PCB in the environment: bio-based processes for soil decontamination and management of waste from the industrial production of Pleurotus ostreatus

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are hazardous soil contaminants for which a bio-based technology for their recovery is essential. The objective of this study was to validate the exploitation of spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a low or null cost organic waste derived from the industrial production of P. ostreatus, as bulking agent in a dynamic biopile pilot plant. The SMS shows potential oxidative capacity towards recalcitrant compounds. The aim was consistent with the design of a process of oxidation of highly chlorinated PCBs, which is independent from their reductive dehalogenation. Feasibility was verified at a mesocosm scale and validated at pilot scale in a dynamic biopile pilot plant treating ten tons of a historically contaminated soil (9.28 ± 0.08 mg PCB/kg soil dry weight). Mixing of the SMS with the soil was required for the depletion of the contaminants. At the pilot scale, after eight months of incubation, 94.1% depletion was recorded. A positive correlation between Actinobacteria and Firmicutes active metabolism, soil laccase activity and PCB removal was observed. The SMS was found to be exploitable as a versatile low cost organic substrate capable of activating processes for the oxidation of highly chlorinated PCBs. Moreover, its exploitation as bulking agent in biopiles is a valuable management strategy for the re-utilisation of an organic waste deriving from the industrial cultivation of edible mushrooms

Towards access for all? Policy and research on access of ethnic minority groups to natural areas in four European countries

Migration and growing ethnic diversity pose new questions for forest and nature policy and research, especially on the equality of access to natural areas. This paper compares national approaches in policy and research on ethnic minority groups' access to natural areas in four Western-European countries: the United Kingdom (UK), The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. It shows that powerful linkages exist between immigration history, national research traditions and national policy regarding the attention given to this issue, the topics of interest and the ethnicity categories used. The main forest and nature policy documents in The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark address issues of access to nature generally, while in the UK reducing discrimination of ethnic minority groups in access to nature is a formalised objective to be addressed by public bodies. Research in the UK focuses on evidences of under-representation, discrimination and barriers to access. In turn, German and Danish research emphasises different recreational uses of ethnic groups and is less oriented towards the implementation of targeted management objectives. The Netherlands occupy an intermediary position. We argue that international exchange of scientific results and cross-national studies could improve our understanding of cultural differences in recreational patterns, experiences, barriers, images of nature, and planning and design strategies

Activités récréatives en forêt dans la politique et la législation : une comparaison européenne

International audienceThe need for outdoor recreation inventories and monitoring is described in various forest policy documents and legislation on the European and national level, and differences in priorities, implementation status and methodology can be observed among countries. The objective of this paper is to highlight the findings of an analysis of how recreational aspects are reflected in core forest policy and legislation documents as well as related domains. The COST E33 network was used to extract information about recreational demand, supply and monitoring practises for international comparison, using the Delphi method. The results give insights into national policy setting and legislation in the field of outdoor recreation, and reveal commonalities, gaps and future needs. Among the main findings is a contradiction between the expressed political importance of outdoor recreation on both the European and national level, and the many associated non-binding commitments. The majority of the countries surveyed recognises and express outdoor recreation in some form of political and/or legislative way. However, information on recreation monitoring or measurements are rarely mentioned in relevant policies or acts on the national, regional or local level, perhaps due to a lack political will or resources. The analysis indicates that a consistent forest recreation monitoring and controlling framework, linked to sustainable forest management, as described, for example, in the Helsinki process, should be better transferred into national policy and legislation. Comparable data across Europe could then provide a sound base for making decisions on improving outdoor recreation policy, planning and management, and furthermore provide a basis for the detection of societal changes and demands over time