Redegørelse fra Miljøstyrelsen, 1/2006 – Redegørelse om jordforurening 2005

Redegørelse om jordforurening 2005

Summary and conclusions

This investigation is the annual report from the Contaminated Sites Council to the Minister for the Environment, presenting efforts and activities in the field of soil contamination.

On 31 December 2005, a total of almost 24,000 sites had been listed/registered by the regional authorities. 10,991 sites were listed at knowledge level 2 (established soil contamination, referred to as V2 in the following). 11,852 were listed at knowledge level 1 (knowledge of activities that may have caused soil contamination, referred to as V1 in the following).

In 2005 the number of sites listed at V2 increased by 1,674 and the number of V1 sites increased by 2,816. A total of 674 sites were removed from the register in 2005.

A range of different sources has contributed to contamination of the sites. Petrol and service stations and other activities involving oil/petrol, together with dry-cleaning establishments, make up the largest groups of causes for listing at V2 in 2005.

Listing is still based primarily on point sources. Areas contaminated by diffuse sources are listed almost exclusively at V2, most often in connection with investigation of a point source. In 2005, 128 sites were listed because they were contaminated by diffuse sources. Investigations indicate that many old urban areas have been contaminated by diffuse sources.

The regional councils have given highest priority to listing, supplementary investigations and clean-up/remediation measures in the special target areas designated under the Contaminated Soil Act, i.e. areas with special drinking water interests, abstraction areas for public water supply plants, and areas with housing, children's institutions (e.g. daycare facilities) or public playgrounds. This means that the intentions of the legislation are being complied with.

About half of the sites listed at V2 are covered by the target areas under the Contaminated Soil Act. The distribution between listing of areas with housing etc. on the one hand, and areas listed because of the risk of contamination of drinking water interests on the other, is almost equal. 36% of the areas listed in 2005 were used for housing, children's institutions or public playgrounds, while 23% were located in areas with special drinking water interests, and 27% were located in areas with drinking water interests.

In 2005, 41 remediation projects financed by the counties were carried out. This means that the total number of remediations financed by regional authorities and local authorities is slightly below the level of previous years. There has not been any significant difference in the number of measures financed by the counties with regard to remediation in housing areas and children's institutions etc. compared to remediation for protecting groundwater.

Overall, in 2005 the counties have afforded special priority to investigations. However, resources were also increased in 2005 for projecting and remedial measures in 2005, though far below the amount of DKK 30 mill.that was committed in the counties’ budgets for 2005. Further, less resources were spent on investigations in 2005 compared to 2004. On the basis of county budgets for 2006, the Contaminated Sites Council expects that activity related to projecting and remedial measures will increase, because an additional amount of DKK 51 mill. has been reserved, compared to 2005. Activities relating to registration are expected to fall slightly, while investigations are expected to fall further (approx. DKK16 mill.). Operation and monitoring are expected to stay on the same level as in the years before.

In 2005 an amount of DKK 38 mill. was committed under the Land Depreciation Programme. Interest in the Programme was still strong in 2005, however it continues to be smaller compared to the years before. As at 31 December 2005, 504 applications for remediation projects were pending, corresponding to an amount of DKK 514 mill. By comparison, on 31 December 2004, 500 applications were pending, corresponding to an amount of DKK 464 mill.

The Contaminated Sites Council finds that the Land Depreciation Programme is not meeting its objectives. Interest in the Programme has been far larger than the amounts available under the Programme. In the longer term, the funding for the Programme should be extended, or the Programme should be revised fundamentally.

Because of the large number of applications pending, a loan guarantee scheme was established for a trial period in 2004. The Council recommends that this scheme be continued, because it finds that it is a good opportunity for house owners to accelerate action to clean up soil on their property. It is estimated that the scheme is used by house owners who are faced with an acute need to clean up their property. However, the scheme should be made more attractive so that more house owners want to use it.

The local authorities have tasks relating to notification of soil transport and supervision of the duty to take action. In addition to this, the tasks relating to improvement notices, consultancy services and assistance in registration work carried out by the counties have increased.

The total amount of soil that was cleaned and stored in connection with remediation at registered properties or for the purpose of avoiding registration is estimated to be approx. 671,000 tonnes. Because of the great uncertainty associated with determining the amount, type, and final deposit location of soil, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency carried out a project under the Technology Programme for Soil and Groundwater Contamination, in order to clarify these parameters. The project was completed in the beginning of 2004 (Environment Project 886).

In 2005 the local authorities continued their theme reports on causes for closure of water abstraction wells. Of the 78 wells closed in 2005, pesticides accounted for 29%, xenobiotic substances for 5%, and nitrate for 12% of cases.

The total number of remediations in 2005 is estimated at a minimum of 819. That is fewer than in the years before. Of these, 57 were financed by the public sector, including the Land Depreciation Programme. Furthermore, 164 were completed under the Danish Oil Industry's Association for Remediation of Retail Sites, 168 fell under the insurance scheme for oil tanks at houses, while the rest were voluntary remediations or remediations following improvement notices served on private individuals. Total expenditure on soil contamination is estimated at DKK 798 mill.

Financing by the counties, which reaches DKK 115 million, is still significantly higher than the amount that was agreed with the government in 1996.

The Contaminated Sites Council finds that there still is a great need to exploit the potential for minimising the costs of remediation. There is still a substantial need to reserve funds for the Technology Programme for Soil and Groundwater Contamination.

In spring 2006 a committee on soil transports was established. The committee has started working on an amendment of the legislation with regard to handling soil and soil transports. The work has resulted in a proposal for a guidance on classifying areas in urban zones where the soil is expected to be slightly contaminated. In addition, proposals for a statutory order on the notification of soil transport is discussed as well as for standardised municipal regulations that have to be prepared pursuant to the statutory order. Furthermore, new legislation on final soil depositing will be prepared including a new statutory order on recycling of slightly contaminated soil and, as a consequence, an amendment of the existing recycling order.