pdf bestandActivities Report 2011 (2.8 MB)

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OVAM Activities Report

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pages 4-7 Foreword

pages 8-17 1. Managing tomorrow's raw materials today

pages 18-27 2. Working on liveable cities

• Interview with Administrator-General Henny De Baets

• OVAM celebrates its 30th birthday

• Historic decree gives legal basis to sustainable materials management

• Around the table for a green circular economy

• Roadmap points the way to the efficient use of raw materials in Europe

• Ecodesign.link: new website on sustainable product innovation

• New challenge: landfill mining

• Soil contamination in the city requires ingenious approach

• Hoedhaar site in Lokeren demonstrates sustainable remediation

• Soil remediation colours greener

• CityChlor finds European answer to urban pollution

• Aalst, Mechelen and Kortrijk test new type of partnership with OVAM

Colophon

Editor in chief and publisher:

Jan Verheyen Editorial board: Els De Picker, Sofie De Keyser, Veerle De Ridder, Anne D’Haese, Els Gommeren, Peter Nagels, Els Van Camp, Anne Vandeputte, Johan Vanerom

Concept, copywriting and layout:

Pantarein Photography: Jan Caudron, Derbigum,

Lieven Van Assche, OVAM, IOK Paper: cover: macosilk 300 g FSC Mix (FSC-QGS-CO6-004006), inside pages:

macosilk 135 g FSC Mix Legal registration number:

D/2012/5024/10 OVAM, Stationsstraat 110, 2800 Mechelen

Index

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OVAM Activities Report 2011

pages 28-35 3. A healthy living environment today and tomorrow

pages 36-41 4. Realising breakthroughs with custom solutions

pages 42-49 5. Good governance

pages 50-61 General overview of the year 2011

• Gasworks remediation programme takes shape

• OVAM pinpoints high-risk activities in drinking water extraction areas

• Clustered remediation of asbestos and zinc up to speed

• New European directive reduces environmental footprint of industry

• Closing material supply chains: sustainable materials management reaches fever pitch

• New approach to remediation saves abandoned business sites

• OVAM improves its effectiveness

• Digital era for soil inventory definitively arrives

• Waste management tools scrutinised

• Personnel

• Complaints management

• Financial data

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Mrs. De Baets, after 30 years, the Waste Decree made way for the new Materials Decree. The transition from managing waste to management that targets the sustainable use of materials and raw materials is now anchored in law. A milestone?

“The new Materials Decree replaces the Waste Decree of 1981. This change marks the end of an era, and heralds a completely new approach to waste products and materials based on the insights that have been obtained in recent years. In the eighties, the Waste Decree was ahead of its time, and at that time indeed brought order to the chaos. In the twenty-first century, however, the challenge is quite different.

For decades, waste was considered a

‘burden’.”

“Today, waste is no longer a problem, but rather a raw material for produc-

ing new products. We increasingly are monitoring the environmental effects throughout the entire life cycle, a cycle that starts with the extraction of raw materials and stops when a product is finally disposed of. This integral view of the material chain is the central focus of the Materials Decree. A next step is the new implementing order, which replaces the previous waste prevention and management implementing order, VLAREA. This order will contain detailed regulations with respect to implementing good materials management.”

“It is a major challenge: evolving toward a green circular economy in which waste products are reused. This is not an option, but an absolute neces- sity. Neither the government nor the business world can realise this breakthrough alone. To implement this form of management in practice, all actors must jump on the bandwagon: designers, companies, researchers, consumers, producers, waste processing firms, and so on. New partnerships, concepts and business models will be needed.

This new partnership dynamic is already strongly present in Plan C, the multi-actor platform that is made inde- pendent via the Materials Decree.”

“The fact that all actors understand the need for collaboration can be seen in the large turnout at the round-table discussions held on Sustainable Materi- als Policy that took place last year in June at the initiative of Flemish Min- ister for Environment, Nature and Cul- ture Joke Schauvliege; with more than 200 participants from almost all rel-

evant sectors, it was a major success.

This round table was a symbolic mo- ment, because all participants signed a declaration of intent to work together in realising sustainable materials management. Thus, all are pulling in the same direction. We will take another step forward in the coming year with a Materials Pact. This will contain agreements on concrete targets, time frames and spearheads.”

The Flemish government has made sustainable materials management one of the thirteen major societal challenges within its Flanders in Action (ViA) programme.

OVAM is the pioneer in this

‘transverse’ theme. How are you giving concrete form to meeting this challenge?

“We find it a good thing that sustainable materials management has been designated as a transverse theme. This in fact means that we all believe that this theme, together with twelve other themes, will place us among the top in Europe. A transition requires vision, action and research. Plan C prepares a vision for the future, and the Mate- rials Pact will result in actions based on concrete campaigns and projects.

Finally, the Sustainable Materials Man- agement Centre, which was established this year, will conduct policy relevant research for four years into the preconditions needed to realise the transition to a material-efficient, circular economy.”

➜_Foreword

OVAM turned thirty in 2011. Henny De Baets has been at the helm since 2005. “Like all government agencies, we are only credible when we offer appropriate answers to society’s questions. Thus, we must remain alert, and – with our sights trained on society – continually in motion.”

Interview with Administrator-

General Henny De Baets

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“Working on this transverse theme in fact is an OVAM-wide endeavour. One of these umbrella projects is Landfill Mining (LFM), a concept for sustainably mining of landfill sites. Because aspects of waste, materials and soil management converge here, all OVAM departments are participating in this project. The integration of almost all of our expertise is necessary to detect- ing the potential for mining, executing concrete projects in the framework of ex-officio remediation, and developing the right preconditions to ensure the concept’s sustainability. In short, to make LFM a feasible and realistic concept over time.”

How important is innovation, both now and in the future?

“It is clear that ingenious solutions are needed to unravel problems that at first glance perhaps appear unsolvable. In the past years, OVAM has been conducting pioneering work in this area. Take for example the chain management project related to carpets. These types of breakthrough projects, that emerge from and are initiated together with the sectors, will largely determine the success of materials management. For that matter, we are now in the process of rolling out this methodology to other sectors such as plastics and food. I view innovation primarily as a means at our disposal to concretely implement the transition.”

“This, however, does not mean that we need to reinvent the wheel in each case.

We can also learn from the initiatives of

others, for example from foreign partners. The European project Cradle to Cradle Network, for example, contains no less than 160 cases related to chain management. Methodologies or techniques that work well elsewhere can also be applied to the Flemish context, and vice versa. Four of our network partners for example will be using our Ecolizer, a handy tool for designers who wish to make use of sustainable materials. A nice benefit of this project is that it is also a source of cross-fertilisation.”

“It is for good reason that we signed a co-operation agreement with VITO last year. We committed ourselves to working together on a green, circular economy. Each based on its own approach: VITO as research centre with expertise in materials and soil management, OVAM as policymaker with considerable experience with these themes.

The goal: offering Flemish companies concrete projects, tools and platforms to increase their eco-efficiency and eco- innovation.”

Sustainable materials management is a hot topic, and the object of considerable attention. Does this mean that waste policy will fade into the background?

“Certainly not. The efficient management of waste streams, even if these shrink in size, remains essential.

Waste management, however, will also change under the impulse of the new vision. For this reason, a number of our tools are in need of revision. Re-

finement of the tools related to waste policy – levies, acceptance obligations, subsidies, the list goes on – is one of the action items we initiated last year.

With modified and possibly new instruments, we will soon be better equipped to improve the results of our waste policy. Last year at Flemish level we again achieved the goal of maximum 150 kilo- grams of residual waste per resident. In

itself this is a good result, but stagna- tion is something we prefer to avoid.

For this reason, in the coming years we will be focusing on the municipalities that are lagging behind, to help them realise better results with respect to waste management. Tackling litter, an eyesore for many citizens, is also a high priority. The Tidiness network must become the linchpin in an integrated litter policy. The top position we have achieved internationally with our waste policy, must certainly be nourished.

However, we have also set the bar high for materials policy: we also wish to quickly become an excellent student in the European class in this new policy field.”

“We can also learn from the initiatives of others,

for example from

foreign partners”

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➜_Foreword

Materials policy is a classic example of a policy that develops alongside societal trends. How is the other OVAM arm – the sustainable management of soil – keeping pace with new evolutions?

“Soil remediation previously was a problem, plain and simple. But because space in Flanders is becoming increasingly scarce, another perspective was needed. Today we view soil remediation as an opportunity to give neglected sites a new function: for housing, work- places, for the care sector, as play- ground, the list goes on. Soil remediation as lever: based on this vision, the way in which we handle our ex-officio remediation projects has evolved sub- stantially. We adapt our work to the plans of developers as much as possible. It is also a question of efficiency:

why dig the same hole twice, when you can co-ordinate the digging with each other? On Company Open Door Day, we presented two of these positive sto- ries: the remediation of Carcoke (Zee- brugge) and Hoedhaar (Lokeren).”

“For the difficult cases, the so-called blackfields where the redevelopment cost exceeds the value of the land, last year we established Saninvest together with Flemish venture capital company PMV. This new funding mechanism is intended to help us clean and give a new future to urban eyesores that no one wishes to tackle. The first series of test cases will be started during the coming year. We also wish to facilitate and accelerate the remediation efforts of other sites. There are, for example, companies, government institutions and organisations that manage numer- ous contaminated grounds. With company specific agreements, we offer them a multi-year action plan in which the remediation work is spread out in time and prioritised. Last year, we con- cluded such agreements with the Roads and Traffic Agency and with the Ministry of Defence.”

“Another theme close to our heart is the quality of life in our cities. For example, the programme that we established around the remediation of gasworks is focused on this aspect. The European project CityChlor that we are coordinating, is seeking solutions to specific soil remediation needs in cit-

ies, a problem that occurs throughout Europe. What is the technical solution to such a complex problem, but also:

how should one communicate about this, and what types of organisational efforts are required? These types of new methodologies help us to deal more efficiently with urban contamination and obtain a better result.”

Is OVAM well equipped to handle all of these new challenges?

“It is a challenge in itself to permeate all of our departments and activities with the new philosophy behind this materials policy. Not only with respect to substance, but also in terms of organisational structure. The switch to materials policy demands a change in mentality at all levels. A materials approach after all, more so than waste products, requires open collaboration – both internal and external. OVAM is strongly dependent on other sectors for realising the objectives related to sustainable materials management. In 2011, all managers followed a cultural programme to inculcate the new philosophy in all branches of our organisa- tion. Over time, each OVAM employee will follow this cultural programme.

Such a change in culture will not take place overnight. It will take time.”

“Good governance is a priority in any case. We are continually working on providing efficient and quality services to our target groups. We have sub- scribed to the Flemish multiannual programme ‘Competitive Government’, but also place the same emphases within our own projects. An efficient approach to ex-officio soil remediation, the recovery plan for the soil remediation sector, optimisation of the municipal surveys related to household waste products, providing soil certificates and reports in digital form with Mistral ...

Thanks to our new planning and monitoring tool, we also have a much better view of the progress of projects, of the effort of personnel. We are also ration- alising the support processes. We for example have examined our management support services thoroughly with a view toward cost savings.”

“Our maturity scores show that we are on the right track. The Flemish gov-

ernment aims to be among the best performing, effective and efficient in all of Europe by 2020. In this context, all entities of the Flemish government must obtain a maturity score of three by the end of 2011. OVAM obtained this score across the line, and for a number of themes we even surpassed the goals, with a score of four. This placed us fifth in the Flemish government, a nice result.”

OVAM can boast of 30 years of experience. Does history give you confidence as you look into the future?

“Most certainly, I look to the future with full confidence. Even though there will be challenging times. In the past years, we laid the foundation for sustainable materials management. Now we have to make it happen, together with our partners. In the summer, 30 organisations will conclude the Materi- als Pact and thus commit themselves to concrete actions. I have no illusions: a transition is a gradual process and there is still much work to do, regarding the development of our partnership and in working together with the sectors.”

“My motto is: standing still is the same as moving backwards, and our driver for change is societal relevance. The expertise and experience that we have gained in the last 30 years gives us a solid base to develop the right solutions for the new issues of tomorrow.”

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46 companies opened their

doors around the theme of

‘Materials in Movement’

The festivities began on 2 October 2011 on Company Open Door Day with a focus on the theme of ‘Materials in Move- ment’.

In the OVAM offices in Mechelen and at two of the largest remediation sites, visitors could learn all there was to know about sustainable materials management. Nearly fifty companies participat- ed and opened their doors to the general public. At the sites of Hoedhaar in Lo- keren and Carcoke in Zeebrugge, visitors saw with their own eyes how sustainable soil remediation is executed in the field.

OVAM welcomed no less than 1,500 visitors at the three sites.

In the run-up to Company Open Door Day and OVAM’s 30 year celebration, Flem- ish Minister for Environment, Nature and Culture Joke Schauvliege presented the

‘Materials in Movement’ Award. The jury praised construction company Beneens and Sons from Olen for the integration of closed material cycles in its operations.

The audience award went to the Van Gansewinkel Group. The waste services provider and raw material and energy provider from Evergem strives to convert all waste products back to raw materials and, in partnership with companies, to take maximum account, already in the design phase, of their recycling at the end of the product life cycle.

International congress

‘How to build a bridge between the last 30 years and the coming 30 years?’ This was the central question at the interna-

tional congress ‘Innovation and Partner- ship in Waste, Soil and Materials’ held on 6 October 2011. 30 years of waste and soil policy was reviewed based on film fragments and presentations. Together with its partners and 300 attendees, OVAM reflected on the future of waste, materials and soil policy in Flanders.

30 years of OVAM in a book

Not the future, but the historical background to the establishment of OVAM, is the central theme of the book ‘De Open- bare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij in historisch perspectief [OVAM in His- torical Perspective]’. Torsten Feys of the Institute for Public History at Ghent Uni- versity sketches the social background and the ever-evolving understanding of the problem of waste and soil contamination. The result is a well-written book

that can be downloaded via the OVAM website.

On the occasion of its birthday, OVAM also inaugurated the website www.30jaarovam.be. In an interactive exhibition and timeline, video fragments, photos, articles and testimonials of partners evoke memories of the past 30 years. In a single glance, visitors are able to view the milestones in waste and soil policy of the past 30 years. A worthy historical document that makes a link between the vision then and the insights of today.

All info: www.30jaarovam.be

For OVAM, 2011 will enter the history books as a pivotal year. OVAM celebrated not only its

thirtieth birthday last year, but also the birth of the new Materials Decree, which drastically redefined our approach to waste products and materials. This double birthday was celebrated in style at OVAM with a festive programme featuring many themes close to our heart.

OVAM celebrates its 30th birthday

From left to right: Ann Van Doren (Director of Company Open Door Day), Henny De Baets (Administrator- General OVAM), Karel Beneens (Managing Director Beneens and Sons, and laureate of the ‘Materials in Movement’ Award), Wim Geens (General Manager of Van Gansewinkel, laureate of the ‘Materials in Movement audience award), Flemish Minister for Environment, Nature and Culture Joke Schauvliege, Marc Van den Bosch (Adviser Flanders Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman MINA Council and Chairman

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Materials are literally the building blocks of our society: we need them to live, to communicate, to travel, to work and to relax. Materials, however, are finite, and growing demand has driven prices sky high. Only a green circular economy, in which materials are reused, can ensure enough raw materials for the future. OVAM takes up the challenge and works together with designers, producers, research-

ers and consumers on the sustain- able materials management of to- morrow.

Historic decree gives legal basis to sustainable materials

management

Around the table for a green circular economy

Roadmap points the way to the efficient use of raw

materials in Europe Ecodesign.link: new

website on sustainable product innovation

New challenge: landfill mining

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➜_{Chapter 1}

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Crucial materials will become scarce, and this could happen faster than we think. Rising raw material prices are already driving the production costs for companies sky high. Rudy Meeus, De- partment Head of Waste and Materials Management: “The new Materials De- cree shows how we can meet these challenges. The starting point is no longer:

how can we manage waste products with the least amount of damage to people and environment? The key question is rather, how can we produce, use and consume materials as efficiently and effectively as possible. Or: how can we optimally manage our material cycles so that these materials can be recycled permanently?”

From extraction to disposal

John Wante, Unit Head Policy Innova- tion: “The Materials Decree starts from an entirely new policy concept. Where previously the focus was on preventing waste and on environmentally friendly management, we will now approach material cycles in their totality. The point of departure is that we view products across their entire life cycle. This begins with the reclamation or extraction of a raw material and only ends when a material is definitively disposed of. Through- out this entire cycle, the environmental impact must be as small as possible.”

“When, however, can we speak of a raw material? And when does this raw material become waste? The Materials Decree defines clear criteria for this. The decree also confirms the materials management hierarchy that Flanders has maintained for years concerning waste products.

Prevention and reuse are given priority over recycling. Material recycling is preferable to high-yield energy applica- tions. The latter in turn are preferable to low energy efficiency incineration and landfilling. New is the fact that producers are given broader responsibility. In addition to the acceptance obligation for waste products, producers can now also be held responsible in other ways for the recycling or waste processing of their product, for the sustainability of their design and production process”, says John Wante.

Living instrument

Parallel to the decree, the Flemish government approved the new VLAREMA implementing order at the beginning of 2012. The decree and implementing order will come into force on 1 June 2012. “VLAREMA replaces the earlier VLAREA and contains detailed provisions on (special) waste products, raw materials, selective collection, transport, the registration obligation and the extended producer responsibility”, explains John Wante. “The order is a living instrument, which will be gradually adapted when the practice of materials management re- veals new needs.”

Innovative materials policy requires more than regulation and levies, emphasises John Wante. “Transition networks and projects in which companies, community- based organisations and knowledge insti-

tutions participate, are equally essential.

The Materials Decree makes possible the independence of Plan C. This transition network aims to make possible, via diverse experiments and initiatives, concrete breakthroughs toward a sustainable materials society, and soon place Flanders on the European map as green economy.”

Download the brochure on the decree Sustainable Materials Management via

www.ovam.be/materialenbeleid

The new Materials Decree was ratified on 23 December 2011. The new decree ensures the young discipline of materials management a firm foundation in Flanders. Our approach to waste products and materials has thus been radically redefined.

Historic decree gives legal basis to sustainable materials management

4 spearheads of the new Materials Decree

The new decree:

1. Lays the foundation for better closing the material cycles in Flanders;

2. Makes possible a green purchasing policy on the part of government;

3. Gives a green light to Plan C, a cooperative venture between companies, knowledge institutions, societal organisations and government agencies;

4. Closes the door on exporting unsorted waste abroad, which can have a harmful effect on Flanders's own processing industry.

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 The ViA theme of Sustainable Materi-

als Management is being given form via three pillars that reinforce each other:

Plan C, an action programme and the Sustainable Materials Management Centre.

1. How will we be dealing with mate- rials in 2050? This is the key ques- tion addressed in Plan C, a learning network around sustainable materials management that brings together innovators from all segments of society. Together they are developing a long-term vision and setting up innovative experiments.

2. Shifting to a higher gear. At a more operational level, a steering com- mittee of public and private actors is developing the Flemish Materials Programme in a participative process. This is intended to quicken the change to sustainable materials management.

3. On 1 January 2012, the Sustain- able Materials Management Centre started operations. In the coming four years it will be investigating the economic, policy and societal preconditions that must be fulfilled to realise the transition to a material-efficient circular economy.

Materials are strategically important to Flanders. Hence, the Flemish government has made sustainable materials management one of the thirteen major societal challenges within its Flanders in Action (ViA) programme. With OVAM as conductor, Flanders intends to belong to the European hit parade by 2020.

Around the table for a green circular economy

First Sustainable Materials Management round table

On 6 June 2011, Flanders took a symbolic step in the transition to sustainable materials management with a first Sustainable Materials Management round table discussion. 33 organisations from government, industry, research and community-based organisations committed themselves to work together to develop in one year’s time an ambitious programme with adequate support. This plan describes very concretely the incentives and actions needed to place Flanders on the Sustainable Materials Management map by 2020. To be continued, because at a second round table to be held on 6 June 2012, OVAM and its partners will present this programme. This at the same time will be the start signal to begin implementation of these measures.

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➜_{Chapter 1}

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OVAM and research centre VITO are no strangers. They have been working together for years in the field of waste and soil management. This partnership has received a new dynamism with the signing by Flemish ministers Joke Schauvliege (Environment) and Ingrid Lieten (Innovation) of the new strategic agreement between OVAM and VITO. Object of the agreement: increasing eco-efficiency and eco-innovation in the Flemish business world.

Tandem

Both partners will be executing projects together and improving coordi- nation. While the enhanced collaboration between VITO and OVAM is still in the start phase, there are already a number of concrete initiatives underway within the framework of the new agreement. Illustrative of this is the development of the OVAM Ecolizer 2.0, for which VITO provided the ba- sic scientific data. OVAM and VITO also worked together on Company Open Door Day. Together, they presented a

documentary on Sustainable Materials Management that attracted considerable interest at both locations.

Eco-efficiency scan with follow-up

Another example: the recent upgrad- ing of the eco-efficiency scans tai- lored to the interested sectors, which companies can have performed free of charge. Such a scan examines how companies can improve their performance economically as well as eco-

logically. The company receives a list with possibilities for improvement, with which it can then go to work. Now it can also opt for a subsidised follow- up phase, with concrete recommendations on specific measures by VITO. In 2011, the ship repair sector as well as chocolate and biscuit companies could register for the programme. Other sectors will be eligible in 2012.

Making the economy thoroughly sustainable: a commitment that OVAM cannot realise alone. For this reason, it is bundling its experience with the expertise of the other materials expert, VITO.

A strategic cooperation agreement was signed on 4 May 2011.

OVAM and VITO to work together to implement green circular economy

“OVAM and VITO also worked together

on Company Open Door Day. Together,

they presented a documentary on Sustainable Materials

Management”

Henny De Baets (OVAM) and Dirk Fransaer (VITO) sign the cooperation agreement in the presence of Flemish Minister for Environment, Nature and Culture Joke Schauvliege and Flemish Minister for Innovation Ingrid Lieten.

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 With the Memorandum of Understand-

ing, OVAM and KECO formally agree to organise a biennial workshop, to be held alternately in Mechelen and in Seoul. At this forum and during company visits, both parties will exchange knowledge and information related to the sustainable management of waste, materials and soil.

Danny Wille: “The world economy is shifting unmistakably in the direction of Asia. Flanders may not miss this boat. With this memorandum of understanding, we are raising Flemish management of waste, materials and soil to an international level. In KECO we

have found an exceptionally interesting partner that can smooth the way to the Asian market for Flemish companies.

Flemish companies in the waste and soil sector are among the best in the world.

Their expertise is widely sought in the emerging economies of Asia. Hence this partnership opens up many opportunities. Important here is that the partners are collaborating on an equal foot- ing and that both Flanders and South Korea are able to reap the benefits”, emphasises Danny Wille. “For the South Koreans, it is important to understand our vision on waste products and materials, and gain insight into the European regulations on producer responsibility.”

South Korea is a global manufacturer of electric and electronic consumer goods, and is eager for its production to be more environmentally friendly.

Danny Wille: “Both KECO and OVAM strive for sustainable consumption and production. Like Flanders, and Europe in general, South Korea has experi- enced strong industrialisation and is faced with an increasing shortage of raw materials. Thus we are facing simi- lar societal problems, and greater collaboration is a logical step.”

At the end of last year, OVAM and Korean Environment Corporation (KECO) – OVAM’s peer in South Korea – signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Danny Wille, General Manager of OVAM:

“In KECO, we have found an equal partner that can open up the Asian continent to Flemish companies.”

OVAM and Korean KECO join hands

Group photo after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding

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➜_{Chapter 1}

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Europe is faced with a twofold task:

stimulating growth to create jobs and well-being for its citizens, and ensuring that this growth does not endanger the sustainable future of our children and grandchildren. For Europe’s economy to sustainably grow, its entire society must fundamentally change: energy, industry, transport, consumer behaviour, technology ...

The Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe shows how we can transform these challenges into opportunities.

Charging for pollution and the use of raw materials

“The roadmap takes a broad view”, says Mieke De Schoenmakere, Unit Head Policy Team Europe at OVAM. The roadmap indeed does not speak merely of reducing the use of raw materials, but also urges a more fundamental revolution in the way we produce and consume. Governments must shift the tax burden from labour to contamination and the use of resources. Prices need to reflect the real costs of the use of raw materials, including the costs for environment and health. This should stimulate companies to invest in eco-innovation and ecodesign, which in turn will prompt consumers to purchase sustainable products.

Cross-border collaboration

Huge differences in waste and materials policy exist among European countries. While a country such as Greece still disposes of the lion’s share of its waste in landfills, Flanders recycles 80% of its waste. Some countries thus have much work to do in realising the turnaround toward a resource-efficient Europe. Mieke De Schoenmakere: “Yet, the benefits are enormous: by processing demolition waste into building material, for example, the savings are huge. While our country has already taken such steps to deal more sustainably with resources, we’re not there yet. Resource efficiency after all, in- cludes more than this. I see here many opportunities for cross-border collaboration, such as that which is already taking place today in the European C2C network.”

Transition to resource-efficient Europe

In the past years, OVAM has been able to put its expertise and experience to good use in the policy preparations for the roadmap. During the Belgian presi- dency of the European Union in 2010, the Flemish Region placed sustainable materials policy high on the agenda.

And now that the roadmap exists, OVAM is determined to continue to push for change. “The European Commission will prepare appropriate policy and legislative proposals to implement the plan. Member States, however, must take action at country level. This means taking new measures around the more efficient use of resources, with efforts from the business world and contribu- tions on the part of consumers. And this is precisely what we are now working hard on in Flanders”, concludes Mieke De Schoenmakere.

On 20 September 2011, the European Commission presented its roadmap to make the efficient use of resources standard throughout Europe by 2050.

Roadmap points the way to

the efficient use of raw materials

in Europe

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 Together with nine other European or-

ganisations, last year OVAM completed the Interreg IVC project ‘Cradle to Cradle Network’ (C2CN). The project’s finale, however, was by no means the last word.

Instead of merely limiting waste and emissions, it is much better to close the entire resource cycle. This is the essence of Cradle to Cradle (C2C): the gradual shift from eco-efficiency to eco-efficacy.

But is C2C more than a smart concept?

How to introduce it in industry, the design world, the building sector, in spa- tial planning? And what challenges does this entail? Ten European organisations are convinced of the power of C2C, and showed each other how they effectively implemented in practice a concept that has been discussed extensively. For two years, the ‘Cradle to Cradle Network’

was a fascinating web of active C2C actors, who exchanged inspiring case studies.

Intelligent links

But how can all of these ideas result in greater eco-efficacy for Flemish companies? Last year, OVAM organised Flemish C2C consultations. A broad and animated discussion with the Flemish actors on the results of C2CN yielded an action plan and a Flemish policy framework. The goal: to foster C2C actions in Flemish policy and the business world. What is OVAM planning with respect to C2C?

Walter Tempst, Project Manager Policy Innovation at OVAM: “The European network has supplied us with a range of C2C possibilities, including not only techno- logical innovations, but also new forms of cooperation, processes and procedures.

Best practices are usually context specific, meaning that a ‘copy-paste’ approach is generally not possible. For this reason, OVAM made an intelligent link between Flemish projects already underway and two best practices from the network.

One project aims at the better and more sustainable use of materials in SMEs using material scans. The second project con- cerns setting up a platform around waste streams. The source of inspiration: the platform created by the British National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP).”

Practical guide

To shift C2C into a higher gear in Flan- ders, however, more is needed than in- dividual projects. “We wish to structur- ally include eco-efficacy into policy and the business world. The actors together developed a policy framework, in fact a practical guide with reference points for those who wish to take action. C2C in education, knowledge development and financing are but a few of the recommendations.” To keep the European interchange alive, OVAM is presently studying ways in which the C2C network can be made permanent and embedded in materials policy.

Identikit C2C Network

Period: 2010-2011

C2C Network project partners: Province of Limburg (NL), OVAM (BE), Metropoli- tan Milan Development Agency (IT), Department for Economic and Tourism Development of the City of Graz (AT), ARDI Regional Agency for Development and Innovation Design Center (FR), Kanuun Etu Ltd (FI), West-Transdan- ubian Regional Development Agency (WTRDA) (HU), Suffolk County Council (UK), North-East Regional Development Agency (RO), Government Office for Development and European Affairs (SI) Budget: € 2,479,234, of which

€ 1,905,167 was financed by Europe.

www.c2cn.eu

“It is much better to close the entire resource cycle.

This is the essence of Cradle to Cradle (C2C): the

gradual shift from eco- efficiency to eco-efficacy”

European network results in Flemish C2C plan

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➜_{Chapter 1}

.16

OVAM Activities Report 2011OVAM Activities Report 2011

By taking account of the environmental impact, and examining the entire life cycle of the product (or service), designers can limit to a minimum the environmental burden of their design.

Ecodesign is high on OVAM’s agenda, and has already resulted in many re- markable initiatives. The development of Ecolizer and Ecolizer 2.0, the or- ganisation of the Ecodesign Awards for professional designers and students, conducting studies, and organising workshops on ecodesign: expertise and experience has grown year after year.

This treasure trove of information has now been brought together on the Ecodesign.link website.

LinkedIn

All the target groups in the production chain can consult the website for a clear overview of all OVAM tools and knowledge around ecodesign. The site aims to inform organisations and de-

signers, but also to raise awareness and facilitate their work around ecodesign. At the same time, Ecodesign.link is the motor for engaging in new forms of collaboration, conducting innovative research and setting up pilot projects.

Hence, a strong link with the needs of, and feedback from, the target groups is vital. And the site attempts to realise this, among others via an ecodesign group on social network site LinkedIn.

Sustainable business

Also new is the ‘OVAM Sustainable In- novation System Toolkit’. The OVAM SIS Toolkit is an instrument to stimulate sustainable innovation and ecodesign, within a company or within the design process of a specific product.

The toolkit emerged from requests in the field. Designers and companies indi- cated a real need for concrete information on sustainable product innovation:

not only concerning the environmental impact of products, but also to obtain insight into the other advantages of ecodesign, including the financial, hu- man, social, natural and intellectual aspects. In addition, designers were also looking for advice concerning how to communicate all of these advantages, and how to negotiate with the client or the commissioning authority for their project. Generally the financial aspect has top priority. With the OVAM SIS Toolkit, designers and companies now have a tool with which they can verify that their design meets the am- bition and the needs of their client at all possible levels: environment, company, user, society.

OVAM is presently developing a programme to distribute the OVAM SIS Toolkit.

www.ovam.be/ecodesignlink

17 January 2012 was the official opening of the OVAM Ecodesignlink.be website. Here

designers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs and companies can find information and instruments related to sustainable product innovation.

Ecodesign.link: new website on sustainable product innovation

“Ecodesign.link is the motor for engaging in new

forms of collaboration, conducting innovative research, and setting up

pilot projects. A strong link with the needs of and

feedback from the target

groups is vital”

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 There are 1,700 old landfills spread

out across Flanders. It is estimated that half of these would contain use- able materials. These can be recuperated or, if the recycling of materials is not possible, used to generate energy.

This application is called Landfill Min- ing (LFM).

What are the advantages of LFM?

Eddy Wille, LFM Project Coordinator:

“Until recently, a landfill had a dis- tinctly negative connotation. Given the impact on environment and space, the practice of landfilling waste has been increasingly abandoned during the past decades. With LFM, we turn this vision around: how can we make use of existing landfills and make them compat- ible with our primary needs concerning space, drinkable water and materials?”

Luk Umans, LFM Project Manager:

“LFM is also viewed from a different perspective. While there might be materials that cannot be recuperated or recycled today, this might be possible in the future. So perhaps a more sustainable option is to only mine certain landfills when the technology exists to produce high-grade products from ‘difficult’ waste, instead of mining them today when they can only be used to produce energy. From this point of view, landfills are actually the store- houses of tomorrow.”

Eddy Wille: “In the present societal debate, a tension exists between the imminent shortage of energy and the need for materials. It is not inconceiv- able that in the future, the material shortage will obtain the upper hand.”

What role does OVAM aim to play?

Luk Umans: “LFM is a relatively new concept, one for which little expertise exists, also at international level. For this reason we wish, together with all players, to develop a long-term perspective. OVAM aims to be the pioneer, to investigate together with stakehold- ers how we can make optimum use of landfills. In May 2011, OVAM launched a workshop on LFM. More than eighty experts from Belgium and abroad searched for possible paths to a future for LFM.”

Eddy Wille: “The fact that OVAM ex- pects much from LFM is also reflected in the vision statement and the project structure proposal approved by the OVAM board at the end of 2011.

The first task: obtaining a better view of the potential for landfills. Are there exploitable waste products present, and is it feasible to mine them? We will then investigate the LFM possibilities in a number of pilot projects linked to ex- officio remediation operations at old landfills. This will allow us to get a feel for the concept.”L

Presentations and the report of the workshop can be viewed at www.ovam.be (keyword LFM).

A landfill is no longer the final stage, but rather a source of materials and energy. In 2011, OVAM further unravelled the concept of Landfill Mining (LFM), or the extraction of resources from old landfills. In the coming year, it will be looking for international partners to set up a research programme together.

New challenge: landfill mining

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2

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Public transport, education, culture, climate ... A city's quality of life has multiple aspects, not the least of which is the environment. OVAM contributes to healthy cities, cities in which it is

good to live and work.

Soil contamination in the city requires ingenious approach

Hoedhaar site in Lokeren demonstrates sustainable

remediation

Soil remediation colours greener

CityChlor finds European answer to urban pollution

Aalst, Mechelen and Kortrijk test new type of partnership with OVAM

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➜_{Chapter 2}

.20

Soil remediation in an urban setting is often a precarious undertaking. Pol- lutants are often present in city gar- dens, in an inner courtyard, even under buildings. In these cases, the traditional excavation techniques provide no solution. “In cities, the process of soil remediation must push back its boundaries”, says Anke Debeuf, File Coordinator for Remediation Projects and Disposals. “Remediation workers are usually required to employ an on- site remediation technique. They must also take account of the residents: pro- tracted noise and visual hindrance must be kept to a minimum. For this reason, in such cases, innovation should be en- couraged as much as possible.”

Eddy Wille, Department Head Inter- ventions, Disposals and Remediations:

“OVAM’s resolute choice to encourage

innovation fits perfectly in the Flemish and European policy picture. Stimulat- ing new soil remediation techniques is one of the spearheads in the policy document of Flemish Minister for En- vironment, Nature and Culture, Joke Schauvliege. Moreover, innovation is one of the pillars of Flanders in Action, the programme that aims at injecting innovation into the Flemish knowledge economy.”

Tip of the iceberg

Many contaminated grounds in Flemish city centres are inhabited. These often are the sites of factories that have long since disappeared, and whose precise location is unknown. Since contamination in these residential areas can entail risks, OVAM actively searches for

these sites. It does so by conducting inventory studies itself, and by support- ing cities and municipalities in prepar- ing the municipal inventory. OVAM then initiates soil surveys on the identified, potentially contaminated residential areas, in order to give residents a view of the quality of their soil. Some 600 families benefited from this approach in 2011.

Competition with jury

In 2011, OVAM tested several innovative methods on contaminated sites where remediation using the standard methods appeared to be impossible. This innovation already begins with the procurement process. For remediation of a site contaminated with organochlo- rides at Sint-Laureisstraat in Antwerp,

Contaminated grounds saddle residents not only with health risks, but the needed soil remediation

work often also entails nuisance. The good news: such a precarious situation can be the ideal breeding ground for ingenuity. This was demonstrated by OVAM in 2011 with a handful of successful remediation operations.

Soil contamination in the city

requires ingenious approach

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 OVAM took inspiration from the build-

ing sector. Peter Nagels, Staff Member Interventions, Disposals and Remedia- tions: “In order to attract as many remediation companies as possible, the procurement process was in the form of a contest. In a ‘performance specification’, OVAM established only the remediation goals. The tendering party itself decides how this will actually be done. A jury with representatives of OVAM and experts from the scientific world judged the proposals. While this is a common procedure for construction projects, it was a premiere for ex-officio soil remediation projects.”

Eddy Wille: “Our country has a clear need for innovative remediation techniques for contamination with VOCl, chlorinated solvents. Flemish companies made diverse project proposals based on their own investigations or experiences abroad. This resulted in a multitude of innovative ideas related to soil testing as well as remediation technology.”

High-tech scan

This innovation could also be seen in the soil remediation work itself. Thus, thoroughgoing selective demolition techniques are increasingly being applied when dismantling and demolish- ing buildings. In Lokeren, the use of an innovative measurement technique allowed the demolition to be done more efficiently and more rationally.

Kathleen de Muer, Project Manager Ex-officio Remediations: “For the demolition of the factory buildings at the Hoedhaar site in Lokeren, we identified all the waste products on the grounds.

Samples gave us insight into the level of contamination of walls, ceilings, floors and other inert materials in the buildings. We also made use of a portable XRF unit that analyses in less than one minute whether the soil or a building contains heavy metals. This allows the contractor to perform multiple scans, and thus arrive at a more detailed view of the contamination. Armed with this information, the demolition could be done in a more targeted way, without mixing clean and contaminated building rubble.”

In a built-on environment, excavation is also not always self-evident. Anke Van Noyen, Project Manager Ex-officio Remediation: “At a former bus depot in Brecht, an underground storage tank had begun to leak. The mineral oil had seeped into the ground under the public road, right next to a block of flats.

We were unable to use traditional excavation techniques since the ground was a tangle of cabling and pipes. More- over, the operation contained risks to the stability of the apartment building.

Thus we needed to find an alternative remediation method.” This presented itself in the form of a soil vacuum that sucks up contaminated ground via a hose. “The advantage? The vacuum hose is very flexible and thus is also capable of excavating soil in difficult

to reach spaces or in grounds contain- ing many obstacles.” A groundbreaking technology that allowed the remediation work to be completed safely.

Poisonous cocktail

In the past, a major fire devastated the site of solvent processing firm Biochim in Machelen. A highly poisonous cocktail of thousands of litres of chemicals entered the soil and the groundwater.

For the remediation of this complex and hazardous contamination, OVAM conducted a number of tests: on-site vacuum extraction and selective excavation in a closed environment. To this end, OVAM applied for the first time the catalytic oxidation technique. Katrien Van de Wiele, Project Manager Brown- fields: “The contractor constructed a temporary hangar over the contaminated ground in which the air quality was continuously measured, extracted and ventilated. The extremely high levels of contamination and the associ- ated danger of explosion necessitated special safety and health measures. For this reason, during the excavation and transport work, the zone could only be entered by those wearing a compressed air breathing apparatus. The harmful gases released with the excavation were incinerated immediately at tem- peratures between 350° and 500°. This process is unique in the Flemish soil remediation sector, and in the future will be applied again to other remediation operations.”

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From 1900 to 1960, the animal hair processing firm NV Hoedhaar in the centre of Lokeren processed rabbit skins for the hat industry. Mercury was used to detach the hair from the skin. This substance seeped into the ground, re- sulting in far-reaching contamination.

The site lay untouched for years. The start of soil remediation work in 2011 heralded the turnabout for this urban cancer.

Solar energy

In this remediation project, OVAM de- molished the buildings of the old company, removed the asbestos, and applied chemical cleaning techniques to the demolition waste. The old waste products were given a new life as fill and foundation material or they were

used to generate energy. All activities at the Hoedhaar site were fully pow- ered by solar energy and the site offices were heated with a pellet stove.

The green energy is used not only for all electrical devices in the shed – from coffee maker to computers – but also for lighting.

➜_{Chapter 2}

.22

Removing the contamination is one thing. Contemporary remediation, however, aims at much more: tailoring the work to the future intended use of the site, minimising the ecological footprint, involving disciplines such as archaeology, allowing people living in the vicinity to inspect the work ... At the Hoedhaar site in Lokeren, such a sustainable remediation project laid the foundation for a new, green residential site.

Hoedhaar site in Lokeren demonstrates sustainable remediation

Performance specification

The remediation project was unusual already from the start. For the first time, the tender for the green energy component was in the form of a performance specification that very precisely described the intended result of the remediation work. If the tendering party fails to meet the objective, a fine will be im- posed. Vincent Kindt of OVAM: “We for example stated that a part of the site must run on renewable energy during the day, without saying how the contractor must generate this energy. The goal is to enhance the creativity in the soil remediation sector by giving the remediation companies the freedom to pursue innovative solutions.”

Solar panels provide energy to the Hoedhaar site in Lokeren

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“Over time, the dilapidated buildings

and contaminated grounds will make way for an attractive residential site, with much attention for

green spaces”

Sustainable remediation, however, goes further than green energy. Intelli- gent remediation avoids, for example, double and thus redundant excavation work, which also benefits the sur- roundings. “Hoedhaar is a good example of an integrated project”, explains Vincent Kindt, Unit Head Remediation Projects and Interventions. “There was the soil remediation work, and there was the construction project, and both were optimally coordinated with each other. Integrating remediation and redevelopment allows us to save time and resources.”

The sustainable approach to the remediation work will also be extended to the final intended use of the Hoedhaar site. Over time, the dilapidated buildings and contaminated grounds will make way for an attractive residential site, with much attention for green spaces, where pleasant living, bicycling and hiking will be possible. The work will start in 2012.

Future plans

Let this be clear: with this new approach to remediation, OVAM stands with both feet squarely planted in society. The public is also involved. For this reason, the Hoedhaar site was opened to the general public on Company Open Door Day held in October 2011. Visitors received an explanation of the remediation work and the future plans for the site. A scale model, the master plan and a number of images of what the site will look like in the future gave a first glimpse of the site’s new use.

All of this ensures that the remediation of the Hoedhaar site is broadly

supported. Three local partners are working together with an integrated approach to the project: the City of Lokeren, which wishes to upgrade the large area around the site, Interwaas, which is owner of most of the grounds, and OVAM, which is handling the remediation work.

Gallo-Roman farmhouse

OVAM worked together with a team of archaeologists during the remediation of the Hoedhaar site. During the excavation work, they encountered the remains of a Gallo-Roman farmhouse from the second or third century. Col- laboration also took place with the local historical circle. In the twentieth century, Lokeren was the world centre of animal hair processing, an industry that put the city on the economic map and constitutes part of its collective memory. The objects found during the remediation work are on display today at the Lokeren City Museum.

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➜_{Chapter 2}

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OVAM Activities Report 2011OVAM Activities Report 2011

More sustainable remediation, this means: ensuring lower CO2 emissions, using renewable energy and the sustainable use of materials. But how do you colour a soil remediation project greener? At the request of OVAM, VITO bundled the existing insights on the life cycle analysis of a soil remediation project. Life-cycle analysis or LCA is an internationally standardised method to the map out the environmental impact of a product or process. The goal was to obtain an overview of sustainable remediation variants and their impact on the environment. OVAM now wishes to integrate these insights into the existing evaluation criteria for soil remediation projects.

BATNEEC

When assessing a remediation technique in a specific soil remediation project, OVAM weighs the costs and benefits according to the BATNEEC principles (Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Costs). This assessment takes

account of the technical criteria, the cost price and the local impact on the environment. Especially the effect of the remediation on soil quality, emissions of harmful substances and the use of raw materials are taken into consid- eration.

CO2 emissions due to the use of energy and raw materials are also an important (global) environmental effect of a soil remediation project. Until now, no account has been taken of this in the BAT- NEEC assessment. For this reason, VITO and OVAM together went in search of a calculation tool to determine the CO2 footprint of a remediation project. The research centre made an inventory of the available tools and examined which ones were most suitable for Flanders.

Comparing the total CO2 footprint of different remediation variants enables us to determine which is the most CO2 friendly.

Calculator sheds light

After translation to the Flemish context, the aim is also to integrate the CO2 tool in the BATNEEC assessment.

CO2 emissions then become just one of the elements that determine the choice of a remediation variant. The calculator also sheds light on which processes within a remediation variant emit high levels of CO2. They can then be replaced by lower carbon alterna- tives.

Lorries entering and leaving, excavators digging up contaminated soil, drills in action: soil remediation is often a radical and energy guzzling task. Can it be done in a more environmentally friendly way? OVAM together with VITO studied how we can reduce the ecological footprint of remediation projects.

Soil remediation colours greener

“More sustainable remediation, this means: ensuring lower

CO2 emissions, using renewable energy and the sustainable use of

materials”

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OVAM Activities Report 2011 Chlorinated solvents or VOCls were fre-

quently used in the past as a solvent for greases and oils in printers, dry cleaning operations and filling stations. Tackling contamination with these substances in densely populated areas and large cities is not an easy task. All European cities are confronted with this problem.

For this reason, in 2009, nine partners from Flanders, Germany, the Nether- lands and France – with support from the European Interreg IVB programme – bundled forces in the exchange project CityChlor. “For Flanders, in addition to OVAM, the cities of Mortsel and Ghent are also participating”, says Project Manager Veerle Labeeuw. “In the Netherlands, Bodem+ and the municipality of Utrecht are participating.

France is represented by INERIS and ADEME. ITVA and Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart are the German partners.

Professional associations, experts and remediation funds are also involved in the project.” CityChlor covers a period of 3.5 years and has a budget of 5.2 million euro.

Practical manuals

With an extensive study of the litera- ture, local pilot projects, and targeted studies, CityChlor assembled knowledge and techniques for cleaning up contaminated sites in urban environ- ments. All of this accumulated information was analysed and bundled in 2011.

Veerle Labeeuw: “We will be applying this knowledge in 2012 to adapt the existing codes of good practice. This will result in a set of practical manuals that we will present at our congress in 2013.”

The acquisition of knowledge continues unabated in the meantime. OVAM, for example, is investigating whether geo- thermal energy storage is feasible as remediation technique. A second study examined the systematic cost overruns in remediation projects around VOCl in the last 15 years, and formulated recommendations to avoid faulty esti- mates in the future.

Pilot projects

Three pilot projects were launched in Flanders in 2011. In a large-scale survey, Ghent University collected knowledge on risk communication and perception in remediation projects. In 2012, these will result in recommendations on the best way to communicate on a remediation project. Two soil remediation experts in turn tested different innovative assessment techniques, with varying degrees of success. If a technique appears to be successful, a code of good practice is drawn up so that the methodology can be applied elsewhere in the future.

Identikit CityChlor

Funding: Interreg IVB programme North-West Europe

Participants: OVAM, City of Mortsel and City of Ghent (Flanders); Bodem+ and the Municipality of Utrecht (the Neth- erlands); INERIS and ADEME (France), ITVA and Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart (Germany)

Other partners: professional associations, experts and remediation funds Period: 3.5 years

Budget: 5.2 million euro, half of which is being funded by Europe.

www.citychlor.eu

Cities throughout Europe are faced with soil or groundwater contamination with chlorinated solvents. The European cooperation project CityChlor exchanged knowledge on remediation techniques and joined forces in setting up pilot projects. The goal? To design a state-of-the-art methodology for tackling this difficult soil remediation problem in cities.