Project objectives:
The overall objective is to produce a tool that can help environmental megasite managers in establishing an appropriate management approach for their megasites.
Making use of extended scientific research work and experiences of the past decades, a practical and cost-efficient Integrated Management System (IMS) procedure
will be developed and tested at the three representative European megasites (Rotterdam/Antwerpen, Bitterfeld and Katowice) cases, which will then be validated
and evaluated. A significant part of the project is natural science based research, aimed at answering questions in support of developing megasite IMS approaches.
The subjects involve risk assessment, compliance with the water framework directives, monitored natural attenuation, immobilisation and cost-efficiency
assessment.
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Project
Summary:
In Europe, large areas and regions exist with a high density of industry (e.g. sea ports , large scale chemical industry complexes, metal mining areas, military
complexes, etc.), At these areas, which we refer to as megasites, soil and groundwater are usually polluted with different pollutants.At megasites, cost-efficient
water quality protection cannot be uncoupled from contaminated land management and regulation, and new regulatory approaches for megasites, preferentially
in line with the new EU Water Framework Directive, are essential (Eur-Lex 500PC0219). Provision of integrated fit-for-use knowledge packages in an IntegratedManagement
System/IMS (the end-deliverable of the project) would be of great help to the problem- and site-owners (as end-users of the IMS) .
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Achieved Objectives:
The WELCOME Integrated Managements System (IMS) has been developed using knowledge/information fields and experience from several scientific disciplines.
First of all, the IMS facilitates the construction of environmental site management plans within national and European legal frameworks. An overview of
these is given. For the European framework, the Water Framework and Groundwater Directives are the most important.
Secondly, a description of the system approach is given (referring to System Theory), i.e. for the physical system of the megasite and the social system (including
stakeholders that are crucial in decision-making on issues such as megasite management).
A description is given for the geohydrological system, and the fundamentals of Risk Assessement and risk-based management are discussed. Finally, a generic
approach for developing megasite mangement scenarios is given.
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Prof Paul Bardos