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Soil Investigation Advisory Board (FBU)

The Soil Investigation Advisory Board (FBU) is the expert committee according to section 25 of the German Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (Bundes-Bodenschutz- und Altlastenverordnung - BBodSchV). The FBU creates the formal prerequisites for being able to apply newer measurement methods and procedures despite the normative references to standards in the BBodSchV.

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Soil Investigation Advisory Board (FBU)

The members of the FBU are recognised experts from federal and state institutions as well as from laboratories and engineering consultants from sectors affected by the enforcement of the BBodSchV.

The FBU compiles findings on advanced soil investigation procedures and methods, publishes them in the collection of methods for the investigation of solid matter (Methodensammlung Feststoffuntersuchung - Methosa) and determines the equivalence of methods and procedures in accordance with Section 25 BBodSchV. With the publication of the equivalence in the Federal Gazette by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), these can be used with legally compliant within the scope of the BBodSchV. The FBU also provides recommendations for sampling, preparing and analysing soil samples and for dealing with measurement uncertainty.

The FBU thus enables the utilisation of current, efficient methods, identifies deficits in soil analysis methods and gives advice to achieve high-quality analysis results.

Tasks

The FBU has numerous tasks based on the regulations of the BBodSchG and BBodSchV. Its main tasks include compiling application information of procedures and methods, determining their suitability and publication of recommendations on issues relating to sampling, sample treatment and analytical measurement.

The tasks are defined in Section 25 BBodSchV as: "It (the FBU) has the task of compiling findings on advanced procedures and methods whose practical suitability for fulfilling the requirements of Sections 10 to 15 and Section 4 appears assured, as well as on their application. To this end, the advisory board may in particular

  1. Establish standards for assessing the equivalence and practical suitability of procedures and methods for sampling, pre-treatment, preparation and processing as well as for physico-chemical and chemical analysis,
  2. determine the equivalence and practical suitability of procedures and methods for sampling, pre-treatment, preparation and processing as well as for physico-chemical and chemical analyses in general, and
  3. make recommendations on the suitability of quality assurance measures, including the permissible uncertainty of results of procedures and methods within the meaning of numbers 1 and 2."

For reasons of legal certainty, the investigation methods and procedures are explicitly cited in the BBodSchV, including the respective dates of publication. Nevertheless, in order to take the advancing state of analytical technology into account and varying investigation conditions, the use of equivalent methods and procedures was authorised for two constellations in Section 24 (11) BBodSchV:

  • The user shall provide proof of equivalence to the competent authority in each individual case.
  • The FBU determines the equivalence of the method in general, and this determination is published by the BMUV in the Federal Gazette.

Background

On March 1st 1999, the Federal Soil Protection Act (Bundesbodenschutzgesetz - BBodSchG) came into force, the purpose of which is to sustainably protect or restore the functions of soils. The first Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance came into force on July 17th 1999. It regulates the requirements for the investigation and assessment of soil contamination as well as for remediation and restriction measures and specifies soil values.

On June 14th 2000, the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety convened the Soil Investigation Advisory Board (FBU) in order to set up a committee in accordance with Annex 1 BBodSchV of July 17th 1999. The amendment to the BBodSchV, which came into force on August 1st 2023, transferred and specified the legal basis for the FBU and its tasks in the newly created Section 25.

Members and Publications of the FBU

The FBU ensures that its work is regularly checked, updated when necessary and summarised in a table with a description of the contents.

Note: The FBU has determined the equivalence of methods and procedures in accordance with Section 25 BBodSchV and this has been published in the Federal Gazette by the BMUV.

The members and permanent guests of the FBU are also named in the table.

Collection of Methods for the Analysis of Solids Version 3.0

Published: May 2024 | File format: PDF I Pages 223 I in German
The collection of methods for analysing solids (Methosa) is compiled by the FBU together with the "Waste Analysis Forum" of the Federal & State Working Group on Waste (LAGA). Methosa is a comprehensive compendium of specialised methods for the investigation of solids (soils and waste). The harmonisation of methods in soil and waste legislation represents an important building block for avoiding duplicate investigations and the associated delays in the remediation and construction process. The Methosa covers field and laboratory methods for sampling, sample pre-treatment, sample preparation and analysis for soil and suspected site investigations. It supports authorities, laboratories, engineering consultants and experts in their work. The Methosa also forms the basis of the FBU's equivalence determinations in accordance with Section 25 BBodSchV.

Tabel of references (Methosa 3)

Published: May 2024 | MS-Excel file format: .xlsx I German
Method table from Methosa 3.0 as a spreadsheet for quick searches and filtering for parameters, methods and procedures. This file is provided as a research tool. For content-related questions, the information in Methosa 3.0 (PDF file) is authoritative.

Specification of measurement uncertainty in chemical soil analyses for the enforcement of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance - analytical uncertainty as a component of result uncertainty

Published: May 2024 | File format: PDF I Pages: 13 I German
The determination of substance contents in soils is subject to uncertainties. This makes it all the more important to specify the uncertainties in order to make appropriate decisions. This FBU recommendation provides practical recommendations for specifying the laboratory-analytical measurement uncertainty on the basis of interlaboratory test results

Recommendations of the FBU on the methodological procedure for the determination of low PFAS levels in soils

Published: May 2024 | File format: PDF I Pages: 11 I German
Due to the chemical properties of PFAS, deviations from the usual procedures should be considered during sampling, storage and quantification. The recommendation provides guidance for authorities and laboratories when testing low levels in soils

Guideline for assessing the equivalence of different measurement methods for inorganic and organic pollutant parameters within the framework of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV)

Published: March 2008 | File format: PDF I Pages: 18 I German
Section 24 of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance stipulates that the results of alternative methods must be equivalent or comparable to the results of the methods cited in the ordinance. As a technical basis for determining equivalence, the FBU has drawn up the "Guideline for assessing the equivalence of different measurement methods for inorganic and organic pollutant parameters within the framework of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV)".

Position of the FBU on the principles of soil sampling in areas regulated by soil protection legislation

Published: December 2016 | File format: PDF I Pages: 6 I German
Sampling is of great importance in determining the basis for decision-making in soil investigations. At the same time, the sampling procedure depends on the local conditions. The position paper sets out the requirements for sampling and the necessary regulations.

Measurement uncertainty for procedures for the enforcement and further development of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance

Published: July 2015 | File format: PDF Pages: 95 I German
Expert opinion: Presentation of a concept for assessing measurement uncertainty using confidence levels and a traffic light system.

Specification of the measurement uncertainty for chemical soil analyses for the enforcement of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance

Published: March 2008 | File format: PDF I Pages: 23 I German
Recommendation of the FBU: The determination of substance contents in soils is subject to uncertainties. This makes it all the more important to specify the uncertainties in order to make appropriate decisions. This FBU recommendation explains the background to error analysis and provides practical recommendations based on the results of interlaboratory tests. A revision of this recommendation was published by the FBU in May 2024

Derivation of the concentration-dependent measurement uncertainty for soil elution methods

Published: July 2015 | File format: PDF I Pages: 23 I German
Expertise on the analysis of PAH-containing soils by means of elution according to E DIN 19527 and subsequent measurement of the concentrations in the eluate. The report is completed by a detailed statistical analysis of the results.

Possibilities of applying the Horwitz function to determine the measurement uncertainty in the enforcement of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance

Published: May 2018 | File format: PDF I Pages: 19 I German
Expertise: In the area of food control, the use of the Horwitz function in conjunction with the so-called HorRat value has become established for the assessment in accordance with LFGB Section 64. This report applies this principle to the assessment of soil samples.

Specification of the measurement uncertainty for chemical soil analyses for the enforcement of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance

Published: March 2008 | File format: PDF I Pages: 17
Recommendation of the FBU: The determination of substance contents in soils is subject to uncertainties. This makes it all the more important to specify the uncertainties in order to make appropriate decisions. This FBU recommendation explains the background to error analysis and provides practical recommendations based on the results of interlaboratory tests. A revision of this recommendation was published by the FBU in May 2024

Examples of the calculation of laboratory-specific measurement uncertainties for chemical soil analyses

Published: March 2008 | File format: PDF I Pages: 16 German

Statement of the FBU on the use of on-site analysis methods within the scope of the Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV)

Published: June 2004 | File format: PDF I Pages:7 I German
In recent years, on-site analytical methods for the investigation of contaminated soils have been increasingly developed, and in some cases also used beyond the purpose explicitly envisaged in the BBodSchV. The FBU has reviewed publications and method descriptions on on-site analytical methods (field methods) and prepared a statement. In the publication of the statement, the FBU makes general recommendations for the suitability of the methods and sets out the requirements for their application.

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