Geological studies and land management
In recent years issues regarding the use of earth and rocks resulting from excavations have gained increasing importance on environmental themes. In Italy the management of excavated earth and rocks related to construction industry or public works has been regulated by a series of different laws, amendments and provisions making the subject not easy to understand.
The primary legislation objective has always been to reduce the use of quarry materials, recovering as much as possible materials originated from excavation activities thus restricting extraction and limiting the amount of inert waste, produced during the work, to process in landfills.
Nowadays some of the most significant laws in this context are:
• D.Lgs. 152/2006;
• D.M. 161/2012;
• Law of 109/2013, in particular articles no. 41 and 41bis;
• Law of 164/2014, in particular article no. 8.
Currently, regulations concerning excavated earth and rocks prescribe, through diverse and complex procedures, four possible alternatives summarized as follows:
1) In situ reuse if classified as a non-waste;
2) Use of the material as a by-product;
3) Land designation as an area for waste recovery activity;
4) Material dispatch to landfill.
Management of excavated earth and rocks represents a not completely regulated subject, therefore further changes to the law might be considered highly probable.
