Guidelines on sustainable risk management of contaminated soils
Published on 26 April 2019
Finland
Etelä-Suomi
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About this good practice
There are different ways to advance the use of nano technologies and other novel technologies in the clean-up of contaminated soils. In Finland, the National Ministry of Environment has made a guidelines document on the risk assessment of contaminated soils and sustainable risk management. The guidance is targeted at various actors working in remediation sector.
The guidelines describe step by step how remediation processes can be planned and carried out following sustainability principles. It emphasises that, when pursuing for environmentally sustainable clean-up process, it is important to use in situ techniques more extensively and minimize the need to excavate soil.
It has to be noted, that the guidelines underlines the need to consider all sustainability pillars (social, economic and environmental). In addition, the importance of case-by-case optimising the benefits and disadvantages of alternative remediation methods is highlighted. Consequently, the guidance doesn’t recommend the use of in situ techniques in all situations.
The guidelines is meant for authorities, who supervise, guide and grant permits for remediation projects, as well as consultants, engineers and contractors planning and carrying out projects. The document is not binding but rather a tool for actors.
The main stakeholders are the Finnish Ministry of Environment, supervising the guidelines making, and the Finnish Environment Institute, which was in charge of composing the guidelines.
The guidelines describe step by step how remediation processes can be planned and carried out following sustainability principles. It emphasises that, when pursuing for environmentally sustainable clean-up process, it is important to use in situ techniques more extensively and minimize the need to excavate soil.
It has to be noted, that the guidelines underlines the need to consider all sustainability pillars (social, economic and environmental). In addition, the importance of case-by-case optimising the benefits and disadvantages of alternative remediation methods is highlighted. Consequently, the guidance doesn’t recommend the use of in situ techniques in all situations.
The guidelines is meant for authorities, who supervise, guide and grant permits for remediation projects, as well as consultants, engineers and contractors planning and carrying out projects. The document is not binding but rather a tool for actors.
The main stakeholders are the Finnish Ministry of Environment, supervising the guidelines making, and the Finnish Environment Institute, which was in charge of composing the guidelines.
Resources needed
No information of total funding needed is available. An approximate estimation can be made, known that a specialist of the Finnish Environment Institute needed 1,5 years for preparing the document. After the launch of the guidelines no budget has been allocated for its implementation.
Evidence of success
It is difficult to accurately assess the success of guidelines, because there is no data of actors using and applying the guidelines. Based on the feedback received from stakeholders during 2016, the guidelines is known and put into practice to some extent. Nationally its effect on the application of sustainable clean-up procedures is minor, judging by the data that is available of real remediation cases and the methods used in them.
Potential for learning or transfer
The presented practice is an example of national guidance striving to increase the use of sustainable remediation procedures. This kind of guidance is an important step on the way to a broader use of novel, effective remediation technologies.
In order to apply a similar guidance, a sufficient legal framework has to exist. Finland has a functioning and flexible legislation on contaminated soils and water, allowing case-by-case assessment and choices between different alternatives when carrying out soil clean-up. For an effective take-up of this practice, environmental governance on different levels should be aware of sustainable risk management practices and allow their use.
For implementing this kind of guidance, a certain level of knowledge is expected from actors working in the remediation sector. Furthermore, different actors should be able to cooperate effectively to ensure the application of sustainable procedures in practice in all steps of remediation process.
In order to apply a similar guidance, a sufficient legal framework has to exist. Finland has a functioning and flexible legislation on contaminated soils and water, allowing case-by-case assessment and choices between different alternatives when carrying out soil clean-up. For an effective take-up of this practice, environmental governance on different levels should be aware of sustainable risk management practices and allow their use.
For implementing this kind of guidance, a certain level of knowledge is expected from actors working in the remediation sector. Furthermore, different actors should be able to cooperate effectively to ensure the application of sustainable procedures in practice in all steps of remediation process.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Ministry of the Environment
Finland
Etelä-Suomi
Contact
Interreg project coordinator