SOIL CONTAMINATION

A SEVERE RISK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH

EUROPE’S SOILS IN DANGER

Despite comprehensive regulations soil contamination is
widespread in Europe, where 200 years of industrialization
have left their marks. Historically, the mining and smelting
of trace metals have created soil contamination problems
of the greatest magnitude (Kansas State University, 2005).
In addition, heavy metals from industrial waste have largely
contaminated soils – as have leaks from landfills, dumping
of oil and fuel, and the over-application of agrochemicals
such as pesticides and fertilizers. Specifically, fertilizer
consumption in Europe has continued to grow steadily du-
ring recent years with unknown consequences for diffuse
soil contamination (FAO, 2008; Eurostat, 2010). During the Distribution of contaminants affecting soil in Europe
(BTEX: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes; CHC: chlorinated hydrocarbon; PAH:
past decades, the large volume of waste and the intense polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; European Commission, 2013).

use of chemicals have resulted in numerous contaminated

sites across Europe, the major causes being municipal and
industrial wastes with 38% as well as the unsustainable pro-
duction of raw materials, production and distribution proces-
ses of the industrial and commercial sectors with 34% (Eu-
ropean Commission, 2013). The most prevalent types of soil
contaminants in Europe - mineral oils and trace metals, in-
cluding lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury heavy metals,
including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury - together
contribute to 60% of soil contamination. The management
of contaminated sites costs Europeans an estimated 6 billion
Euros annually (European Commission, 2013).
NEGATIVE FORECAST
The number of recorded polluted sites across Europe is ex-
pected to increase by 50% by 2025 (European Environment
Agency, 2012). Remediation remains still a significant un-
dertaking as only about 80.000 sites have been remediated.
Most EU countries have now legislation in place to control
industrial wastes and accidents. However, flooding of indus-
trial sites in Germany during extreme weather events and
the collapse of a dam at the Ajka alumina plant in Hungary
in 2010 indicate that soil contamination can still occur in
Europe (European Commission, 2012).
The extent of contaminated soil is best known in North Ame-
rica and Western Europe, where many countries have a legal
framework to identify and deal with soil contamination. In
contrast, developing countries tend to be less tightly regula-
ted and the extent of soil contamination is less well known.

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 WE ARE LOSING GROUND THROUGH
SALINIZATION - WORLDWIDE What is soil contamination?
Soil contamination implies that the concentration of a
Salinization or the accumulation of salt in soil is among the substance (e.g., nutrient, pesticide, organic chemical,
major threats to soil and its ability to carry out ecosystem ser- acidic or saline compound, trace element) in soil is
vices (European Commission, 2012). This affects soil’s abili- higher than would naturally occur. Whereas in con-
ty to support food production, to store carbon, nutrients and trast soil pollution implies that the substance is cau-
water, and to support biodiversity among other soil-derived sing harm of some type. It is important to distinguish
ecosystem services. Globally, 34 million hectares of land are between local soil contamination, a result of intensive
affected by some level of salinity from irrigation. Salinization industrial agriculture or waste disposal, and diffuse
occurs when irrigation releases salt already present in the soil contamination, which covers large areas.
soil or when salt-rich water is used for irrigation. An additio-
nal 60 to 80 million hectares of land are to some extent af-
fected by salinity due to waterlogging, which causes oxygen
deprivation in the soil – thereby also reducing plant growth
(FAO, 2011). Thus, salinization can result from inappropria-
te irrigation practices being utilized such as the use of salt-
rich irrigation and water or poor drainage conditions. Locally
such as in northern urban areas, the use of de-icing salt can
be a contributing factor: Salt for use on highways throughout
the U.S. has risen from 149,000 metric tons in 1940 to 18
million metric tons in 2004 (Duke University, 2005).
Most of the existing national provisions in the European
Union tackle the problem of soil contamination but not all
member states have established a national inventory of con-
taminated sites (European Commission, 2006).
Sectors contributing to soil contamination in Europe (European Commission, 2013).

Proportion of land salinized due to irrigation (modified from FAO, 2011)

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Number of identified remediated, potentially contaminated, and contaminated sites
reported until 2011 by 33 European countries (European Commission, 2013).
RELIABLE DATA MISSING
More than 2.5 million sites among 38 European countries
are potentially contaminated, and 342,000 sites have been
identified as contaminated sites (European Commission,
2013). The diffuse contamination by salinization affected
4 million hectares in the Mediterranean region in the year
1998 but more recent and systematic data on trends ac-
ross Europe are missing. (European Environment Agency,
1998; European Commission, 2012). About 35% of the land
area of Poland is acidified (FAO, 2000). However, compre-
hensive inventories on local soil contamination are lacking
for the EU, and European countries differently interpret the
terms of contaminated sites (European Commission, 2013).
Even more limited than data for local soil contamination are
The situation in Germany
Local soil contamination as result of waste disposal
potentially affects more than 300.000 sites in Ger-
many (LABO, 2012). Hazardous waste has already
been found at more than 14.000 sites, and about
27.000 sites have been remediated. Diffuse inputs
together with geogenic levels contribute to the back-
ground levels of contaminants in soil (LABO, 2003).
Especially the levels of zinc, lead, cadmium and
copper are affected by diffuse inputs, and for those
metals and chromium, mercury and nickel back-
ground levels for surface soils are available to assess
whether soil pollution is occurring (German Federal
Ministry for the Environment, 2009). In contrast, or-
ganic contaminants in soil mostly result from diffuse
inputs and background levels are only available for
some federal states but nationwide levels are not yet
available.
data on diffuse soil contamination (European Commission,
2012). For example, mapping the concentrations of heavy
metals in soils of 26 European countries was affected by
mixed accuracies (European Commission, 2008). Further,
model results indicated that about 15% of the EU-25 land
surface experiences soil nitrogen surplus in excess of 40 kg
nitrogen per hectare (European Commission, 2009).
Soil pollution due to agriculture (FAO, 2011).
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 Contaminated soils worldwide
Similar to Europe, industrial activities, agricultural che-
micals or improper disposal of waste contaminate soils
in other world regions. For example, about 435.000
underground storage tanks in the United States with
many of them containing petroleum hydrocarbons of
some type have leaked and contaminated soils (Kan-
sas State University, 2005). Nearly 1.5 million under-
ground storage tanks have been closed since 1984 but
the number of sites that need remediation is difficult to
estimate. Worldwide, the magnitude of the problem is
even much larger but the extent less well known (Kan-
sas State University, 2005). Specifically, a comprehen-
sive inventory on the global extent of soil contamina-
tion is lacking. Agricultural activities contribute to soil
degradation and diffuse soil pollution by introducing
pollutants or toxic substances like cadmium by appli-
cation of mineral phosphate fertilizers).
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR HUMAN
HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The long-term exposure to low-level concentrations of soil
contaminants is of particular concern. Coming into contact
with contaminated soil through ingestion, inhalation, or der-
mal absorption directly effects human health and can cause
serious health problems:
• cancers caused by arsenic, asbestos ordioxins
• neurological damage
• lower IQ caused by lead or arsenic
• kidney disease caused by lead, mercury, cadmium, and
• skeletal and bone diseases through lead, fluoride or
cadmium)
Globally, an astonishing number of people are affected by to-
xicities of arsenic (>100,000 people), cadmium (500,000),
mercury (80,000) and lead (>1 billion; National Water Re-
search Institute, Burlington, Canada, 1988). Soil contami-
nants may be responsible for health effects costing millions of
euros, but studies to quantify the true cost are in their infancy.
WHY IS THE RESPONSE INADEQUATE?
An adequate response to soil contamination is only possible
when reliable soil data are available. However, at European
level it is unclear what threshold values should be used to
classify soil as polluted, and with regard to heavy metals at
which locations can high natural background values be ex-
pected (European Commission, 2008). Another problem is
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that polluters can often not be identified at sites affected
by local soil contamination and thus brought to account for
their actions which may affect human health and be det-
rimental to the local environment (European Commission,
2006). For those purposes, it was proposed that EU mem-
ber states should put in place specific funding mechanisms
to ensure a durable financial source for the remediation of
such sites.
JOINT FORCES FOR HEALTHY SOILS
The addition of contaminants to soil must be reduced as
they pose a long-term risk for soil ecosystems and their ser-
vices on which human wellbeing depends on. In addition to
these environmental ‘costs’, the financial implications of soil
contaminant remediation must clearly be communicated to
all users of potential soil contaminants, the knowledge about
the current state of global soil contamination be improved.
The potential effects of contaminants strongly depend on
policies, current practices as well as soil types, climate con-
ditions and their chemical properties. Understanding the
processes and the influencing factors responsible for the
effects of contaminants require inter- and transdisciplinary
approaches. A plan for action is needed towards sustainable
management of contaminants. Researchers, representatives
from farmer organizations, (agro)industry, waterworks asso-
ciations, NGOs, federal state authorities, lawyers, policy
makers as well as the general public have to act in concert.
How can contaminated soils be remediated?
Remediation refers to processes or methods for tre-
ating contaminants such that they are contained, re-
moved, degraded, or rendered less harmful (Kansas
State University, 2005). Soil remediation generally re-
fers to processes that directly treat soil and affect the
contaminant. This can either happen in-situ or ex-situ
involving physical removal of soil and treatment on-si-
te or at another location. To reduce the contaminant
concentration in soil, inorganic contaminants are re-
moved from soil by washing, leaching, particle size
separation, attenuation, volatilization, phytoextraction
and electrocinetics.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF
THE GLOBAL SOIL FORUM
The Global Soil Forum of the Institute for Advanced Sustaina-
bility Studies (IASS) in Potsdam carries out interdisciplinary
research on soil sustainability and takes a transdisciplinary
approach to ensuring transfer of knowledge between scien-
tists, decision-makers and representatives of civic organisa-
tions in Africa, America, Europe and Australia/Oceania. Be-
hind this initiative is Founding and Executive Director Prof.
Klaus Töpfer.
Based on the success of 2012, the IASS aims to help shape
the work following the Millennium development targets as
well as the discussions surrounding the land transparency
initiative from the G8 and the question of integrated soil ma-
nagement with the second Global Soil Week (www.globalsoil-
week.org). To this end, it draws the attention of politicians
and the public to the finite and forgotten resource which
is soil. Following on from the Global Soil Week 2012, the
IASS has hosted discussions with its partners which have
continued central issues from the event. The findings will
be discussed at the Global Soil Week 2013 with a broader
circle of participants. On this basis, an action plan will be
compiled in the form of a roadmap for a joint approach by
various actors for soil protection. Despite its significance, soil
has up to now had no lobby group. New partnerships have
to be formed. This requires a joint process which Global Soil
Week initiates.
The partners of Global Soil Week include the European Com-
mission, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
National, the United Nations Convention to Combat Deser-
tification, the United Nations Environment Programme, the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and De-
velopment, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zu-
sammenarbeit and the German Federal Environment Agency.
CONTACT
Coordinator of the Global Soil Forum
Jes Weigelt
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) Potsdam
T: +49 (0) 331 28822- 319
E: jes.weigelt@iass-potsdam.de
Head of Press & Communication
Corina Weber
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) Potsdam
T: +49 (0) 331 28822-340
E: corina.weber@iass-potsdam.de
Visit us at
www.iass-potsdam.de and www.globalsoilweek.org
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 #SOILWEEK

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