349 Land Contamination & Reclamation, 13 (4), 2005 © 2005 EPP Publications Ltd Multi-objective decision-making for soil remediation problems Michiel A. van Drunen, Euro Beinat, Matthijs Nijboer and Joop P. Okx Abstract After deciding whether or not a soil clean-up operation is necessary, the question remains which remedial strategy and technique should be applied. Traditionally, remediation techniques aim at reaching environmental threshold values within the shortest possible time. There is, however, a growing awareness that other aspects should be included when assessing remedial actions. Striving for optimal soil quality at a polluted site may result in the transfer of contamination to other media and a considerable use of economic and natural resources. The triple-perspective REC framework simultaneously takes into account Risk reduction, Environmental performance and Cost, and aims to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of clean- up operations. Within the REC framework, the risk reduction perspective aims at minimizing the effects of contamination and remediation on potential receptors at the site. The environmental merit perspective, which stems from a life-cycle inventory approach, aims at minimizing the use of scarce commodities and the contamination of other compartments due to remedial activities. Finally, the costs perspective aims at minimizing the total costs in terms of net present value. This paper describes the method and illustrates an application. Key words: environmental merit, financial analysis, multicriteria analysis, risk assessment, soil remediation INTRODUCTION Soil remediation is traditionally concerned with the res- toration of ‘soil quality’. In the Netherlands, for instance, remedial actions traditionally aim at multi- functionality, i.e. at reducing concentrations to levels below specific standards (Robberse and Denneman 1993). The multifunctional framework is based on a single perspective: achieving environmental threshold values within the shortest possible time. There is, however, a growing awareness that other criteria should be included when assessing remediation concepts. One of the reasons for this is that the costs involved in multi- functional operations are no longer politically defensi- ble (VROM 2003). There is also growing recognition that clean-up operations do not necessarily lead to a positive environ- mental balance. Soil remediation requires the use of resources (such as energy and clean soil), and may lead to a net transfer of contamination to other compart- ments (due to, for instance, air emissions). Therefore, the single perspective implied by multifunctionality may result in an approach that disregards many relevant soil remediation issues (Okx et al. 1996). These days, remedial actions are more and more risk driven (ASTM 1995; CONCAWE 1997). Risk model- ling aims at assessing the risks to humans, ecosystems and physical objects from contaminated soil exposure. Received February 2005; accepted June 2005 Authors Michiel A. van Drunen, 1 Euro Beinat, 1 Matthijs Nijboer 2 and Joop P. Okx 3 1. Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands, michiel.van.drunen@ivm. falw.vu.nl 2. Tauw Deventer, PO Box 133, 7400 AC Deventer, the Netherlands 3. Alterra, Wageningen UR, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands DOI 10.2462/09670513.2005.676