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Committees for the monitoring of the lindane waste management
Published on 24 March 2020
Spain
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
A factory was producing lindane in Aragon from 1975 to 1989. An estimate of more than 150,000 tons of solid waste with high content of HCH and other organochlorine compounds was produced, and dumped, together with liquid wastes in two landfills. This caused the most severe contamination problem in Aragon. Since 1994, the Government of Aragon implements measures for the control and containment of the contamination.
This has been a matter of concern for Aragon region and the municipalities of the Gallego river basin for years, being not only a technical an economic challenge, but also a social challenge.
As a consequence, from November 2015 to April 2016, the Government of Aragon created three committees were all the involved stakeholders were represented. These Committees are:
- Scientific Committee: its main purpose is to advise the Government of Aragon from a scientific point of view about the decisions to be taken regarding the lindane production waste. They meet whenever is necessary
- Institutional Monitoring Committee: its main purpose is to facilitate the coordination among the different jurisdictional scopes regarding the lindane-related waste management and its consequences. Meetings are held once a year
- Social Committee for the support of the HCH waste management: its main purpose is to create a communication flow and the transparency exercise, in an organized way, regarding the lindane production waste. Meetings are held once a year
This has been a matter of concern for Aragon region and the municipalities of the Gallego river basin for years, being not only a technical an economic challenge, but also a social challenge.
As a consequence, from November 2015 to April 2016, the Government of Aragon created three committees were all the involved stakeholders were represented. These Committees are:
- Scientific Committee: its main purpose is to advise the Government of Aragon from a scientific point of view about the decisions to be taken regarding the lindane production waste. They meet whenever is necessary
- Institutional Monitoring Committee: its main purpose is to facilitate the coordination among the different jurisdictional scopes regarding the lindane-related waste management and its consequences. Meetings are held once a year
- Social Committee for the support of the HCH waste management: its main purpose is to create a communication flow and the transparency exercise, in an organized way, regarding the lindane production waste. Meetings are held once a year
Resources needed
Resources needed are the following:
- Human resources for the organisation of the Committees.
- Rental of a meeting hall and audio-visual equipment
- Human resources for the organisation of the Committees.
- Rental of a meeting hall and audio-visual equipment
Evidence of success
In Europe:
-The Committees were selected as "Best Practice" in the Study for the PETI Committee " Lindane in EU"
-They have been taken as an example and implemented in other regions
In Aragon:
-The Scientific Com. participated in the elaboration of the Aragon's "Lindane Strategic Action Plan"
-The "Protocol for the water quality monitoring of river Gallego" is an output linked to the Institutional Com.
-The transparency labour was explicitly recognised in written by the Social Com.
-The Committees were selected as "Best Practice" in the Study for the PETI Committee " Lindane in EU"
-They have been taken as an example and implemented in other regions
In Aragon:
-The Scientific Com. participated in the elaboration of the Aragon's "Lindane Strategic Action Plan"
-The "Protocol for the water quality monitoring of river Gallego" is an output linked to the Institutional Com.
-The transparency labour was explicitly recognised in written by the Social Com.
Potential for learning or transfer
There are numerous sites throughout the world, and Europe in particular, where this type of contaminants accumulates, and there are no technically-viable and economically-acceptable solutions in a short term view.
Municipalities, as well as regional and national bodies related to environment manage different aspects of the soil and water contamination.
Additionally, the lindane and HCH contamination it is a matter of social significance and that raises high interest in actors such as social, politics, business and public bodies.
The creation of the Scientific, Institutional and Social Committees allows all the involved parties to participate in the knowledge and management of the lindane waste contamination.
All these aspects are common to all Member States. It is therefore considered a transferable practice, as well as practice of interest for all them.
Municipalities, as well as regional and national bodies related to environment manage different aspects of the soil and water contamination.
Additionally, the lindane and HCH contamination it is a matter of social significance and that raises high interest in actors such as social, politics, business and public bodies.
The creation of the Scientific, Institutional and Social Committees allows all the involved parties to participate in the knowledge and management of the lindane waste contamination.
All these aspects are common to all Member States. It is therefore considered a transferable practice, as well as practice of interest for all them.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Government of Aragón
Spain
Aragón
Contact
Head of Service of Contaminated Soils