THE CHALLENGE: At a former waste oil refinery of 24,000 m˛ in Germany, soil and groundwater contaminations with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX), mineral oil hydrocarbons (HC) and volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCH) were found.

THE APPROACH: After the demolition of the production facilities from 1989 to 1991, the remediation of the property was divided into three phases while taking the site's geological composition as well as the type and level of contamination into consideration. The upper unsaturated soil layer (loam and filling materials) was  excavated and treated microbiologically in batches on-site (first phase). The underlying unsaturated soil (sand/gravel) was cleaned by soil washing (second phase). The remaining oil phase floating on the groundwater after an hydraulic removal was completely removed during the excavation works.

THE RESULT: A site that would otherwise have stayed unused and wasted is now safe for future development.
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