Decision tools, Consulting and Expertise in Ecology Issues

Site Investigation

Preliminary investigations of contaminated sites may be necessary as a basis for a construction project or may be ordered by the environmental authority in accordance with the provisions of the Contaminated Sites Ordinance (AltlV). On the basis of a historical investigation, a technical investigation is carried out as a central step, in which explorations are made with excavators or drilling equipment and samples are analysed in the laboratory.

The results are evaluated by the contaminated site expert, with the following cases being possible:

• If no contaminations are found, the site is deleted from the Cadastre of polluted Sites (KbS).
  
  
• If there is pollution without harmful or tedious effects, the entry in the Cadastre remains, but no further measures are necessary.
  
  
• In more problematic cases, the site is classified as requiring monitoring or remediation, and further investigation steps are required (e.g. groundwater investigation, detailed investigation, remediation investigation).
  
  
• If the site is designated building land, the results can be used at the same time to clarify the requirements for future construction projects and to estimate the expected costs of remediation.

 

As contaminated site experts, we plan and manage all investigation steps in cooperation with experienced probing companies and laboratories, prepare the necessary expert reports, represent the interests of our clients vis-à-vis the authorities and support them if they are entitled to reimbursement of the investigation costs in accordance with the polluter-pays principle.