There are an incredible number of abbreviations used in a soil report/environmental report. Since the meaning of all this is completely unclear, we have created a convenient list for you with all the abbreviations and their meanings. Everything is in alphabetical order. Tip: Use the CTRL-F (on Windows PCs) or Commend-F (on Apple PCs) to search this page faster.
P.s. if you are looking for an overview with all chemical abbreviations of substances (e.g., lead, zinc, etc), just click here.
| Term or abbreviation: | Significance: |
| Background concentration | The amount of the same substance in the air that is normally present, i.e. not from the soil remediation. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Adequately remediated site | A site is adequately remediated when the evaluation report is approved by the competent authority. Long-term subsurface remediation will count as adequately remediated after approval of the first calibration event. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Alert Limit Value (AGW). | The air concentration of a substance above which irreversible or other serious health effects may occur at a one-hour exposure, or at which exposure to the substance reduces the ability of persons to bring themselves to safety. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| AP04 | Party-vetting. This is if you want to dispose of soil, you need to know the quality of that soil and you do that with an AP04 survey. This is a “Party Inspection. If a lot of land is involved, it may be profitable to do so. |
| AW | Background Value. The quality of the soil (soil) that occurs “naturally” there. Equal or less than AW = good. |
| OD/Municipality assessment | This means that an importer from the environmental department put the soil report data into Nazca (the soil information system). If there is a date and a case number after “review OD/Municipality,” then you know that the soil report was reviewed by a soil specialist at the environmental department. |
| Limited research: | Is the same as “indicative research. This is simple research with a specific purpose (e.g., suspicion of asbestos or an emergency). |
| Decision | A decision of the competent authority. The decision is subject to objection (and appeal). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Decision of severity and urgency | A decision based on the Wbb (Soil Protection Act) stating whether a site is a serious case of contamination and whether the site requires urgent remediation according to the remediation criterion. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Decision Severity/Speed | A decision in accordance with the new Wbb (as of 1-1-2007) whether a location has a serious case of contamination and whether the location must be remediated urgently (before 2015) according to the remediation criterion. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Decision Severity/urgent | A decision based on the old Wbb (before 1-1-2007) on the severity and urgency of a case of contamination based on the further investigation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Decision Evaluation Report | A decision to agree to the evaluation report prepared after a cleanup and thus the formal completion of a cleanup. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Decision Aftercare Plan | A decision to agree to the aftercare plan submitted after remediation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Decision Remediation Plan | A decision approving a remediation plan to address a case of contamination. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil Quality Decree | The Soil Quality Decree came into effect in part on January 1, 2008. The decree contains rules for the application of building materials, soil and dredged material on or in the soil or surface water. It specifies how environmental review should be conducted and who is responsible for monitoring compliance with the decree. Especially when applying construction materials, this decree contains fewer rules and administrative burdens for governments and businesses than previous regulations. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil Quality Decree | Statutory decree laying down the objectives of soil policy for the application of building materials, soil and dredged material, as well as quality assurance within soil management. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| BEVER | BEleidsvernieuwing bodemsanering, resulting in the decentralization of the authority for soil remediation, the pursuit of higher contributions from third parties, connection to spatial developments on a local scale and a remediation objective linked to the function of the site. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Competent Authority Wbb (decentralized competent authority). | Responsible provinces and “direct municipalities,” which implement and enforce the Wbb (with Wbb and ISV budgets). The remaining “non-direct” municipalities receive ISV funds through the province based on a submitted multi-year program (“program municipalities”) or by project (“project municipalities”). The total 41 competent authorities are: Provinces (12). Major cities (4): Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht. Other direct municipalities (25): Alkmaar, Almelo, Amersfoort, Arnhem, Breda, Den Bosch, Deventer, Dordrecht, Eindhoven, Emmen, Enschede, Groningen, Haarlem, Heerlen, Helmond, Hengelo, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Schiedam, Tilburg, Venlo, Zaanstad and Zwolle. Source: clo.co.uk |
| BIELLS | Soil Information Essential for National and Local Stewardship. The BIELLS project aims to make available all essential information sources containing data on the chemical, biological and physical quality of soil. Source: clo.co.uk |
| BIS | Soil Information System. These systems (in various commercial and self-developed variants) are used at municipalities and provinces to keep administrative and geographic records of soil contamination (see also G-BIS). Source: clo.co.uk |
| BKK | Soil quality map |
| Soil+ | Bodem+ is part of SenterNovem, and its task is to support local governments in the field of soil. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil Ambitions | A municipality may indicate in a Soil Management Memorandum what soil quality is sought in an area. In doing so, it lays out its (bottom-line) ambition. For example, the government may choose not to allow current quality to deteriorate. However, it can also seek quality improvement. The government will take future (spatial) developments in the area into account when setting its soil ambitions. This makes the relationship between land use and soil quality concrete. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil function | Use of soil. Distinguished: – Living with garden – Places where children play – Greenery with natural values – Other greenery, buildings, infrastructure and industry – Kitchen gardens and allotments – Nature – Agriculture |
| Soil function class | Two soil function classes are distinguished (Soil Quality Decree): – Housing – Industry |
| Soil use values (BGW). | Values for concentrations of substances (or substance groups) in soil below which the level of soil contamination is acceptable for the intended use. The BGW are used as the remediation objective. If the use changes, a new assessment is required. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil remediation operation | Regulations, planning and work to address soil contamination issues. All the work that must be done to identify, investigate, and if necessary remediate or control all serious cases of soil contamination, possibly followed by aftercare. Source: clo.co.uk |
| BOOT | Decree on Storage of Underground Tanks. Survey conducted to determine if contaminants are present at an underground fuel tank. |
| BPE | Soil Performance Units. BPEs are a measure of the effort expended by a competent authority in soil remediation. Definition: BPE = remediated area in m2 + 3x remediated volume in m3 + 0.4x remediated volume of groundwater in m3. The weighting of physical outcomes roughly reflects the ratio of effort required for this purpose. However, the BPE does not fully reflect the performance of a competent government because it does not include policy development and research efforts. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Source zone | The part of the contamination where such high concentrations are present that there are human risks or that indicate the presence of pure product, as a result of which (as a result of the dissolution of the contamination) diffusion into and via into groundwater will occur for a long time. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Dowry Environment Act | State regulations moving from state to municipalities and water boards. The state will ensure that these rules will be in the environmental plan or water board ordinance. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| BSB Operation | Soil remediation of occupied industrial sites. The BSB operation was set up in the 1990s to encourage companies to voluntarily and in-house investigate and, if necessary, remediate their soil. Several regional foundations were established to carry out the BSB operation. At the end of 2007, most foundations ended their operations and provinces took over. Source: clo.co.uk |
| BTEX | Abbreviation for the volatile aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| BUS | Decree on Uniform Remediation. Decision to regulate common and standard soil remediation. Thanks to this Decree, soil remediators do not have to seek formal approval from the competent authority for routine remediation, but instead a notification at the start of the remediation and an approval of the remediation evaluation at the completion is sufficient. Source: clo.co.uk |
| BUS evaluation: | A report and listing of results and events following a remediation under BUS regime. |
| BUS notification | Notification that you are required to do if you want to remediate or do something work in the soil that is seriously contaminated. Bus = Decision on Uniform Remediation |
| Covenant on soil development policy and addressing emergency sites | New soil policy effective July 10, 2009, shifting responsibility for soil policy from the state to the provinces and municipalities. The covenant includes agreements on addressing emergency sites, underground land use and remediation of large-scale groundwater contamination. Source: clo.co.uk |
| CSOIL | Mathematical model used to quantify human exposure due to soil contamination. The model calculates exposure for the seven soil functions from the Soil Quality Decree (see NOBO soil use classes) and is also part of Sanscrit and the Soil Risk Toolbox. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Partial remediation | Remediation where a remediation plan was created and implemented for only part of the contamination. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Partial remediation | Remediation where a remediation plan has been or is being created and implemented for only part of the contamination. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Diffuse soil pollution | Soil contamination extending over large areas, often from multiple and not clearly locatable sources and usually with relatively light contaminants. In a few cases, severe contamination may also occur. Source: clo.co.uk |
| DIVOCOS (DIspersion of VOlatile COntaminantS). | RIVM model to calculate and assess the concentration of volatile compounds in the air during a soil remediation operation. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Float | A layer of pure product on the groundwater. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Dynamic location | Site for which the timing of addressing investigation and possible remediation is determined by societal dynamics, usually by the desire to build there. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Severe soil contamination (according to clo.nl) | Serious soil contamination occurs when the concentration of a substance in the soil (soil or groundwater) exceeds the intervention value and there is a minimum volume of 25m3 for soil and a soil volume of 100m3 for groundwater. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Severe soil contamination (according to rivm.nl) | Contamination where an intervention value for one or more substances is exceeded in at least 25 m3 of soil and/or 100m3 of groundwater. For a serious case, at least management measures should be taken and urgency determined. Source: clo.co.uk |
| EUT | Severity, urgency and time (if it is urgent then a time frame should be attached to a contamination how quickly it needs to be remediated. |
| Funding Framework | In research and remediation operations conducted by the responsible municipalities and provinces, the State can contribute from three frameworks: Wbb budget (especially the completion of Wbb multi-year programs until 2009), ILG budget (rural area and smaller residential centers, after 1-1-2007) and ISV budget (urban area). Most of the remediation is performed in Own Management (SEB), by third parties. Combined financing is also possible. With third parties, the government may still play a role as the owner of land as well. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Functional remediation – general | Method of remediation allowed after the Soil Remediation Policy Renewal (BEVER), abandoning the principle of multifunctionality. No further remediation will be done than is necessary for the intended use. Management will still be required, and a new evaluation will follow when changes in use occur. Functional remediation can be performed for both topsoil and subsoil. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Functional remediation – topsoil | In function-oriented remediation of topsoil, remediation is carried out to an acceptable level for the intended land use (living layer). A distinction is made between a number of clusters (NOBO soil use classes), for which soil use values (BGW) have been established. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Functional remediation – subsurface | In function-oriented remediation of the subsurface (deeper than about 2 meters, depending on the soil structure), a distinction is made between “contamination in an immobile situation” and “contamination in a mobile situation. In the first case, the subsurface is not remediated because diffusion and exposure are limited. With mobile contamination, on the other hand, the starting point is the most complete removal possible, with at least the achievement of a “stable final situation. This may last up to 30 years. The period is so long because soil processes are slow,the “after-delivery” (diffusion from the soil matrix) of contamination can only be assessed over periods of years and in order to deploy cost-effective techniques. Source: clo.co.uk |
| G-BIS (or GBIS). | Automated Soil Information System with at least similar functions as GLOBIS for maintaining and annually supplying the annual monitoring data, updating of the Landsdekek beeld bodemverontreiniging by the competent authorities and exchange of data in accordance with SIKB protocols. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Getting ready for use | Addressing risks due to the presence of soil contamination so that the site becomes suitable for use. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Phased remediation | Remediation with components completed at different times, usually due to the difference in approach to solid soil and groundwater. However, an approved plan of the entire operation must be present. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Odor threshold | The concentration at which a substance is perceived with the nose. The odor threshold depends in part on the method used to determine it. There are methods that use trained noses (humans) and methods that involve gas chromatography. As a result, odor thresholds in the literature may differ from one another. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Case of contamination | Area with presence of soil contamination that forms a coherent whole based on the cause or effects of contamination and subsequent spatial or organizational reasons. The annual monitoring of soil remediation does not count the number of cases but the number of sites. The site is the unit of approach in remediation and often coincides with property rights or soil structure. However, decisions (approvals of remediation plans) are granted on cases (which may include multiple sites). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Health aspects | Health aspects are: – Concern/anxiety – Nuisance – Health risk(s) – Health complaint(s) |
| GLOBIS | Geographic National Government Soil Information System. This is a database of reporting tools developed by the government and used decentrally at the competent authorities. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Earthmoving | This is the movement or relocation of soil by excavation and transportation. |
| Grootsaners | Bodies that do a lot of remediation (both government and non-government), e.g. SbNS and oil companies. Source: clo.co.uk |
| HBB | Historical Soil File |
| HBO tank | Home heating oil tank |
| Historically researched: | A historical soil survey was conducted. Without visiting the site, the municipal archives were searched for evidence of a soil-threatening activity. |
| Historical Research (HO) | This is an investigation of possible sources of soil contamination (earth-mass-period) through site visits, archival research and aerial photo interpretation. No soil testing yet. The first study in the HO-OO-NO series. Source: clo.co.uk |
| HO | Historical research. Basically a “desk search. It looks at all existing information about a particular location without physically poking around in the ground at the location itself. |
| I | Intervention Value. Contamination higher than the intervention value is wrong. If that is more than 25m3 of soil or more than 100m3 of groundwater, remediation is required. |
| ILG | Investment Budget Rural Area. Funding system and mode of operation designed to bundle acquisition, design and management of rural areas. It is a joint initiative of the Interprovincial Provincial Consultation (IPO), the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), the Union of Water Boards (UVW) and the ministries of LNV, VROM and V&W. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Immobile: | A contaminant in the soil that does not spread. The contamination therefore remains in place and does not go into the groundwater or the soil air. Examples are heavy metals and PAK’s (= PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – carbon particles)). |
| Initiator | The organization(s)/company or companies taking the initiative to remediate the soil. The initiator can be the competent authority (province or municipality), the owner of the land or a developer. The initiator is usually also the client of the soil remediator. Often several organizations are involved in a soil remediation project, such as the province, an implementation planning agency, which in turn works with a contractor, and one or more consulting firms for such things as environmental monitoring and measurement. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Initiator | The party initiating soil testing or remediation at a site. This is independent of any implementers or funders. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Intervention Value | Concentration of a substance in soil or groundwater at which the function of the soil for humans, animals or plants is (potentially) impaired. If the intervention value of one or more substances is exceeded, the risk to humans or the environment must be assessed. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Intervention value contour | Imaginary line within which the concentration of one or more substances exceeds the intervention value. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Intervention values | Values for the level of contamination per substance or substance group above which the functional properties of soil for humans, animals or plants are seriously impaired (or at risk of being impaired). Source: clo.co.uk |
| IO | Indicative Research. Indicative research: Is the same almost the same as “limited research. This is simple research with a specific purpose (e.g., suspicion of asbestos or an emergency). An indicative survey is not conclusive about general soil quality. |
| Insulating with perpetual aftercare | This technique is used when the other remediation methods are impossible or extremely expensive. The cost comparison includes a financial provision for aftercare. For large sites, insulation is often the only viable solution. Source: clo.co.uk |
| ISV budget | Urban Renewal Investment Budget under the Urban Renewal Act (Wsv). Since the portion used for soil testing and soil remediation in the ISV is not strictly administratively separated from site preparation, an estimate is required when determining ISV expenditure on soil remediation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Cost-effective | In cost-effective remediation (subsurface), unacceptable risks are removed, but how far the remediation goes is weighed based on a cost analysis. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Cost Recovery | Situation where the government investigates and remediates, and afterwards recovers costs from those who can be held liable for a contamination. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Kwalibo | Quality Assurance In Soil Management. This is one of the measures to improve soil management. Kwalibo has three spearheads: quality improvement in government (by working according to protocols – norm sheets 8001 and 8002), reinforcement of supervision and enforcement and recognition scheme soil intermediaries (contractors, consulting firms, etc.). Companies that meet the set quality requirements receive a certificate. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Layer separation | There is no major difference between the degree of contamination of the topsoil and the degree of contamination of the subsoil. |
| Land cover image of soil contamination (LDB). | A government project (delivered in 2004) aimed at inventorying all contaminated sites in the Netherlands, including coordinates and differentiated by (established or potential) severity and urgency and costs incurred or estimated. Subsequently, a remediation cost model was created. The current state of affairs based on the LDB2004, adjustments in inventories and research and remediation performed is reported in the Annual Soil Remediation Report. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Life-threatening value (LBW (life-threatening value)) | Life-threatening value, the air concentration of a substance above which mortality or life-threatening conditions can potentially occur from a one-hour exposure. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| LIB | National Soil Information Management. Established by competent authorities Wbb to support information management of data for soil management and annual monitoring for the annual soil remediation report to the House of Representatives. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Location | A unit or aggregation of smaller units with suspected or proven soil contamination that is addressed as a whole in investigation and remediation. The boundary of a site does not necessarily coincide with the boundary of a case. One location can sometimes contain several cases (or vice versa). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Maximum Permissible Human Risk Level (MTR (maximum allowable risk)humane). | Maximum Permissible Risk Level for humans expressed in micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (µg/kg LG/d) or µg/m3. For threshold substances, lifetime exposure (70 years, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day) to this amount means that no adverse health effects are to be expected. For genotoxic carcinogens, lifetime exposure (100 years) to this amount results in a 1 in 10,000 chance of death from cancer. This is expressed as CRinhal (excess lifetime cancer risk through inhalation exposure) or CRoral (excess lifetime cancer risk through oral exposure). |
| Maximum value | The concentration of a substance in the soil below which the soil is permanently suitable for the (intended) use function. Source: rivm.co.uk (Soil Quality Decree). There are generic and local maximum values. Source: rivm.co.uk The maximum values also apply as retrofit values. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Maximum contaminant level values | Values for the maximum contaminant level per substance or substance group for terrestrial and aquatic soils, defining application options. Under the Soil Quality Decree, applications of soil and dredge on land soil are tested against Generic Maximum Values (GMW) or Local Maximum Values (LMW). Assessment against GMW considers both the quality of the soil or dredge to be applied and the function of the receiving soil. Decentralized competent authorities may choose to set Local Maximum Values in areas. These should be substantiated with the Soil Risk Toolbox. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Minimal Risk Level (MRL). | The Minimum Risk Level is a health assessment value from the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) for the general population. The ATSDR derived MRLs for three different exposure periods: – the ‘chronic MRL’ for a duration of exposure greater than 364 days – the ‘intermediate MRL’ for an exposure period of 15 to 364 days – and the “acute MRL” for an exposure period of 1 to 14 days. MRLinhl is expressed in micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) or parts per million (ppm (parts per million )). The MRLoral in mg/kg (kilograms) LG/day. |
| SCBA | Social Cost-Benefit Analysis. A study conducted at the request of the House of Representatives by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), in which the costs of soil remediation were weighed against the benefits for: public health, real estate, drinking water supply, social perception and ecosystems. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Mobile: | A contaminant in the soil that does spread. The contamination therefore does not stay in place and moves through the soil, spreads to the groundwater or to the soil air. Examples are petrol products or substances with chlorine. |
| Monitoring Soil Remediation | Annual inventory of the progress of the national soil remediation operation, which is reported to the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and the House of Representatives with the Annual Report on Soil Remediation on behalf of the competent authorities. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Multipurpose remediation | This means that after remediation, the soil has been cleaned to the point where the contamination is no longer an impediment to any type of soil use, nor is additional management or aftercare required. For small sites, multipurpose remediation is often preferred because it permanently solves the problem and also makes the costs manageable. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Multiplier | Nationwide or by authorized government: the total financial commitment of the market and government divided by the contribution of the government. The market’s contribution relies in part on estimates, as it is not mandatorily reported, particularly in surveys without follow-up. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Further Research (NO) | This investigation determines the severity and extent of the contamination, and the urgency (prior to 1-1-2007 the remediation urgency and time of remediation). In case of urgency/emergency, a remediation plan (plan of action) is then created upon which the Competent Authority issues a remediation decision. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Further research | Soil investigation that follows an Exploratory or Orientation soil investigation. The further investigation determines whether there is an “unacceptable” risk to humans or the environment and with this whether the soil needs to be remediated urgently (within 4 years). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Aftercare | If residual contaminants remain in the soil after remediation, aftercare measures are necessary. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Aftercare plan | Plan detailing aftercare measures to be taken regarding residual contaminants left behind. Source: clo.co.uk |
| New case (of soil contamination) | Case where soil contamination originated wholly or substantially after 1987. In 1987, the duty of care was included in the Soil Protection Act, which requires new cases of soil contamination to be promptly undone. Source: clo.co.uk |
| NMP | National Environmental Policy Plan explaining the environmental policy to be pursued. The latest 2001 NEPP4 aims to move toward a sustainably functioning society. The 2006 “Future Environment Agenda” emphasizes a businesslike approach to environmental problems with a sober consideration of costs and benefits. Source: clo.co.uk |
| NO | Further research. Investigate the extent of contamination and determine severity and urgency or urgency (NTA 5755). |
| NOBO use classes | Soil use classes. Standardization of land use for soil contamination exposure modeling by the NOBO (Standards and Soil Quality Assessment) project group. Use classes: living with garden, places where children play, vegetable garden, agriculture, nature, greenery with natural values, building infrastructure other greenery and industry. Source: clo.co.uk |
| NSX Score | Risk of contamination. Anything > 100 = risk. |
| NVN | Indicative soil investigation in accordance with the Dutch Prestandard and NEN =exploratory soil investigation in accordance with the Dutch Unitary Standard (NEN 5740). |
| Unacceptable risk to humans | The exposure calculated with Sanscrit is higher than the MTRhuman or the Permissible Concentration in Air (TCL). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| OO | Orientation Research. This is the same as an “Exploratory Study. |
| Orientation Research (OO). | This is the first soil survey at suspected sites (after the HO). This survey will determine if the level of contamination warrants follow-up. The follow-up investigation is then the Further Investigation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| OW | Public Road |
| PAK | Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This is a collective name for chemical compounds of hydrogen and carbon. Examples: are Naphthalene, Biphenyl, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Phenalene, Tetracene and Chrysene |
| Lot inspection | A quantity of soil is submitted for evaluation in 1 pass (i.e., no sampling). If the batch of soil gets the stamp that the quality is sufficient for the purpose of where the soil is located, then that is a proof you can use in an environmental permit application. |
| Plume | The soil volume outside the source zone where contaminants dissolved in groundwater originating from the source zone are present. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Potentially suspected/ contaminated/ serious/ urgent | The UBI system is used in inventories of soil threatening activities. Associated with each activity is a UBI code and an expected contamination level score (NSX score). This provides an initial prioritization of inventory results before any soil testing has been conducted at the sites. If the minimum basic set of verification data is still missing, it is referred to as “potentially suspicious. Once the polluting activities are known, a class can be determined using the UBI system. Grades 1-3 are considered “potentially contaminated” (presumed not to be serious contamination and not part of the working stockpile). Class 8 is considered potentially urgent (SUBI or urgent-UBI). The remaining grades 4-7 give gradations of the probability of severe contamination. The prioritization of the investigation then considers whether the exposure level (the pathway, based on local soil conditions and land use) and the presence of occupants (or other threatened objects) indicate a potentially environmentally unacceptable situation. In determining sites of human emergency, in addition to the above classification, the duration, period and extent of the activities and special aspects (such as application of degreasing with per and tri in the metal industry) were considered. Source: clo.co.uk |
| PreHo | Prehistoric soil survey, there is a suspicion of soil threatening activities. For example, the location is taken from the Chamber of Commerce list. |
| pre-HO site | Site on which no Historical Survey has yet taken place. |
| Performance Accountability | Report, prepared by the Competent Authority, on the results achieved, compared to the established program. The performance accountability for soil remediation deals with the BPEs of inventories, investigations, management measures, remediation, aftercare, budget, instruments used and soil quality policy pursued. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) | PPP is a partnership in which government and industry, while maintaining their own identity and responsibility, jointly realize a project based on a clear division of tasks and risks. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Disaster Intervention Value | (Disaster) intervention values for hazardous substances exist in the Netherlands for combating incidents involving hazardous substances. The values are used in making decisions about scaling up the incident response organization, measures to protect the public and communication with the public. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Direct ISV municipality | Municipality that receives ISV budget directly from the state and also reports to the state on performance (without the intervention of the province). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Risk toolbox | RisicotoolboxBodem.nl: decision support web application for integral risk assessment of (soil) contamination by competent authorities. Used by competent authorities to conduct area-specific risk assessment for humans, ecosystems and agriculture and to substantiate Local Maximum Values for soil and dredge movement. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Risk Tools | Tools for risk assessment of soil contamination. Examples include: equations, models, guidelines, protocols, etc. Source: clo.co.uk |
| S | Target value (this is what we consider “normal”). The target value is usually used to apply to groundwater. |
| Remediation | Addressing a soil contamination so that the current or future use of the site no longer poses a risk to people and the environment. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation contour | Boundary of the area within which remediation work was performed. This boundary need not coincide with the site boundary but is determined by the level of contamination, property boundaries and/or technical considerations in the approach. There may be multiple remediation contours at a single site. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation Criterion | Competent authority under the Soil Protection Act determines (with a decree) whether a site requires urgent remediation (Article 37, Wbb). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Remediation Criterion | Methodology in accordance with the new Wbb (per 1-1-2007), in which site-specific testing is carried out to determine whether there are unacceptable risks to humans (health effects), to the ecosystem (bio-accumulation, secondary poisoning, threats to species and natural processes), and/or risks of contamination spreading. The Remediation Criterion is set forth in the 2009 Soil Remediation Circular, which was updated as of May 1, 2009. Based on the determined risks, it is determined whether or not measures (control, remediation) should be carried out urgently. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation evaluation (SE). | Refers to a report describing the remediation work performed, including deviations from the remediation plan. Through this report, the final remediation result is recorded. The remediation evaluation is submitted to the competent authority for approval. The report also indicates the need for follow-up measures (aftercare). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Sanitation chain | A pathway consisting of a series of successive phases in investigation and approach: pre-HO, HO, OO, NO, SO , SP, remediation and remediation evaluation. If necessary including making provisions for aftercare. Every site with (potential) soil contamination goes through all or part of this chain. After each step in the chain, the contamination may prove to be too low risk to require follow-up steps. A remediation evaluation always follows remediation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation study (SO). | An investigation of the most appropriate and cost-effective remediation method for a case of soil contamination. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation Plan (SP). | A representation of the process that will be followed during the remediation of a case of soil contamination and the expected results. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Remediation obligation | A cleanup imposed by a decision of the competent authority for environmental or social reasons. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Sanscrit | The software program Sanscrit is an automated version of the Sanitation Criterion. It is the successor to the Sanitation Urgency System (SUS). Model calculations in Sanscrit are performed based on the data from the Follow-up Investigation and provide a site-specific estimate of the risks to humans, to the ecosystem and the risks due to the spread of contaminated groundwater. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Sanscrit | RIVM model for determining the risk to humans and the environment of severe soil contamination. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| SE | Remediation Evaluation. This should show whether the remediation was successful. Have had remediation done to qualify for an environmental permit. Then you need a successful remediation evaluation. |
| SEB | Remediation in Equity. Remediation by companies or individuals, without financial contributions from government budgets. Source: clo.co.uk |
| SIKB | Infrastructure Quality Assurance Soil Management Foundation. The SIKB is an alliance of market and government and established to promote quality assurance of activities performed within soil management. Source: clo.co.uk |
| SKB | Soil Knowledge Development Foundation, established to promote innovation for soil management. Source: clo.co.uk |
| SO | Remediation Study. An investigation of remediation options was conducted, following the results of the further soil investigation. |
| SP | Remediation Plan. A remediation plan is a planned description of the remediation method and/or remediation techniques. |
| Emergency site | Soil contamination where there is an unacceptable risk (human, ecological or dispersal). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Emergency site | Site requiring urgent remediation or control. Determination of urgency is made using the Sanitation Criterion. The humane emergency sites in the working stock must be identified by 2010 and remediated or controlled by 2015. The remaining emergency sites (ecology, distribution) should be identified by 2015, including an indication of what measures have been or will be taken. The goal is to have the risks controlled at these sites as well by the end of 2015. Source: clo.co.uk |
| State property | Areas owned by the central government. These areas are managed by several agencies: the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (DLG and State Forestry Administration departments), the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (Department of Public Works) and the Ministry of Finance (Department of Domains). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Stable situation | A condition where the risk of spreading (residual) contamination is minimal. For small contamination, passive care is common, limited to registration only. Monitoring is mandatory if the contamination is large. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Static locations | Locations with little social or spatial development (versus dynamic locations). The approach to investigation and remediation here is determined by the environmental health situation. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Soil quality target values | Values for levels of substances (or substance groups) in soil at or below which there is good environmental quality and negligible risks to humans and ecosystems. The values depend on the organic matter and lutum content (content of particles smaller than 2 µm) in the soil. Source: clo.co.uk |
| SUS | Remediation Urgency System. This is a system within the old Wbb, which allows site-specific determination of whether the remediation of a case of serious soil contamination is urgent or non-urgent. SUS is the predecessor of the instrument Sanscrit. Source: clo.co.uk |
| T | Intermediate value: half the intervention value. Contamination higher than the intermediate value often means that further research is required into the measured contamination. |
| Setback value | The concentration to which the soil must be remediated as a minimum, and thus the upper limit of the concentration of a substance after remediation. The reclamation value is generally equal to the generic or local maximum value. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Temporary relocation | For example, “Temporary outstation 5 days. You see this with contaminated soil that does not need to be removed (excavated). The competent authority’s review period on what to do with an identified contamination is 5 days. For your information; for large contaminants, the assessment period is usually 5 weeks. |
| Time weighted average (TGG). | Time-weighted average over eight hours. Limit value for workers in the workplace. Workplace concentration is tested against the average concentration of an 8-hour workday. On a working day, concentrations higher than the limit value as a number may occur, provided that these higher values are offset by lower values that do not exceed the eight-hour average (the TGG). Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Permissible Concentration in Air (TCL). | Assessment value derived by RIVM. When humans are exposed to this concentration in air throughout their lives, no health damage is expected. Usually expressed in micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3).The TCL applies as the MTR for volatile compounds. |
| Route | A piece where people are going to work or have worked on such things as cables and pipes. So what one is going to dig open This can be a piece of a street with also a piece of another street (turning the corner) for example. |
| TRIADE | Tools for integrated assessment of ecological risks associated with soil contamination. The local pollution situation is thereby studied in conjunction from three fields of knowledge: chemistry (dust concentrations), toxicity (bioassays) and ecology (inventory of plants, animals, microorganisms and ecological processes). Source: clo.co.uk |
| UBI | Uniform Source Classification, with numeric codes for potentially soil polluting activities, arranged by industry sector. A classification was developed based on the expected contamination level (see Potentially Suspect). Source: clo.co.uk |
| UBI: | (Uniform Source Classification) is used to provide sources of soil contamination, primarily business activities, with a uniform and nationally used coding. The code is used to assign potentially contaminated sites a research priority. To this end, the model incorporates data on substances, risks and production processes for each UBI (read polluting activity). The activity most at risk for soil contamination is the Dominant UBI. |
| Urgent case of soil contamination to be remediated | The urgency determination was replaced as of 1-1-2007 by a determination of urgency according to the remediation criterion. Because of past decisions, they still play a role. A site must be remediated urgently if the urgency system has revealed an environmentally unacceptable situation (based on Wbb criteria for human, ecological and dispersion risks). A decision of urgency may have been issued because of established environmental urgency, but also for social reasons. This is usually done to speed up the procedure in cases of suspected environmental urgency. The decision sets the time by which remediation must be started (at least by 2015). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Suspected locations | Sites where, based on available information, soil contamination is suspected to be present, without actually being determined through soil testing. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Exploratory Research (VO). | An exploratory soil survey can determine with little effort whether soil contamination exists at a given location. The exploratory soil investigation can be viewed as a combination of a historical, field and laboratory investigation (as in HO and OO). In many cases, such a survey is conducted for the purpose of applying for a building permit or when purchasing or selling property. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Contamination contour | A listing of everything in a radius around a given address with contaminated soil (anything above intervention value), the substances with which the soil is contaminated and whether it is in topsoil or subsoil. With this, you can actually get a reasonable understanding of the soil conditions at a given plot in 1 eye view. |
| VO | Exploratory research |
| VOCL | Volatile Organic Chlorine Compounds. Used in chemical laundries, it is a very polluting, volatile and toxic substance that is highly mobile and can spread very easily. VOCL in the vicinity of a home are: alarm bells! |
| Complete remediation | Remediation performed on the entire site, with all remediation phases completed (as opposed to partial remediation in which part of the site is remediated or other remediation phases follow, e.g., for groundwater). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Information guideline value (VRW). | The air concentration of a substance that is most likely to be perceived as a nuisance by the exposed population, or above which mild health effects are possible for a one-hour exposure. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Freely applicable | Freely applicable means that if you are going to apply soil you can choose where you get it from as long as it is not of worse quality than the soil you are going to throw it on. You see this with PFAS, for example. “Based on the City of Amsterdam’s policy rules regarding PFAS, it appears that the soil is ‘PFOS/PFOA-free applicable.’ |
| Wbb | Soil Protection Act |
| Wbb | Soil Protection Act (1994). Source: clo.co.uk |
| Wbb budget | Budget provided by VROM under the Soil Protection Act (Wbb) to the competent authorities to deal with cases of soil contamination for which no private initiative is expected. After establishment of the Wsv, it is mainly used for approaches in rural areas. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Working stock | The collection of (potentially) seriously contaminated sites from the Land Cover Soil Contamination Survey, for which one or more steps in the process of investigation and remediation still need to be carried out. In 2004, the national working stock was 425,000 sites (baseline). At the end of 2009, approximately 40% of the work stock was completed (remediated, sufficiently investigated), 18% was in process (ongoing remediation, investigations, aftercare) and 42% of the suspected sites had not yet been investigated. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Wsv | Urban Renewal Act (2000). In this context, the ISV budget is made available. Source: clo.co.uk |
| Pocket layer | A layer of poorly soluble pollutant(s) with a specific gravity greater than water. These substances tend to undergo rapid vertical transport through well permeable soil layers and then horizontal outflow over a less well permeable layer. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Sink Pit | A pit in the ground, with no connection to the sewerage system, which was formerly used to drain sewage into the ground. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Duty of Care | Rule in soil legislation that requires a person who causes soil contamination to undo the contamination as much as possible. Source: rivm.co.uk |
| Duty of Care cases | New cases of soil contamination (mostly created after 1987), which must be immediately undone by the polluter. Source: clo.co.uk |
Advice from environmental consulting and research firm
Are you sitting with an issue on a piece of property. For example, do you want to be sure if the soil is clean and have a historical or exploratory soil survey done? Or do you need advice on reading a soil report? Then ask an environmental research firm for a remote opinion or to conduct an exploratory soil survey on site. As a nationwide real estate agency, we have several good environmental maintenance agencies sitting throughout the country that we work with. If you would like to get in touch with one of these consulting companies in your area, please fill out this form and we’ll put you in touch with them (free service from us).