain all the relevant can occur. The homogeneous character in
site. A logical decision since Dutch law information, a fact that should be taken such a situation is the expected constant
prescribes that the new owner will be liable into consideration when defining the level of variability. For example, at sites
for the remediation costs in the event of investigation strategy. where the soil plain has been elevated in the
contamination. past using old harbour sludge, the concen-
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ination, the associated risks and its Preliminary Investigation
yes no
potential future remediation. contamination
suspected?
report
Flowchart of the different soil investigation phases (ISO 10381-5)
Nowadays a wide variety of remediation layer, for example, in combination with a new The remediation itself might also have
methods is available and applied. The top layer of clean soil to allow future use of direct adverse effects on the environment. If
common characteristic of these methods is the site. In general terms: sustainable land heavy machinery is needed to excavate a
that they aim to limit human and ecosystem management is also considered as a remedi- contaminated site, there comes a point
exposure risks as well as prohibit (further) ation method as it provides a solution to an when one might consider whether it is still
migration of the contaminants. This implies existing soil contamination. worthwhile removing the contaminants
that the local situation, the future use of the Remedial method selection should be done from the soil. Perhaps the environmental
site and the contamination itself, together after the Main Investigation is finished and a impact is less when (part of ) the soil
will determine what kind of remediation is Remediation Plan is developed. As already contamination remains. So, when deciding
possible. mentioned, it might be that additional site on the remediation method, the environ-
information has to be gathered in order to mental impact also has to be considered.
Remediation is a broadly defined term in the determine the most appropriate remediation Obviously, the decision to leave part of the
Netherlands. It does not imply per se the method. contamination behind must be based on
removal of the contamination. An accepted the risks associated with that residual
remediation method, for example, is the Apart from the technical definition of pollution.
geohydrological isolation of the source of the potential remediation methods, the costs are
contamination. Another example of obviously also an important factor of the Removing the contamination from soil or
remediation where the contamination is not remediation phase but also, depending of the groundwater implies that targets have to be
removed is to isolate the contaminated soil method chosen, of the post-remediation care. set. When the contamination is excavated,
72 | Rijkswaterstaat
Into Dutch Soils | 73
74 | Rijkswaterstaat
Index
76 | Rijkswaterstaat
Nutrients49 Reference value 12, 57 Slightly polluted soils 29, 38, 45
Regulator53 Sludge 17, 21, 67
O Regulatory value 17, 21 Soil ambition 41, 42, 45, 46
Organic matter 47, 63, 64 Remediation 15, 16, 22, 25, 37, 71 Soil contamination 15, 19, 37
Organic substances 62 Remediation costs 37, 67 Soil function 17, 41, 42
Owner 29, 67, 72 Remediation Plan 29, 33, 71 Soil investigation 67, 69
Remediation method 29, 68, 71 Soil legislation 12, 23, 37
P Residents29 Soil lot 46
PAH 47, 49, 62, 63 Reuse 15, 17, 38, 42, 46 Soil management 22, 25 , 41, 42
Pathway62 Rhine 05, 07 Soil policy 15, 16, 21, 25, 61
PCB 47, 63 Risk 16, 57, 58, 59 Soil pollution 15, 16, 34, 37
Peat 05, 06, 11, 64 Risk assessment 57, 58, 59 Soil Protection Act 15, 16, 23, 33, 34, 37
Permit 21, 34 Risk Toolbox 58 Soil quality 41, 45, 61
Physical property 41 River 05, 06, 08, 11 Soil Quality Decree 16, 21, 22, 30, 41
Polder 06, 50 River clay 11 Soil Quality Map 38, 45, 46
Polluted site 15, 16, 29, 46 Soil Quality Regulation 16, 17, 21, 22, 23
Polluter pays principle 15, 37 S Soil Quality Standards 61, 62
Post-remediation care 30, 33, 71, 72 Salinisation41 Soil remediation 15, 37, 38
Post-remediation care programme 33 Sand 05, 11, 49, 64 Soil transport 46
Preliminary investigation 67, 68, 69 Sanscrit58 Soil type 11
Property transaction 67 Saturated zone 49 Spatial development 08, 25, 41
Protocol 22, 53, 58, 62, 69 Sea level 05, 06, 07 Spatial distribution 67, 68
Province 21, 33, 41, 42 Sediment 42, 49, 50, 57, 58 Spatial planning 17, 22, 26
SEDISOIL 57, 58 Spillage68
Q Serious risk 15, 38 Standard 22, 46, 47, 53, 54
Quality assurance 16, 22, 23, 30, 53 Serious soil pollution 15, 16, 69 Standard soil 63
Simplified procedure 33, 34 Standardisation 22, 53
R Site 15, 29, 30, 67, 68 STRONG26
Redevelopment 08, 17, 38 Skin contact 49 Substance 46, 47, 49, 50, 62, 63
T
Target value 61, 62
Technical guideline 53
Top soil 46, 62, 64
U
Uncontaminated site 45
Unpolluted soils 16
Urbanised 08, 12
Urgent16
V
VOLASOIL58
Volume criterion 62
W
Waste 06, 21, 23
Water authority 41, 42
Water Framework Directive 23
Windmill06
Z
Zinc 47, 63
Zone 45, 46
78 | Rijkswaterstaat
Dutch soil on the internet
Government
www.government.nl/ministries/ienm
rwsenvironment.eu/subjects/soil/
Knowledge institutes
www.deltares.nl/en
www.rivm.nl/en/
www.alterra.wur.nl/uk
Colophon
Photography
Yvonne Brandwijk
Plaatwerk Fotografen
RIVM
Rijkswaterstaat