Remediation of soil, soil gas and groundwater contaminations

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Remediation of soil, soil air and groundwater

When public is endangered by contaminations, remediation of the soil, soil gas or groundwater will be necessary. This has to be assessed for the individual case on the base of threshold values applying for the different harmful substances, respectively.

Liability for soil remediation may arise from having caused the contamination or part of it (production) or from owning or having owned the property.

With the German Federal Soil Protection Act (BBodSchG) and German Federal Soil Protection Ordinance (BBodSchV) in 1998 a nationwide base for the assessment of soil contaminations has been established for the first time.

The ordinance includes threshold values demanding investigation or sanitation for various substances such as PAH, TPH, CHC, AHC, heavy metals and others.


A formerly overfilled underground storage tank is 
being cleaned

Depending on the kind of utilization and condition of the subsoil sometimes a contamination with high concentrations of hazardous substances might not require remediation. On the other hand relatively low concentrations of pollutants might call for remediation (e.g. directly above groundwater level in awater reserve area.

For most contaminations there are several options of remdiation. Except form excavation and diposal this might be soil gas extraction (for volatile pollutants), pump and treat measures, in situ biological remediation or retaining walls.

Sometimes sub-soil remediation will be necessary prior to planned construction for obtaining the building permit. Even dewatering during construction frequently calls for treatment of the water prior to reinfiltration or diposal.


excavated,,

Potential benefits for the owner except from the prevention of hazards are obtaining a building permit, lifting restrictions of use and an enhancement in property value. Remediation has to fit into the utilization and development of the property and pay off economically in the long run.

Therefor interdisciplinary experience is essential in remediation design, execution and supervision to prevent conduction remediation for itselfand to find the most effective and cost-effective remediation method.

Being independent consultants we are not bound to certain methods or providers. We are free to choose the best remediation constellation. Mostly these are simple, approved methods reducing the effort for maintaining and controlling the remediation. In exceptional cases (like complex mixtures of hazardous substances) more elaborated installations are adequate.


uplifted and loaded

Talking about complex and expensive soil or groundwater remediations. Reviews of the project by our experts might save considerably on money and time.


and the contaminated soil is being separated