ARAGORN is ready announce its participation in RemTech Europe 2024, the International Conference and Exhibition on Land and Water Remediation Markets and Technologies. The event is scheduled for September 16-20, 2024, and promises to be a significant gathering for experts and stakeholders in the field.

Event Details:

– September 16-17: The first two days will be fully digital, with sessions broadcasted online for a global audience.
– September 18-20: The remaining three days will feature a hybrid format, allowing both in-person attendance (in Ferrara, Italy) and online participation.

About RemTech Europe 2024:

The conference aims to foster the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and real-world case studies, promoting the advancement of remediation processes and the adoption of new, sustainable technologies. It provides a unique platform for dialogue among experts, problem owners, and service and technology providers, facilitating collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

With a comprehensive agenda, RemTech Europe 2024 is designed to enhance communication between all relevant parties, including leading European stakeholders and participants from around the globe. The conference, conducted entirely in English, offers a snapshot of the current European market and emerging trends in land and water remediation.

Why Attend?

RemTech Europe 2024 is committed to spreading know-how and technologies worldwide. The event is promoted by RemTech Expo (Italy), and is supported by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which is part of the scientific committee.

ARAGORN’s partner ETHZ will present their work in the project at the opening session on Sept 16 09:00 – 13:00 “Soil Pollution: policies and data – JRC EC”, with a  talk entitled ““Soil Pollution and Remediation Data, as treated by Aragorn”.

For online participation, free registration links are available here; for attending in presence tickets can be found here.

Join ARAGORN at RemTech Europe 2024 as we contribute to this vital conversation on environmental remediation and explore cutting-edge solutions that can shape the future of our planet.

Picture by Edoardo Cuoghi- Unsplash

Our project ARAGORN will participate in a workshop on soil pollution, organized in collaboration with the International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP) and the Common Forum on Contaminated Land in Europe.

The workshop will be held online, on October 3rd, from 12:00 to 14:00 CEST, and it  will focus on the critical topic of Soil Pollution Threshold Values, aiming to foster international collaboration in developing global standards for soil health.

Crafting a Global Approach to Soil Pollution:

Soil pollution is a growing concern worldwide, and establishing standardized threshold values is essential for preventing further degradation. This workshop will delve into the methodologies required for creating a comprehensive global database of soil threshold values and will initiate the development of a “Global Soil Pollution Threshold Values Technical Report” under the Global Soil Partnership.

Key Objectives and Discussions:

– Present the threshold values collected by INSOP and the ARAGORN Horizon project.
– Introduce the ongoing work by the ARAGORN Horizon project in compiling soil threshold values.
– Overview European concepts for establishing soil threshold values presented by the COMMON FORUM.
– Explore methodologies for deriving soil threshold values from other regions, including Asia, Australia, and North America.
– Develop a roadmap for building the global database and formulating the Global Soil Pollution Threshold Values Technical Report.

Expected Outcomes:

This workshop marks the first step towards creating a global database of soil pollution threshold values, a crucial tool for policymakers, government agencies, and the private sector. The insights gained from this event will drive the development of the Global Soil Pollution Threshold Values Technical Report, which will be instrumental in shaping future policies and technical measures to prevent soil pollution.

By bringing together experts from around the world, this workshop will serve as a platform for knowledge-sharing and collaborative planning, setting clear timelines and defining the next steps towards a healthier planet.

Join us on October 3rd to be part of the discussion and contribute to the future of global soil health.

Register here and find the details and the agenda here.

Picture by Seyia Maeda- Unsplash

Last month, ARAGORN participated in a 2-day-workshop with other Soil Mission Projects (ISLANDER, EDAPHOS, BENCHMARKS, SOIL WISE) at the Joint Research Center (JRC), Ispra, Italy.

The workshop focused on the topic of Soil Pollution and Remediation: Soil Data and Knowledge structuring, harmonising and sharing. This event was instrumental in initiating discussions around the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law (SMRL), focusing on the creation of a comprehensive soil watchlist and foundational principles for soil preservation.

A dozen stakeholders, mostly from the cited Mission Soil Projects dealing with soil pollution, together with representatives from DG Environmental and DG Agricolture, Mission Projects Benchmarks and SoilWise, and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), met to discuss how EUSO and the IPCHEM platform could be used to support the harmonisation of procedures, data and knowledge relating to both diffuse soil pollution and contaminated sites.

The meeting addressed the interoperability efforts that would be needed to allow for a seamless discovery, harvesting and sharing of relevant data and knowledge to ensure new data flows from R&I projects, Member States and the EUSO, especially in the context of the forthcoming Soil Monitoring Law.

ARAGORN team’s contributions were particularly impactful, demonstrating the potential to directly influence the SMRL.  During the meeting, a pivotal study was presented, introducing a new chemical risk indicator. This scoping study aims to develop a robust indicator to assess the risk posed by chemicals to ecosystems, a critical step in enhancing soil monitoring and resilience. Other discussion topics included: types of data and knowledge on soil pollution and remediation to be structured, possible data sources, and how to ensure current and future data flows.

ARAGORN’s commitment to advancing soil science and protecting ecosystems remains unwavering as we continue to lead in this vital area of environmental research.

Featured image by Jens Freudenau-Unsplash

ARAGORN, an EU-funded project focused on combating soil contamination and implementing advanced restoration and remediation techniques, announces the release of its presentation video.

The first part of the video shows the site of Korsør, known as the epicenter of a long story of soil contamination in Denmark a few years ago: this location represents one powerful backdrop to illustrate the severity of soil pollution and its effects on nature and people.

Then, the video shifts to the University of Copenhagen, the coordinating institution of ARAGORN, for an exclusive look into the cutting-edge laboratories where dedicated scientists are developing and testing innovative techniques to restore contaminated soils. The University of Copenhagen’s involvement underscores the project’s commitment to scientific excellence and collaboration in addressing this critical environmental issue.

Watch the video here and learn more about the project.

Photo by Juanita Swart-Unsplash 

Partners of the ARAGORN project convened in Nancy for their latest periodic meeting, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange crucial to the project’s success. The meeting was succesfully organized and hosted by Microhumus. Representatives from all companies and universities involved in ARAGORN provided updates on their work, highlighting significant advancements and discussing the challenges encountered in their work.

The meeting featured dynamic discussions and round tables on a range of relevant topics, including innovative remediation techniques, project management strategies, and future research directions. These sessions allowed partners to share their experiences, insights, and best practices, ensuring a cohesive and informed approach to the project’s objectives.

Part of the meeting was dedicated to discuss the development and implementation of the RA, SEA, and remediation add-on, focusing on how to best support site owners in decision-making. The session began with an exploration of optimizing these tools, followed by an update on prioritized contaminants and how sites are determined,  including site-specific information on risk assessments before and after remediation.

The meeting also delved into the experimental setup of remediation tests, aiming to fill knowledge gaps and advance our technology on the Technology Readiness Level scale. Emphasis was placed on the quantitative resilience modeling framework, detailing the steps performed by the difefrent parners involved.  Additionally, partners were invited to explore how to define ecological indicators and incorporate experimental data and expert knowledge into the framework.

To foster collaboration, the session featured a mixed videoconference and face-to-face panel with representatives from various sites, facilitating direct interaction with site owners. This approach ensured their insights were integrated into our project planning.

A key highlight of the meeting was the on-field session, which included a site visit to the contaminated site in Homecourt. During the visit, participants observed practical demonstrations of sampling techniques, gaining firsthand understanding of the procedures and technologies used in the field.

Partners had the chance to witness different kinds of sampling demonstrations: soil sampling and homogenization, creation of a composite sample, bulk density measurements, soil sampling for eDNA,
as well as observing how to sample spiders and earthworms.  Besides, experts from different partner organizations shared their expertise, explaining the methodologies and interventions employed to address contamination issues effectively.

This hands-on experience provided invaluable context, enhancing the partners’ comprehension of the practical aspects of the project. It also facilitated the exchange of technical knowledge, promoting a deeper collaboration among the participants.

The ARAGORN project continues to make significant strides in addressing and remediating environmental contamination. The periodic meetings play a crucial role in uniting the efforts and expertise of the partners, driving the project towards its goals with a collective and informed approach.

From April 22nd to 24th, 2024, in Stockholm, at the premises of Karolinska University, the EU project ‘Partnership for Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC)’ hosted a meeting, gathering over 1000 participants.  Attendees discussed pressing issues regarding chemical pollution, revealing that it contributes to approximately 25% of stress on European rivers. Talks focused on risk assessment and regulation strategies for chemical mixtures, as well as the organization of data within the EU Common Data Platform, with hopes that the PARC initiative will influence decisions on its development.

Particularly notable were discussions related to soil projects like TerraChem, alongside the PARC biodiversity group, which is addressing chemical risks to terrestrial organisms. The event also facilitated networking opportunities, sparking discussions on setting administrative limit values for PFAS total in surface waters and soil, aiming to balance scientific insights with practical implementation in a world already facing pollution challenges.

SETAC is the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry based in Seville, Spain, dedicated to advancing environmental science and science-informed decision-making through collaboration, and organizer of the annual SETAC conference.

Partners of ARAGORN will be present at the conference on May 8th, starting from 9.30, to present the project with a poster in the framework of Session 6.03.P – Combining Prospective and Retrospective Soil Risk Assessment – From Predicted Risks Towards Holistic Approaches by Integrating Monitoring Results.

This is a powerful opportunity for ARAGORN to promote its objectives and propose Achieving Remediation And Governing Restoration of contaminated soils Now. ARAGORN will present its framework starting from the identification of contaminated sites and introducing a decision-making tree to identify remediation and restoration strategies, all of this under the umbrella of EU Soil Mission Strategy.

The conference has a very rich programme and will host several panels focused on how to integrate science and policy for environmental challenges.  Topics will cover environmental and human toxicology, exposure assessment analysis, human health risks, LCA and environmental policy, which are all topics also strictly related to ARAGORN.

ARAGORN welcomed a delegation from Japan comprising experts on PFAS contamination and representatives from the Japanese Ministry of Environment and ACG, a PFAS producer,

The visit aimed to foster knowledge exchange on European approaches to monitoring, remediating, and communicating risks associated with PFAS-contaminated soil sites. With Japan facing significant challenges concerning PFAS contamination in military and industrial areas, the delegation expressed keen interest in learning from European practices.

Discussions highlighted key areas of collaboration, including mapping polluted sites and drawing parallels for analysis strategies for combined sets of methods, group methods and suspect screening methods.

Participants also had the opportunity to observe and discuss instrumentation and acquisition methods for suspect screening at Örebro, gaining valuable insights into cutting-edge techniques in PFAS detection and analysis.

As part of the visit, delegates toured the hazardous waste facility at FORTUM, where discussions centered on the removal of PFAS and other contaminants from process water. The group explored potential emissions from destruction and remediation sites, underscoring the project’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges comprehensively.

ARAGORN remains dedicated to international collaboration and knowledge sharing to tackle PFAS pollution effectively. The visit marks a significant step forward fostering global partnerships and advancing solutions for environmental sustainability.