EmConSoil

Many harmful chemicals find their way into the environment, and end up in soils, groundwater and sediments. They are considered as contaminants of emerging concern because they are a threat to human health and ecosystems.

Dealing with the legacy of soil contamination with emerging contaminants poses major challenges for policy makers, scientists, consultancies and problem owners. Adequate governance and management strategies are needed to prevent risks and further spreading of these contaminants and to preserve healthy soils for the future.

It is clear that the problem cannot be solved by the regulatory authorities alone. Concerted actions and initiatives are urgently needed. Therefore, OVAM wants to initiate an international multi-stakeholder network: EmConSoil, ‘Challenges for emerging soil contaminant governance & policy’.

This initiative is a follow-up to our first international workshop on ‘Emerging policy challenges on New SOil contaminants’ – ENSOr, Brussels, November 2018.

To start with, OVAM published a white paper. The paper describes the challenges that stakeholders face when dealing with emerging soil contaminants, and proposes possible actions and topics to work on together in the EmConSoil network. Core activities focus on practicable approaches in the short term, and on actions that consist of and are part of a holistic societal transformation to sustainability.

You find the white paper on the right hand side of this page.

EmConSoil wants to be an open network for all stakeholders from different sectors and countries. The aims are to exchange knowledge, to develop strategies and policies through co-creation, to raise awareness, and intensify collaboration between all stakeholders. This will be done by information sharing through a website, conferences such as ENSOr, workshops, ...