Code of good practice phytoremediation is a fact!

05/02/2019

Together with Arcadis, Witteveen&Bos and UHasselt, bio2clean drew up this Code of Good Practice (CGP) - Phytoremediation. This CGP Phytoremediation has become a voluminous but clear document that provides an overview of the current knowledge about this sustainable, green remediation technology 'Phytoremediation', but also serves as a guide for policy staff and soil remediation experts when weighing up phytoremediation as a relevant technical option for remediating or controlling polluted soils, surface water, groundwater and sediments.

Code of good practice – Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is a remediation technique in which plants are used to extract, degrade or sequester pollutants from soil and groundwater. Plant associated bacteria and mycorrhizas or fungi that live in symbiosis with plant roots often play an important role. In this case, plants improve the growth conditions for the micro-organisms.

This remediation technology has numerous advantages: preserving and increasing soil biodiversity and ecosystem services, maintaining soil structure, increasing the overall quality of the living environment and our natural capital. Moreover, phytoremediation is a sustainable remediation technique with usually limited costs for energy, transport and maintenance.

 

OVAM promotes the use of phytoremediation as a remediation technique as part of its policy on soil care, sustainable soil remediation and climate change.

The code of good practice provides guidelines for the implementation of soil remediation by phytoremediation.

The code includes a detailed description of the technique explaining the different forms of phytoremediation: phytostabilisation, phyto-extraction, phytovolatilisation, phytodegradation, rhizodegradation and phytohydraulics.

Next, procedures are included for the feasibility study, for the design, layout, management and monitoring and for the discontinuation and aftercare of a project.

Code of good practice – Phytoremediation

English version