E-news Nicole August 2015

Block your agenda for the NICOLE fall workshop

Environmental Liability Directive: Implementation, experiences and national case studies 

4 – 6 November 2015 at Solvay – Brussels, Belgium 

 

Abstract submission:

Authors are required to submit a one page abstract on the paper they would like to present, together with a brief outline of the structure of the paper (up to 6 bullet points) and a short biography. Abstracts should be submitted to the NICOLE Secretariat by 21st August 2015 and should indicate whether they are intended as an oral or poster presentation    

 

Please feel free to contact the chair of the workshop (Phil Crowcroft) or NICOLE Secretariat.

 

We intend to use the Autumn workshop in Brussels, Belgium to bring together a range of perspectives on the regime, through both oral and/or poster sessions on the following:
 

  • Current Status of ELD – with a keynote presentation from the European Commission, and review of potential for changes to the Directive;
  • Relative use of ELD alongside or instead of other National Legislation – considering how the regime is used directly, or whether some MS have preferred to use existing legislation instead of ELD, and why this might be preferred by them;
  • Defining baselines – availability of existing data and use – looking at the need for and challenge of defining ecological and chemical baselines, and whether surrogate baseline data may realistically be used;
  • Significant harm – what is meant by this, and how it is being interpreted in different MS, and whether the uncertainty of definition is holding back the application of the Directive;
  • Approaches to remediation – balancing the application of primary remediation with the positive and negative perspectives on use of complimentary and compensatory remediation, and successful case studies; and
  • Evaluating harm and the cost of harm to society – including the ways in which harm may have been evaluated in different sites, and whether environmental harm should be monetarised.
 

 

NICOLE new working Group – Operational Window of Remediation Technologies

During the Manchester Meeting Thomas Held (Arcadis) presented the need for a new NICOLE WG on Operational Windows of Remediation Technologies. It is based on the need for cost effective and technical effective technologies. This means that both established (like ISCO, bioremdiation, in-situ thermal remediation) and emerging (Nanoremediation, new thermal remediation like STAR) technologies needs to be considered. Improved decisions will reduce the costs for remediation and increase the acceptance of cost-effective (in-situ) remediation technologies.

Members interested to co-operate actively participate in this new Working Group please contact Thomas Held or NICOLE Secretariat.

 

 

NICOLE international development – NICOLE Brazil

During the workshop in Manchester, the Executive Secretary of NICOLE Brazil Suzana Kraus together with representative Olivier Maurer gave a presentation on development of NICOLE Brazil.  

They have illustrated the soil remediation market development and structure of NICOLE Brazil in their presentation. It is clear that NICOLE Brasil is up and running. 

Please feel free to download their presentation at the NICOLE website or contact them via email.

 

 

Technology Award – Results

All abstracts for the Technology Award 2015 which are Submitted to NICOLE are available for download at NICOLE website member only area.

After the nominated top three candidates presented their submitted abstracts to the Manchesterworkshop, the participants voted to determine the final result. In a very close race, it turned out that the winner of the Technology Award 2015 is the proposal on «Solar/Wind-Powered Subgrade Biogeochemical Reactors» submitted by Claudio Albano and Bill Diguiseppi (CH2M, see photo below). 

The 2nd place winner is «Innovative remediation technology for the treatment of PFC/PFAS-contaminated groundwater» proposed by Quentin Hulm (Cornelsen).

The 3rd place winner is «Brownfield Remediation of Hexavalent Chromium Using an Innovative Form of Calcium Polysulphide» submitted by Richard Bewley (AECOM). 

NICOLE congratulates all three on this success and we would once more very much like to thank every one for submitting their abstracts, the basis for a great edition of the NICOLE Technology Award.

 

 

News from Water Research Foundation: Development of a Water Utility Primer on EDCs/PPCPs for pubic outreach

This project distilled and synthesized current information on EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Compounds) and PPCPs (Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products) into a primer, with supporting citations and communication materials, which drinking water utilities can use to inform and communicate with non-technical audiences. The primer (4387a) is a centralized up-to-date data source that can provide a landmark for future summaries of EDCs and PPCPs in water, as well as a reference source for further information. In addition, a final report (4387b) was published that includes a comprehensive overview of EDCs and PPCPs in water. Lastly, a slide deck, available under Project Resources/Presentations, was developed to help utilities communicate to others about PPCPs and EDCs in water. The slides can be used by utilities in their own presentations. Published in 2015.

Related project: Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Water: A Primer for Public Outreach. 
 

 

   

 

Nanoremediation update by  Catherine Leaf

Nanoremediation describes the in situ use of nanoparticles (NPs) in the treatment of contaminated groundwater and soil. Nanoremediation processes generally involve reduction or oxidation, which in some cases may be facilitated by an embedded catalyst. As a result of their size, NPs have unique properties, which may give nanoremediation benefits over competing technologies. Anticipated benefits of NP use in remediation include increasing the speed and degree of contaminant destruction, extending the range of treatable problems and avoidance of generating intermediate breakdown products.
 
The NanoRem project is a €14M, four year research project funded by the European Commission with a very large research team representing 28 partner organisations from 13 countries.  It is designed to further investigate the potential for NPs to be used as a remediation technology in a European context and was previously described in the October 2014 NICOLEnews bulletin. As explained in that update, NICOLE is represented on the NanoRem project by Catherine Leaf, a contaminated land specialist with Ramboll Environ (formerly ENVIRON). Catherine is a member of the Project Advisory Group for NanoRem focusing on the practical application considerations relevant to problem site owners and service providers including cost, effectiveness, treatment mechanisms and periods and the need for a clearly defined end point which will address both regulatory requirements and sustainability. Here Catherine provides a brief update on the NanoRem project following the midway project meeting held in Barcelona in April.
 
NanoRem is making substantial progress.  An essential part of the NanoRem project is the proof of concept of NP based remediation at a range of field sites. Particles tested include different kinds of nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI), Carbo-Iron® and iron-oxide (Goethite) NPs, see below. Each of these particles targets specific contaminants (e.g. organic, inorganic, chlorinated hydrocarbons). They enhance specific remediation processes (chemical reduction or oxidation, microbial dechlorination or oxidation etc.). Moreover, each NP suspension has specific requirements with respect to hydrogeological (coarse or fine grained porous material, fractures) and hydrogeo-chemical (pH, salinity, redox conditions etc.) site conditions.  As of May 2015, different particles have been injected in pilot sites in Zurzach (CH), Usti nad Labem 1 (CZ) and Besor-Secher (IL). By the end of 2015, four additional applications will take place in Usti nad Labem 2 (CZ), Balassagyarmat (HU), Barreiro (PT), and Nitrastur (ES).  These field scale experiments are providing practical experience in the varying requirements of practitioners and regulators across the different countries which is hugely valuable in furthering the understanding of the practicalities of applying nanotechnology as a remediation technique.  This work is supplemented by large scale tank experiments taking place at the Vegas facility in Stuttgart and detailed mobility studies to support process optimisation.

If you are interested for more information please contact Catherine Leaf

 

Events

Wageningen Soil Conference

August 23 – 27 2015, Wageningen, Netherlands

Inline with the UN year of soil them, Wageningen University is organising its second edition of the Wageningen Soil Conference. Program including subjects like food security, water resources governance/policy and biodiversity. 

 

ICEENN 2015

September 6- 10 2015, Vienna, Austria
website

Engineered nanoparticles and nanomaterials offer many potential benefits as a result of novel properties and  behaviour that materials can exhibit when manufactured or precisely manipulated at the nanoscale. The 10th ICEENN  will bring together researchers, regulators and industry from all over the world to discuss the potential hazards and  resulting  risks  of  current  and  future  applications  in  the  key  sector  of  nanotechnology,  along  with  ways  to  characterize  nanoparticles and mechanisms to bring about risk reduction to harvest the economic and social  benefits of this fascinating technology. 
 

ICCL Meeting

September 10 – 11 2015, Melbourne, Australia

The four themes of the 12th meeting are as follows:
1. Contaminated Site Remediation / Legal, Technical, Finance and social issues
2. Common ground for Sustainable Remediation
3. Emerging contaminants
4. Collaborative regeneration of land
 

CleanUp 2015

13 – 16 September 2015, Melbourne, Australia
 

Every two years, Scientists, engineers, regulators and other environmental professionals representing universities, government (site management and regulatory agencies) and R&D and manufacturing firms from more then 20 countries gather for the diverse and inspiring program presented at this event. 

Themes include:
– Site Characterisation
– Risk Assessment and Characterisation
– Human Health Effects of exposure to contaminants
– Groundwater Assessment and Remediation
– Soil and waste treatment facilities
– Landfills
– Environmental drilling
– Sustainability
– Regulatory and legal
– Community engagement , media and social media
– emerging environmental issues
 

RemTech 2015

23 – 25 September 2015, Ferrara, Italy

Theme including:
– In-situ and Ex-Situ Treatment
– Physical/Biological/Chemical Treatment 
– Soil Washing and Scrubbing 
– Incineration

For more information, please visit the website of Remtech.
 

SedNet

23 – 26 September 2015, Kraków, Poland
 

Different countries have different experiences with the quantity and quality of sediments in their rivers, and with dealing with the challenges that arise from there. The role, attributed function and perception of sediments influence the way it is managed in a river system. At the core of the SedNet conference in 2015 will be the link between sediment and society, and the exchange of knowledge and respective experiences on an international level.
 

CIMAS 2015

October 2015, São Paulo, Brazil
 

The CIMAS workshop 2015 will be held on October, in São Paulo – Brazil.

The plan is to publish the vapor instruction white   paper. 
 

CSME 2015

19 – 21 October 2015, Brussels, Belgium
 

CSME-2015 covers the following themes:
– Tools for Defining Impacts and Liabilities to Soil, Sediment and Water
– Tools for Mitigating Impacts to Soil, Sediment and Water
– Strategies for Managing Contaminated Soil, Sediment and Water
– Wastewater Treatment
– Management of Water Systems
– Vapor Intrusion Assessment and/or Mitigation

NICOLE Fall Workshop 2015

4 – 6 November 2015, Brussels, Belgium
 

The proposed content of the workshop will be about:
– General practice across Europe;
–  Pollution prevention to avoid the application of ELD;
– Experience with implementation;
– Challenges in the assessment of a site’s situation and in remediation.

 

Conference Gasworks plants

8 – 10 November 2015, Ghent, Belgium
 

The Symposium is an on-going educational and networking event that focuses on specific issues related to the remediation and redevelopment of manufactured gas plant sites.

CSME 2015

16 November 2015,San Diego, CA, USA
 

CSME-2015 covers the following themes:
– Tools for Defining Impacts and Liabilities to Soil, Sediment and Water
– Tools for Mitigating Impacts to Soil, Sediment and Water
– Strategies for Managing Contaminated Soil, Sediment and Water
– Wastewater Treatment
– Management of Water Systems
– Vapor Intrusion Assessment and/or Mitigation

 

BodemBreed Symposium 2015

24 November 2015, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
 

BodemBreed has been the main conference on soil issues in the Netherlands for more than 25 years. 

Apart from the ‘classic’ theme of dealing with soil and groundwater contamination, the themes at BodemBreed this year include Spatial planning, Knowledge and innovation, Landfill management, and Water and Climate 
 

 
 

 

E-news NICOLE is compiled & distributed by:
Nan Su (NICOLE Secretariat) – P.O. Box 28249 – 3003 KE Rotterdam – The Netherlands
Mobile phone: +31 (0)6 41374680 – Web: nicole.org – E-mail: nan.su@nicole.org

Disclaimer: This selection of news items is for general purpose only, and does not represent the position or preference of NICOLE in any ways.
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