2nd European Conference on Natural Attenuation, Soil and Groundwater Risk Management
18.05.2005
- 20.05.2005,
Frankfurt am Main
- 18. - 20. May 2005 -
Invitation
Contamination of groundwater and soils are of prime concern for the protection of resources as required by the WFD, the draft Groundwater directive and the new EU Soil Thematic Strategy. International experience from several decades of soil and groundwater remediation clearly shows that technological concepts alone are not sufficient to achieve good quality status of groundwater and soil. The intelligent integration of natural processes in the assessment of contaminations and in management strategies is necessary to obtain and control a good quality status of groundwater and soil.
Natural attenuation is a subject of discussion among problem owners, the authorities, service providers and scientists in many countries. It is not only a stand-alone solution but rather part of the life cycle of site remediation, requiring individual, intelligent solutions in technology application to have the most ecological and economic efficient strategy for each phase.
The key issues of natural attenuation are the identification, monitoring and prediction of in situ natural physical, chemical and biological processes that influence soil and groundwater quality. These issues will also have to be addressed to identify, assess and manage interactions in soil-groundwater-sediment-surfacewater-systems and to reverse negative trends in groundwater quality or to face soil threats.
Much progress has been made in the last few years, but the implementation of natural attenuation varies from country to country. The aim of the conference is to discuss recent developments and exchange ideas and experience on an international scale.
