Soil Decontamination

Remediation is the treatment or the combination of operations performed with the aim of recovering the previous qualities of contaminated underground (which includes both soils and the associated groundwater). A variety of technologies allows the achievement of optimal residual contamination values. Those are safe values for the health of people and environments, according to designated uses of each specific place.   

The techniques will be chosen accordingly to the needs of the project, in function of factors such as the type of contaminant, hydrogeological model, local restrictions, etc. Often, it is necessary to implement two or more techniques for decontaminating the soil.

Remediation projects requires a thoroughly characterization of the underground, as much as the appropriated pilot testing. Hence, it is possible to develop the most suitable hydrogeological concept model, allowing the acknowledgment of both the origin of contamination and contaminant transport mechanisms on the underground.    

Remediation Project:

The Remediation Project consists of a technical document that determines the methodology of the environmental recovery, the way it is going to be performed according to characteristics of the emplacement and to the remediation objectives. It also details the controls and follow-ups to be done during the process.

Aside from the mandatory remediations, there is also the “Voluntary Remediation Program”, as stablished on article 38 of the Law 22/2011, from July 21st, which allows the voluntary remediation of underground, without a previous declaration demanding it. To this effect, it is necessary to elaborate a Voluntary Remediation Project and send it to the competent authorities. After the process is finished and the emplacement is clean, the remediation is certified.