3. Biodegradation assessment protocols applied in Europe

In Europe, countries such as Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark have developed protocols with different approaches to the purpose of natural attenuation.

The SIReN (Site for Innovative Research into Monitored Natural Attenuation) project in the UK aims to promote the development and understanding of controlled natural attenuation. Denmark has produced guides based on existing American protocols. Two guidelines have been drawn up, describing a protocol for assessing the feasibility of natural attenuation for some organic contaminants in groundwater (Guidelines on remediation of contaminated sites (1998) and Soil contamination act (1999)).

In France, the natural attenuation of pollutants is not described in any national assessment protocol. Even though there are good bases and technical documents for integrating natural attenuation...