EU level (new in 2025): The EU reached a provisional political deal on a new Soil Monitoring Law (April–July 2025)
What it means for developers and local authorities in Ireland—why audits will get easier (and stricter), and how to prepare with light‑touch digital tracking.
What’s in the deal (plain English)
- Soil health monitoring & assessment: common EU descriptors (physical, chemical, biological) and a sampling method; early steps toward tracking PFAS/pesticides.
- Public list of potentially contaminated sites: Member States must publish a list within 10 years of the law entering into force and act on unacceptable risks.
- Land‑take principles: EU principles to reduce/mitigate land take—especially soil sealing/removal—while respecting national planning decisions.
- Timeline: After formal adoption and publication in the EU Official Journal, it enters into force 20 days later, with 3 years for national compliance.
Bottom line: more comparable, public, spatially‑explicit soil data across the EU. Approvals and audits will lean on digital evidence.
What this means in Ireland
For developers & main contractors
- Expect more precise requests for where soil came from, where it went, and under what authorisations.
- Having time/GPS/photo evidence for pickup and drop‑off will speed approvals and reduce disputes.
For local authorities
- Stand up governance for a public list of potentially contaminated sites (fields, workflows, GIS).
- Specify digital evidence in planning conditions and tenders—so records plug straight into your mapping.
Minimum viable digital trail (start now)
- Pickup — timestamp, GPS, photos, driver signature
- Drop‑off — timestamp, GPS, photos, recipient name/sign
- Context — project/site, load ID, vehicle & driver, (subcontractor if any)
- Authorisations — carrier permit; receiving facility licence/permit
- Export — provide CSV/PDF with coordinates on request
These fields align with the EU’s push for comparable, spatial evidence—and position you for public‑register workflows.
Suggested tender wording
Digital Soil/Waste Movement Evidence
The contractor shall maintain a digital chain‑of‑custody for all excavated soils and C&D waste movements, including timestamped pickup and drop‑off with GPS coordinates, photos, and driver/recipient acknowledgement, and shall record the carrier permit and receiving facility licence/permit numbers. Records must be exportable (CSV/PDF) and provided within 24 hours when requested by the Contracting Authority.
Where Hub360 helps
- Capture once, prove everywhere: link pickup↔drop‑off with time/GPS/photos/signatures and authorisation refs; export instantly.
- Audit‑friendly: map‑ready CSV/PDF and fast search cut admin at valuation and audit time.
Note: This post summarises a provisional EU political deal. Final legal text and national implementation may adjust details.