Objective The working documents on revision of the Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) and on Biowaste and the Soil Protection Communication call for standards for sampling and analysis of sludges, treated biowastes and soils. They list hygienic and biological parameters, and inorganic and organic contaminants. The European Directives are intended to prevent unacceptable release of contaminants, impairment of soil function, or exposure to pathogens, and to protect crops, human and animal health, the quality of water and the wider environment when sludges and treated biowastes are used onland. Analytical results are to some extent defined by the methods of determination, it is therefore desirable that methods are defined before setting limit values. The European Commission wishes to cite European (CEN) standards in order that there is harmonised application of the directives and that reports from Member States (MS) can be compared. This proposal to develop standards for organic compounds in sludge, soil and biowaste, presented by the consortium under the name "HORIZONTAL-ORG", will be carried out under the umbrella of the main project HORIZONTAL "Development of horizontal standards for soil, sludge and biowaste". This ensures full integration in the CEN system through a BT Task Force specially set up in for this project and direct supervision by DG ENV and MS, which form the Steering Committee of HORIZONTAL. HORIZONTAL-ORG's objective is to produce standardised methods for sampling and analysing organic micropollutants in sludges, treated biowastes and soils written in CEN format. Where possible these will be horizontal across the different media. Validation of the methods is an essential part of the development as it quantifies performance in terms of repeatability and reproducibility. The consortium is very well connected in CEN and ISO and thus provides an excellent basis for implementation of the deliverables. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistrymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture Keywords Horizontal standardisation biowaste organic micro pollutants sampling sludge soil Programme(s) FP6-POLICIES - Policy support: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) POLICIES-1.5 - Environmental assessment Call for proposal FP6-2002-SSP-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project
