Abstract

In March 2006 the Inspectorate of the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) published a leaflet in Dutch on 'sewer renovation with cured-in-place pipe lining techniques', meant to provide local authorities with information on sewer renovation using these techniques. This report gives background information on the measures and the derivation of the recommended exposure limits described in the leaflet, such as knowledge of both feasible measures in daily practice and several practical research studies. The lining technique has the advantage that no streets have to be laid open; cured-in-place pipe lining techniques allow a flexible synthetic resin to be rolled out in a sewer. Heating causes a reaction leading to a firm and solid new sewer layer that replaces all old sewer functions.
During construction of the resin in the sewer styrene, a chemical substance, may be released into the environment. Styrene, with its low odour threshold, has led to complaints from residents on some of the lining projects, which was a reason for the VROM Inspectorate to prepare a leaflet in close cooperation with representatives of municipalities and sewer renovation companies. The basic principle for the Inspectorate was that this kind of construction work falls under regular tasks and must therefore not lead to any unnecessary nuisance for civilians. Applications of these measures will prevent exposure of the population exceeding exposure risks stipulated for these types of construction works.