Reporting soil contamination

Reporting soil contamination and degradation

Do you work with substances that may pollute or contaminate the soil? If so, you must report this to the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch). You may also have a duty to inform. In that case, you provide information via the Omgevingsloket. This includes, for example, activities that cause:

• erosion (decomposition)
• increased density (compacting)
• salinisation (salting)

You must also report activities using substances that affect the structure or quality of the soil.

Do you detect contaminated or degraded soil? If so, you must report this via the Omgevingsloket.

Soil survey

Could your activities release substances that may damage the soil? Then you will probably need to have a soil survey carried out by a recognised soil broker working in accordance with assessment guideline BRL SIKB 6000 (in Dutch). This is usually mandatory when the work is completed (final survey, in Dutch). Sometimes you must have a soil survey done before you start work (baseline survey). This is only mandatory if it is stated in your permit. You can also have a baseline survey carried out voluntarily.

Does the final survey show that you have damaged or contaminated the soil? Then you must have the soil quality restored (remediated) according to the instructions in the final soil survey.

Rules for old contamination and chance discoveries

Was the contamination or degradation of the soil caused before 1987? Then transitional legislation (in Dutch) often applies. This is also the case for contamination or degradation caused on or after 1 January 1987, but before 1 January 2024. The soil remediation must then be carried out according to the rules of the transitional legislation.

There are special rules for chance discoveries (in Dutch). These are pre-1987 contaminations that you discover by chance, for example, during excavation work or soil investigation. Are you the owner of the soil? Then you must ensure, among other things, that the contamination no longer poses a danger. For example, by placing a fence around the contaminated soil.

Reporting unusual occurrences

Does something unexpected happen while you are working on the soil? And could this cause damage? This is called an unusual occurrence (ongewoon voorval, in Dutch). For example:

• a fault in carrying out the activity
• an accident
• a natural disaster, such as extreme heat or flooding

If there is an unusual occurrence, you are primarily responsible. Even if the expected damage has not yet occurred. You must limit the impact as much as possible. And you must immediately inform the relevant authority that something has gone wrong. You can report this via the Omgevingsloket.

Do the permit check and apply

Do you want to know whether you need an environment and planning permit? Or whether you need to submit a notification? Go to the online service counter Omgevingsloket and check if you need an environment and planning permit (in Dutch). The Omgevingsloket shows which rules apply in your municipality, province, or water authority. And you can directly apply for a permit or submit a report. Please note: rules from the municipal environment plan may also apply so always check this plan.

Online application procedure via Message Box

Message Box has not yet been linked to the Omgevingsloket. This means that you cannot apply for an environment and planning permit via Message Box. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.