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Database ALKAT
Published on 01 November 2019
Germany
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
ALKAT is a database management system for brownfields. Old waste disposals are also brownfields in the sense of the German Soil Protection Law, therefore ALKAT is suitable to index closed landfills.
The tool applied for the database management system is „ALKATonline“, which contains a central database. Users get access via internet browser. For analysis geographic information systems are applied (ArcGIS, WebOffice).
Since 1991 there is a continuous registration of landfills and brownfield. New information about landfills and brownfields are added regularly. While in 1997 the waste management program of Brandenburg registered a number of 5,193 waste disposal sites, the actually number (12/2016) is 7,264. Of these landfills 2,634 are considered as remediated.
The State Office for Environment Brandenburg is responsible for maintenance and further development of the database management system as well as for evaluation. The local authorities (district administrations) further record data of old landfills and add them into the database.
ALKAT contains information about
- identification and position
- general information
- topographic data and land use
- legal relationship and causer
- site description, especially geological conditions
- disposed waste (kind of waste, amount)
- existing expertise, detected pollutions
The information about the landfill can be illustrated on maps. For queries on information of the landfill and other topics ARCGIS is applied.
The tool applied for the database management system is „ALKATonline“, which contains a central database. Users get access via internet browser. For analysis geographic information systems are applied (ArcGIS, WebOffice).
Since 1991 there is a continuous registration of landfills and brownfield. New information about landfills and brownfields are added regularly. While in 1997 the waste management program of Brandenburg registered a number of 5,193 waste disposal sites, the actually number (12/2016) is 7,264. Of these landfills 2,634 are considered as remediated.
The State Office for Environment Brandenburg is responsible for maintenance and further development of the database management system as well as for evaluation. The local authorities (district administrations) further record data of old landfills and add them into the database.
ALKAT contains information about
- identification and position
- general information
- topographic data and land use
- legal relationship and causer
- site description, especially geological conditions
- disposed waste (kind of waste, amount)
- existing expertise, detected pollutions
The information about the landfill can be illustrated on maps. For queries on information of the landfill and other topics ARCGIS is applied.
Expert opinion
The good practice is an excellent example of a specific database management system for brownfields particularly those related to old landfills and dumpsite. While currently the focus of European waste management is on big landfills and circular economy there are hundreds of thousands of small landfills that are in the process of closure and rehabilitation or which need to be closed on the near future. Therefore, performing of the mapping of those small landfills /brownfields is a necessary starting point. The good practice may be of interest to regional or national authorities with multitude of small landfills and dumpsites. These may further explore the technical aspects of the database but also the very process of mapping and updating the database.
Resources needed
For registered users ALKAT is free.
Evidence of success
ALKAT can be used by authorities to assess the relevance of the landfill for the environment, for statistic issues, and to get general information about landfills.
Potential for learning or transfer
On the territories of the EU member states exist about 500,000 landfills. Most of them are small and have a low risk potential. There are no guidelines or recommendations for remediating of those landfills.
All member states of the EU are facing the challenge of introducing a modern waste management system. This includes the construction and operation of landfills in accordance with the requirements of the EU landfill directive. These landfills can only be operated economically if small landfills not in line with the state of the art are closed.
The base for the remediation measures must be an intensive mapping of all existing landfills and waste disposal sites. In order to collect data about landfills and get an overview about number and risk potential every authority need an efficient database and a database management system. So it is possible to introduce decision tools and give recommendations for remediation measures.
All member states of the EU are facing the challenge of introducing a modern waste management system. This includes the construction and operation of landfills in accordance with the requirements of the EU landfill directive. These landfills can only be operated economically if small landfills not in line with the state of the art are closed.
The base for the remediation measures must be an intensive mapping of all existing landfills and waste disposal sites. In order to collect data about landfills and get an overview about number and risk potential every authority need an efficient database and a database management system. So it is possible to introduce decision tools and give recommendations for remediation measures.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
other
Germany
Brandenburg