| | TOWARDS SETTING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR |
| | 1,37 | | MB | SOIL - DEVELOPING A SOIL PROTECTION STRATEGY FOR IRELAND |
| | 56 | | stron |
| | 2617 | | ID | Ireland Environmental Protection Agency |
| | 2004 | | rok |
| | CONTENTS 1 |
| | LIST OF TABLES 4 |
| | PREFACE 5 |
| | 1. INTRODUCTION 6 |
| | 1.1 Background 6 |
| | 1.2 Soil 6 |
| | 1.3 The need for a soil protection strategy 6 |
| | 1.4 Aim and objective of a soil protection strategy 7 |
| | 2. SOIL QUALITY AND FUNCTIONS 8 |
| | 2.1 Introduction 8 |
| | 2.2 Soil functions 8 |
| | 2.3 Major and trace elements in soils 10 |
| | 3. SOIL RESOURCES IN IRELAND 12 |
| | 3.1 Introduction 12 |
| | 3.2 Sources of Information on soils 12 |
| | 3.3 Soil classification in Ireland 13 |
| | 3.4 Agricultural land use 17 |
| | 3.5 Land cover and land use 18 |
| | 3.5.1 CORINE Land Cover 18 |
| | 3.5.2 Agricultural land use 18 |
| | 3.5.3 Forestry Land Use 20 |
| | 3.5.4 Protected areas of land 21 |
| | 4. PRESSURES AND IMPACTS ON SOIL RESOURCES 23 |
| | 4.1 Introduction 23 |
| | 4.2 Agriculture 23 |
| | 4.2.1 Application of Agricultural organic wastes to soil 24 |
| | 4.2.2 Soil degradation arising from agricultural activities 26 |
| | 4.2.3 Pesticide Use and Disposal 26 |
| | 4.3 Forestry 27 |
| | 4.3.1 Quantifying impacts of plantation forestry on soils 27 |
| | 4.3.2 Soil acidification 28 |
| | 4.3.3 Soil erosion 28 |
| | 4.4 Industry 30 |
| | 4.4.1 Atmospheric deposition 30 |
| | 4.4.2 Industrial organic waste disposal 31 |
| | 4.4.3 Industrial contaminated soil 33 |
| | 4.4.4 Loss of soil due to quarrying and mining activities 34 |
| | 4.5 Peatland extraction 34 |
| | 4.5.1 Introduction to peatlands 34 |
| | 4.5.2 Pressure on peatland resources 35 |
| | 4.6 Urbanisation and infrastructure development 36 |
| | 5. SOIL PROTECTION STRATEGY 37 |
| | 5.1 Introduction 37 |
| | 5.2 Identify and Review existing information on soils in Ireland 37 |
| | 5.3 Develop a set of key soil quality indicators 37 |
| | 5.4 Soil quality monitoring network 39 |
| | 5.5 Develop a code of Good Practice for soil management 39 |
| | 5.6 Recent developments at EU level 40 |
| | 5.7 Recommendations 40 |
| | 6. REFERENCES 41 |
| | APPENDIX A EXISTING LEGISLATION AND POLICIES ON SOIL PROTECTION 45 |
| | A.1 Introduction 45 |
| | A.2 Soil charters 45 |
| | A.2.1 World Soil Charter adopted by the FAO of the United Nations (1981) 45 |
| | A.2.2 European Soil Charter (Resolution (72) 19) adopted by the Committee of Ministers for the |
| | European Council (1972) 45 |
| | A.3 EU Legislation 46 |
| | A.3.1. Committee of Ministers for the European Council Recommendation No.R (92) 8 on Soil |
| | Protection 1992. 46 |
| | A.3.2 Sewage Sludge Directive 46 |
| | A.3.3 Nitrates Directive 47 |
| | A.3.4 Habitats Directive 47 |
| | A.3.5 Council Directive on environmental impact assessment 48 |
| | A.3.6 Water Framework Directive 48 |
| | A.4 National legislation 49 |
| | A.4.1 Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977-1990 49 |
| | A.4.2 Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) |
| | Regulations (SI No. 258 of 1998) 49 |
| | A.4.3 EPA Act, 1992 and associated regulations 49 |
| | A.4.5 Waste Management, 1996 Act and associated regulations 50 |
| | A.5 Policies and Codes of Good Practice 51 |
| | A.5.1 Common agricultural policy and agri-environment measures 51 |
| | A.5.2 Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) 51 |
| | A.5.3 Code of Good Agricultural Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates 52 |
| | A.5.4 Good farming Practice 52 |
| | A.5.5 Code of Best Forest Practice 53 |