Soil values for the application of organic waste to agricultural land and the recylcling of mineral waste

When wastes are recycled, soil limit values should constitute an essential regulatory instrument for the establishment of admissible levels of pollutant inputs into soils. For the purpose of precautionary soil protection, inputs of unavoidable pollutants should correspond to the amount of output that can be regarded as harmless, at the lowest possible level. Such a level can be characterised by soil background values. Additional effect-related considerations are taken into account in order to derive soil precautionary values. This paper presents the conceptional framework of an approach for soil protection regarding application of waste to land. When wastes are recycled, soil limit values should constitute an essential regulatory instrument for the establishment of admissible levels of pollutant inputs into soils. For the purpose of precautionary soil protection, inputs of unavoidable pollutants should correspond to the amount of output that can be regarded as harmless, at the lowest possible level. Such a level can be characterised by soil background values. Additional effect-related considerations are taken into account in order to derive soil precautionary values. This paper presents the conceptional framework of an approach for soil protection regarding application of waste to land.