The Role of Procedure Duration in the Sustainability Assessment of Contaminated Site Management in Italy

Federico Araneo, Eugenia Bartolucci, Fabio Pascarella, Federico Pinzin, W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon and Mentore Vaccari ()
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Federico Araneo: Department for the Geological Survey of Italy, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, 00144 Rome, Italy
Eugenia Bartolucci: Department for the Geological Survey of Italy, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, 00144 Rome, Italy
Fabio Pascarella: Department for the Geological Survey of Italy, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, 00144 Rome, Italy
Federico Pinzin: CeRAR, Research Center “Remediation and Recovery of Degraded Areas and Contaminated Sites”, Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and of Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon: CeRAR, Research Center “Remediation and Recovery of Degraded Areas and Contaminated Sites”, Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and of Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Mentore Vaccari: CeRAR, Research Center “Remediation and Recovery of Degraded Areas and Contaminated Sites”, Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and of Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-22

Abstract: The European Union (EU) has placed a strong focus on soil contamination and remediation in its Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection, emphasizing the critical need for comprehensive soil data at the EU level. To effectively support EU soil management strategies, it is necessary to develop soil-related indicators and standardized datasets across all EU member states. However, the lack of standardized methodologies for estimating the time required for contaminated site remediation is a dilemma in Italy and throughout Europe. This study examines statistical data on the time-consuming nature of the contaminated site remediation process in Italy. In fact, early intervention not only simplifies site remediation but also reduces long-term financial obligations such as monitoring costs and potential legal implications. This study categorized data according to remedial procedures, explored different management phases, and revealed different timescales for completing the procedure. The findings show that processes completed after preliminary investigations are often shorter in time than those completed following conceptual model assessments. In contrast, processes that require corrective measures typically take a longer period of time to complete. Notably, remedial interventions tend to have a shorter duration compared to risk management interventions. Furthermore, procedures that address both soil and groundwater contamination generally require more time compared to those that focus only on soil remediation. This study provides valuable insight into the time-consuming aspects of remediation procedures, recommending potential changes to regulatory frameworks to accelerate site remediation activities.

Keywords: contaminated sites; risk assessment; sustainable remediation; conceptual model; soil target concentration; time for remediation; Italy; Decree 152/2006 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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