Urgency Estimation for Investigation and Sanitation of Contaminated Soils

The Rijnmond Public Authority3 has developed a system for estimating the urgency of site investigation and subsequent sanitation of contaminated soils. The system contains all relevant criteria that determine the possible impact of contaminants in a soil on public health and the environment. An estimate of the urgency can be made at each step of the sanitation programme. The estimate is given as an urgency score. The system has become a necessary and useful instrument for planning the soil sanitation programme and for preparing policy decisions concerning its execution, considering that limited yearly budgets are available for site investigations and sanitations. Two additional applications of the system are of interest. The system helps in predicting the effectiveness of soil sanitation measures and it helps in increasing the efficiency of site investigations.