Managing risks and improving soil functions by Gentle Remediation Options (GRO)

Research Project, 2022 – 2025

Soil functions are critical for survival of both humans and ecosystems. Soil contamination hinders proper soil functioning. While managing risks to human health and the environment, gentle remediation options (GRO) has the potential to improve soil function and increase provision of ecosystem services at contaminated sites. GRO are low-cost low-impact nature-based solutions which use amendments, plants, bacteria, and fungi. Their field validations and demonstrations however remain scarce. GRO are feasible for treatment of large sites with elevated levels of contamination and no time pressure. Such sites are former plant nurseries contaminated with persistent organic pollutants, mainly DDX. In Sweden, there are 3700 contaminated plant nursery sites in need of remediation. The overall aim of the project is to evaluate the technical and economic possibilities of risk reduction and soil function improvement by GRO at DDX-contaminated sites. Specific objectives are to: (i) implement 8 GRO in field trials on the DDX-contaminated soil; (ii) evaluate risk reduction achieved by the different GRO and their effects on soil functions; and (iii) evaluate the socio-economic consequences of the GRO-strategies in comparison to conventional remediation.