Work Packages

1. involve Pre-Accession Countries in an EU research action on the environmental impact of mining waste in collaboration with DG Environment and EEA Why this project ? Work Packages Indicator Maps ancillary data satellite imagery existing data sources spatial mine related data non - spatial DPSIR tool PECOMINES Inventory, Regulations and Environmental Impact of Toxic Mining Wastes in Pre-Accession Countries A JRC Project in Association with Central and Eastern European Pre-Accession Countries Project Leader : Giovanni Bidoglio Recent events have brought back to the attention of the media the issue of toxic waste lagoons connected to mining. The Baia Mare and Borsa accidents are just the latest of a series of accidents involving toxic mining waste. In 1998 a similar accident occurred at the Aznalcollar mine in southern Spain with an estimated cost of over 100 million Euros. Data from EUROSTAT/OECD surveys show that mining wastes rank first in the relative contribution of wastes in many Central and Eastern European Countries. For instance, mining activities in the former Czechoslovakia generated ten times the amount of waste produced by the industrial sector (EEA, 1999). In general, however, there is a substantial gap in information on the management of mining wastes in Pre-Accession countries and on the location of toxic waste lagoons, including those that have been abandoned. Mining for resources to satisfy energy and raw material requirements can seriously alter the composition of the landscape, disrupting land use and drainage patterns, contaminating soil and water resources, and removing habitats for wildlife. With respect to mining wastes, Pre-Accession countries are facing more acute problems than EU Member States. Agenda 2000 highlights the need for these countries to meeting the requirements of the environmental acquis in respect of Directives. DG Environment is currently taking the initiative for the preparation of a proposal of a EU regulatory framework on mining waste, either as a separate piece of EU legislation or as an annex to existing Directives. Given the widespread nature of toxic mining waste in Pre-Accession countries, DG Environment attaches a particular importance to prioritisation in this area, in order to guide the applicant countries during their environmental approximation process. Objectives Compile an inventory of toxic waste sites from mineral mining in Pre-Accession countries in relation to “sensitive” catchment areas, by combining an indicator approach according to the DPSIR framework and an analysis of satellite remote sensing Compare criteria for safety disposal of mining waste and for assessment and remediation of contaminated areas in candidate countries with regulations adopted by EU Member States and with the existing EU legislative framework in the area of waste; Contribute to the assessmentof the consequences of mining accidents (e.g. Baia Mare) in a perspective of ecosystem protection, by comparing local approaches and measures for impact evaluation with similar activities at the site of the Aznalcollar accident in Spain where the JRC is also involved. • The main objectives are : • to createInventory of toxic waste sites (old and existing mineral mining operations in Pre-Accession Countries • Identification of the areas with • pollution hazards to the public health and ecosystems in catchment • risk of accidental releases of the toxic substances • Methodology : • Information from existing data sources in each country (e.g. national geological surveys, mining companies, national Institution for environment protection) • Information derived fromsatellite imagery • Inventory data will be harmonised and combined with various ancillary geo-referenced and non-spatial data to derive regional indicators on the vulnerability of soil and water resources to toxic mining waste. These indicators will be used to highlight areas that are most at risk from toxic waste sites and therefore assist decision makers define or target possible remediation strategies. • Main deliverable : • geo-environmental maps of the PECO area, showing different levels of risk imposed on the related catchment areas Inventory (Marc Van Liedekerke, Stefan Sommer, Gyozo Jordan, Anca Vajdea ) Environmental Impact Assessment (Marco d’Alessandro, Erik Puura ) Regulations (Marco d’Alessandro, Tamas Hamor ) • The main objective of this work package is to establish the links between the physico-chemical character of different mining wastes and their environmental impacts using modelling concepts and tools. • The methodology involves an analyse of 6 case studies of different operating mines in PECO to screen and visualise the main pollutant pathways followed by an assessment of environmental risks and consequences on catchment scale. The experiences of the on-going modelling of toxic Aznacollar mine spill (Spain) are integrated, as well as application of the remote sensing tools. The possibility to perform in-situ monitoring campaigns is a backup in the case of general lack of data in assessment endpoints. • According to the workplan, • the final selection of the modelling sites in addition to already selected pilot sites at Banská Štiavnica and Smolnik (Slovakia) is compiled by September 2001; • the submodels of the conceptual model are accomplished in 3 stadiums: source characterisation (February 2002), reactive transport (June 2002) and ecosystems response (October 2002); • the later stadium until April 2003 includes verification of the model indicators with site-specific data, different scenario and uncertainty analyses, extrapolation to other sites and inclusion of socio-economic considerations. • The main deliverables are: • a conceptual model for mining waste sites impacts on catchment scale, verified by 6 case studies; • an applicable environmental impacts screening method for site-specific cases, establishing which physical and chemical processes are relevant and how these can be followed in the field according to the assessment indicators; • a methodology for model application to other sites through extrapolation. • The ecosystem protection from toxic mining waste requires a comprehensive legislation, which take full account of the vulnerability of the environment within the catchment area downstream of mining sites. Differences exist between PECO countries thereby hindering preventive and remedial actions, especially in the case of trans-boundary accidents. • Objectives: Comparison of existing PECO regulations and exploiting the opportunities offered by relevant measures of Community environmental legislation. This should contribute to the development of criteria for safe management of waste, and for environmental rehabilitation measures at active and abandoned mines at a Pan-European scale. • Methodology: • State-of-Art review of relevant EU legislation concerning environment, water, nature conservation, mining. • Collection of complete texts of relevant PECO regulations, standards and regulatory authorities’ licensing practice. • Compilation, filling and interpreting of a questionnaire for mapping the state-of-art in PECO countries in co-operation with national experts. • Comparative analysis of EU and PECO regulations. • Discussion of the achievements through a workshop of national experts. • Deliverables: • Catalogue and inventory of the regulations/practices on mining waste management in PECO countries. • Publication of workshop volume with questionnaire data set. • Report of recommendations to the target countries. • Contribution to the EU mining waste directive and associated BREF.