BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Environmental Pollution and Applicability of Remediation Technologies in Latin American Countries BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Contaminated Land Management in Switzerland Dr. Urs Ziegler, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Contents Contents BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Introduction The problem Fundamentals, concepts, objectives Step 1: registration of the polluted sites, initial evaluation Step 2: decision about need for monitoring and remediation Step 3: clarification of objectives and urgency of remediation Step 4: remediation of the contaminated site Who has to take action, who pays for it?

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Introduction Switzerland: a clean country?

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Introduction Yes, partly

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Introduction Introduction What was once tolerated can present a problem today --> even if the former practices of use were legally compliant Contaminated sites management = remediation of the sins of yesterday Costs frequently affect only a small number of people Interpolicy coordination is essential between environmental law and civil law etc.

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL The Problem The Problem 40‘000 to 50‘000 polluted sites in Switzerland 3‘000 sites in need of remediation Investigation and remediation costs over the next 20 years approx. 2.7 billion USD Approx. 85 % of the cases < 1 million USD

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL The Problem The Problem Swiss pecularities: no significant minig activities hardly any heavy industries very few extended industrial complexes no war-related contamination organic-chemical waste is incinerated rather than landfilled

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Types of Sites

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Fundamentals, concepts, objectives Long term, sustainable elimination of hazard solution to the contaminated sites problem within a generation rapid remediation of severely contaminated sites stop emissions at source cooperation among those affected stepwise management of polluted sites

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Fundamentals, concepts, objectives cont‘d

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Stepwise procedure:

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 1: Registration & Initial Evaluation Purpose of the register of polluted sites: Information instrument Planning instrument Dividing recorded sites into harmless sites and those that have to be investigated further Prioritization tool Orientation for those affected

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 1: Registration & Initial Evaluation cont‘d

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 2: decision on need for monitoring & remediation Historical investigation (who has done what where?) Technical investigation: is the site violating environmental standards in groundwater, surface water, soil, ambient air or is there a concrete risk of such violations? Classification of the site as pollution without hazard for the environment pollution which needs monitoring contaminated site ( = need to remediate)

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 3: clarification of objec- tives & urgency of remediation Detailed technical investigation: exact information about kind and extent of pollution as well as about fate and transport of pollutants into the environment Principal goal of remediation: Stopping emissions at source Urgency of remediation is determined by the effective environmental hazard and not by any pending conversion of land use

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 4: remediation of the contaminated site Objective is to prevent unlawful impact on the environment It must remove the danger over the long term and in a sustainable way It should considerbaly reduce the danger to the environment The remediation project must deliver complete and understandable decision bases for the final establishment of remediation objectives and deadlines

BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Step 4: remediation of the contaminated site cont‘d

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BUWALOFEFPUFAFPSAEFL Who has to take action, who pays for it? Investigations, monitoring, remediation and aftercare are fundamentally the concern and are to be performed by the owner of the site The polluter has to bear the costs of remediation If there is more than one polluter responsible each bears the cost in proportion to his share of the pollution. Joint and several liability among polluter and owner does not exist The Confederation levies a tax on waste disposal in order to finance remediation of sites where the polluter is not capable of bearing the costs any more