International Environmental Legislation on the Content of Chemical Elements in Soils: Guidelines and Schemes

Abstract

We analyzed the original and most developed environmental legislation of the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, and Canada, as well as the systems of Finland, the Czech Republic, China, the Republic of South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, which have a number of specific features in terms of the content of chemical elements in soils. We summarized environmental legislation principles and actions in cases of exceeding soil quality standards. Comparing methodologically close legislations, the specificity of calculation of a soil quality standard should be taken into account. The standards for the content of chemical elements are differentiated depending on the properties of soils in Russia, Germany, China, and the Czech Republic; land use is taken into account in Canada, Germany, the Republic of South Africa, China (only for agricultural land), Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Synergism of negative effects on organisms in case of polyelemental contamination is taken into account in the standards of Russia for element pairs Mn + V and Hg + Pb and in the standards of the United States for all substances.