Report on Soil Sealing in the EU

The European Commission has published a new report (overview of the best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27") on May 23, 2011, in which the Commission provides for suggestions, in which way soil sealing shall be limited. Soil sealing means that soil is covered with impermeable material, such as bitumen or concrete. This leads to an irrecoverable loss of the biological function of soil.

For a solution of the problem, a threefold approach is suggested in the report:
- Limitation of soil sealing,
- Containment of its effects, and
- Compensation of loss of precious soils through measures in other fields.

The results of this report will be part of a technical paper on soil sealing established by the Commission, which is currently being drafted with the aid of national experts. This paper will be a guideline for national, regional and local authorities for approved methods in limiting soil sealing and containing its effects. It shall be finished in the beginning of 2012.

Report (EN): http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/sealing/Soil%20sealing%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf

Source: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/624&format=HTML&aged=0&language=DE&guiLanguage=en