Technology Programme for Soil and Groundwater
Contamination 2000

7. Organisation

7.1 The Danish Contaminated Sites Council
7.2 Expert Monitoring Group
7.3 Expert secretary
7.4 Steering committee for the field projects

The organisation behind the Technology Programme is described in the following - including a description of the various parties involved in the work. Figure 2 features an organisational chart. Expert secretaries are only appointed for field projects.

7.1 The Danish Contaminated Sites Council

In accordance with the amendment of the Waste Deposit/Landfills Act /1/ a Danish Contaminated Sites Council has been set up with the purpose of, e.g., providing counsel for the Minister on general issues on technology development. The explanatory memorandum accompanying this legislative proposal states that "An amount shall be appropriated annually from the landfill funds for promoting technology development. Administration of these funds shall be carried out by the Danish EPA, which shall present proposals for principles and programme areas for the Danish Contaminated Sites Council." "The Council shall prepare an annual report for the Minister for Environment and Energy. The Council shall also carry out assessment of more general needs for technology development and shall each year present their recommendations with regard to principles and programme areas, including the distribution of funds within these areas."

In accordance with Section 8 b of the Waste Deposit/Landfill Act, the Minister for Environment and Energy set up the Danish Contaminated Sites Council in the autumn of 1996. The Danish Contaminated Sites Council comprises the following members:

	The Danish EPA. Presidency.
	The Association of County Councils in Denmark. 2 persons.
	Municipality of Frederiksberg.
	Municipality of Copenhagen, Environmental Protection Agency, Copenhagen.
	The National Association of Local Authorities in Denmark.
	The Confederation of Danish Industries.
	The Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature.
	The Danish Water Supply Association and The Joint Organisation of Private Waterworks in Denmark in joint membership.
	The Danish Family Farmers' Association, The Danish Farmers' Union, and the Danish Agricultural Council.

Figure 2
Organisation of technology development

7.2 Expert Monitoring Group

An expert-monitoring group has been set up to provide expert advice to the Soil Contamination Division of the Danish EPA. This expert-monitoring group is to:

	Provide advice to the Danish EPA on general technical issues.
	Ensure coordination with initiatives within other areas.
	Advise the Danish EPA on the selection of players.

The expert-monitoring group comprises experts from:

	The Information Center on Contaminated Sites.
	The National Environmental Research Institute.
	GEUS - The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.
	The Danish National Railways Agency.
	The Danish Defence Construction Service.
	The Danish Petroleum Industry Association for Remediation of Retail Sites.
	The National Forest and Nature Agency.
	The Danish EPA.

The objective is to disseminate information to other public authorities working with remediation of contaminated sites.

7.3 Expert secretary

For most field projects, the Danish EPA will appoint an external expert secretary. These secretaries assist the Danish EPA on field projects and help to ensure that these projects are carried out at high levels of professionalism and in accordance with the guidelines stipulated. The expert secretaries are appointed on the basis of their technical expertise within the relevant area. Appendix A features a list of the expert secretaries.

Below is a description of the main tasks of the expert secretaries:

	To ensure a high level of professionalism in the description of the projects.
	To cooperate with the Danish EPA on defining frameworks and objectives for the projects, so that these projects can form the basis for preparing guidelines and standards.
	To supervise and check up on the projects during their execution and to ensure that projects are documented.
	To use literature to remain up-to-date on the method selected, both domestically and internationally.
	To participate in coordination of the various field projects. This includes participation in meetings with the Danish EPA and other expert secretaries.
	Possibly to be involved in phrasing the general statements (reports, guidelines, etc.) which are to be the outcome of the project.

A steering committee is set up for each field project and most desk studies. For the field projects, this committee comprises a representative for the county in which the field project is carried out (the president), the president's consultant, the external expert secretary, and the Danish EPA. The objective of the steering committee is to ensure regular dissemination of information and discussion on the progress of the project. The county authorities, who are also the developer, are in charge of contact to the consultant, contractors, residents, etc. For the desk study, the steering committee consists primarily of persons with a technical interest and expertise within the relevant field, public officials, and the Danish EPA.