-
Some of the soils in the Baltic Sea region are among the
richest in the World
-
The soil has three ecological functions: productivity,
filtering and as habitat for microorganisms
-
The soil has also three other functions of a technical,
industrial and social uses: as infrastructure, as a natural resources and as
landscape.
-
Three are many threats to the productivity of the soils. Although
soils have a self-purification capacity they may need some sort of
protection
-
Soils quality is regulated by legal instruments
-
Erosion of soil is generally not a problem in the Baltic Sea
region. Still about one mm of soil is lost every year.
-
Salination or loss of organic material is usually not a
problem of the soils in the Baltic Sea region. However, acidification may
influence some soils negatively especially in western Sweden and Norway
-
Soils are often contaminated by industrial activities and by
the infrastructure it supports. Difficult pollutants include waste water
sludge and benzene, toluene, and PAH and PCB and heavy metals
-
Remediation of contaminated soils is a difficult and
expensive operation
-
Several countries have national programs for soil
remediation
-
The most direct approach to soil remediation is excavation.
Other in-situ methods include groundwater pumping and treating, soil vapor
extraction, bioventing and air sparging.
-
Contaminated soils could also be contained. Methods include
grout curtains, slurry walls and sheet piling cut-off walls.
-
Physical and chemical on-site treatments include: thermal
processes, soils washing, soil flushing, solidification or stabilization,
chemical destruction and chemical oxidation.
-
Bioremediation uses microorganisms to mediate the
transformation of hazardous chemicals to less dangerous ones.
-
Solid waste is a quantitively important material flow. In
the Baltic Sea region it is about one tonne per person per year
-
Solid wastes are generated during raw materials extraction,
production processes, energy generation processes, commercial activities,
and in households
-
Landfills are often contaminating soil and groundwater in
their vicinity
-
Mining and quarrying produces the largest amounts of solid
wastes in the Baltic Sea region
-
Municipal wastes includes commercial waste and waste
generated by households.
-
The basic level of solid waste management consists of waste
collection, landfilling and incineration. Recycling is considered a second
level management method
-
Reuse of material or goods and recycling of refuse close the
flow of materials in the society
-
In general municipal wastes consists of up to 75% recyclable
fractions
-
Incineration is applied to both municipal and industrial
wastes. Most combustion facilities generate energy which is used for
production of electricity, heating or distilled water.
-
Landfills are organised dumping on land
-
Hazardous wastes are usually handled in special centers for
hazardous wastes.
-
Nuclear wastes produced from the nuclear power industry and
from medical, research and industrial activities needs special
treatment and final storage as they was be hazardous during long times
