After more than ten years of intensified activity within the field of
remediation of contaminated sites, the most commonly applied remedial
solution in Sweden is excavation. Today there are few alternative solutions
available in Sweden, which results in high price levels and few
opportunities to select techniques with respect to least negative
environmental impact. Whereas alternative remediation techniques are
developed in other countries, the application is limited in Sweden.
The Netherlands are considered to be one of the leading countries within
the field of soil and groundwater remediation. The aim of the thesis is to
identify new in situ remediation techniques in the Netherlands that could
be suitable to apply in Sweden. The aim is also to identify the most
important opportunities and barriers to new in situ techniques in Sweden.
The report focuses on techniques suitable for remediation of sites
contaminated with petroleum- and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
The research is based on literature studies and interviews with key
persons.
A case study of five Swedish and six Dutch in situ remediation projects was
carried out. Finally, an investigation on the experiences of persons active
within remediation branch in Sweden was carried out with means of a
questionnaire.
In general there is in the Netherlands a wider range of different
remediation techniques available which can be applied in practice. The in
situ techniques identified in this report, with no previous known
application in Sweden, are: co-solvent or surfactant flushing, LINER, six-
phase heating, electro bio reclamation, electro kinetic bio screens, in
situ chemical oxidation with C-sparge and perozone.
None of the techniques can be excluded to be suitable to apply in Sweden
with respect to environmental criteria such as soil structure, since the
environment is unique at each specific site. The variation of the site-
specific environment is great between different sites in Sweden. All the
techniques have, at appropriate environmental conditions, the potential to
reduce the pollution level to correspond acceptable risk levels in Sweden.
Many of the new techniques that are regularly used in the Netherlands are
known in Sweden, but not applied in practice. In this report differences
between Sweden and the Netherlands are identified that can may explain why
Sweden apply less innovative in situ techniques.
Factors that do not differ between Sweden and the Netherlands are apart
from type of contamination, the applied remediation goals, costs and time
aspects. Factors that might differ between Sweden and the Netherlands are
the soil structure, climate and the costs of in situ techniques compared to
other techniques. Factors that do differ between Sweden and the Netherlands
are the involvement of contractors in making the remediation plan, the
overall strategy of a remedi...
