Remediation of contaminated sites and soil

Environmental protection through treatment of contaminated soils

Safe and sustainable treatment methods for contaminated soils and sediments are playing an increasingly important role in environmental protection. Holistic solutions not only ensure effective results, but also actively contribute to environmental protection. HUESKER understands the challenges posed by environmental pollution and offers project-specific product combination options for a wide range of applications in the areas of decontamination, securing and remediation of contaminated soils, sediments and sludges.

Our experienced experts follow the project from the soil analysis process to geotechnical advice and recommendations for securing and remediation methods. The focus is on the safe and sustainable improvement of contaminated areas. This long-term approach minimizes the risk of recontamination and avoids additional costs for re-treatment.

The extensive product range and customer-oriented engineering services not only take into account a wide range of applications, but also prepare for project-specific challenges in connection with legal requirements and obligations, such as the clean-up requirements according to the polluter pays principle. Thanks to the environmentally friendly and cost-effective treatment methods, the products not only aim to eliminate the pollution, but also minimize the risk of further environmental impacts.

Thanks to the specialist knowledge and many years of experience of our experts, project partners can be sure that they have selected the appropriate treatment method for their contaminated site in order to meet legal requirements in the long term and ensure the environmental compatibility of their activities.

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Efficient securing and renovation
with little time expenditure

Safe and cost-effective treatment
of soils and sediments

Sustainable and environmentally friendly
treatment methods

Experienced experts along with
a wide range of product combinations

Geotextile protection measures as part of the remediation of contaminated sites

Protection for people and nature through hazard prevention

Active Capping of Contaminated Sediments

Environmentally friendly alternative

The decontamination or dredging of contaminated sediments within a body of water is often difficult. In such cases, the release of pollutants from the sediments into the water must be prevented, and the ecosystem related to the surface water body must be protected. To this end, the waterbody sediments can be covered with a filter layer made of innovative geocomposites.

An active cover forms a safe barrier for the pollutants but allows the water to pass through. Despite the barrier, the important exchange of surface water and groundwater is still possible.

Advantages of geosynthetic water cover

Low transportation and waste volumes
Avoidance of pollutant carryover through remobilization
Design/simulation possible using software
Proven and standardized method

Fast and efficient sludge dewatering

Economical and ecological alternative

The dredging and removal from site of contaminated dredged material is often associated with high costs and effort. To make this easier, it is advisable to dewater the sediments before removal. Dewatering with geotextile dewatering tubes has established itself as a modern, fast and economical method. Different types of sludge can be dewatered easily with geotextile containers. Dewatering in geotextile tubes does not require the input of external energy and is therefore emission-free. Where especially large quantities of material are to be dewatered, tubes provide both environmental and economical advantages. The bags and tubes made from a special high-performance filter fabric exhibit impressive performance with a high process capacity in a comparatively small space and therefore support rapid construction progress.

Advantages of geosynthetic sludge dewatering

Permanent removal of the contaminated material from the environment
Reuse as construction material with appropriate protection
High dry residue
Maximum flexibility thanks to different tubes sizes

PFAS-safe basic sealing in landfills

Effective filtering of leachate and pollutants

Soils containing PFAS cannot be stored in every landfill today. The spread of the pollutants via the landfill leachate and the lack of treatment facilities prevent landfill disposal. To enable the acceptance of PFAS soils, so-called mono-areas can be created specifically for this type of waste. The waste deposited there is secured in such a way as to prevent the spread of pollutants to other landfill areas via the leachate. If PFAS-contaminated soils are stored in these mono-areas, the use of a large-area geotextile contaminant filter can replace the filter fleece above the drainage layer. In this way, the leachate and pollutants are filtered before they leave the mono-area through the drainage. In addition, the other areas are also protected from PFAS.

This method could support landfill operators in accepting and landfilling soils contaminated with PFAS.

Advantages of geosynthetic base sealing systems

Simple installation of the base liner
No complex installation technology required
Installation by plant operator or earthworks company

"A landfill cell, properly installed and tested for integrity, that is constructed with a composite liner system using a product with PFAS absorption capabilities should be considered to be the state-of-practice at this time, offering the greatest potential for successful PFAS containment and long-term storage."

Boyd Ramsey

Engineering structures from contaminated soils

Infrastructure or noise protection embankments

Soils contaminated with pollutants can find a new, value-adding use in engineering structures. By using a geotextile pollutant barrier, the sediments can be used, for example, to construct new dams in the form of infrastructure or noise protection embankments.

To prevent the pollutants from escaping and entering the environment, a large-area pollutant capturing mat is installed underneath the structure. The highly efficient geocomposite absorbs the pollutants and binds them with the help of an active layer. In the case of very mobile pollutants, the soil quality can improve over time, as precipitation releases the pollutants from the soil matrix and carries them to the filter mat, where they are securely bound.

Advantages of technical structures made from contaminated soils

Value-adding use of the scarce resource soil
Long-term improvement in soil quality
Avoidance of long transportation routes
Reduction in landfill costs

Securing and reinforcing contaminated sludge

Creating new usable areas

A particular challenge in the remediation of contaminated sites is the remediation of so-called sludge ponds. By using special geosynthetics, extremely soft and contaminated substrates can be safely covered and stabilized. Reliable encapsulation of the sludge prevents pollutant and odour emissions from entering the environment.

The use of geogrids can reinforce soft, inhomogeneous soils and increase their load-bearing capacity. Increased load-bearing capacity allows the areas to be driven on or built over safely. The rehabilitated sludge ponds can be put to a new use.

Advantages of sludge pond remediation with geotextiles

Time-saving covering thanks to large panel solution
Large-scale consolidation of the soft ground
Creation of usable areas in the commercial sector
Renaturalized green spaces and habitat for animals and plants

"Sediment Capping with amendment layers has significantly changed our aqueous remediation efforts, providing a cost-effective and efficient solution to manage contaminated sediments.

The technique’s ability to isolate pollutants, prevent their migration, and promote natural recovery processes has a huge impact of aquatic ecosystems."

Danny Reible

Groundwater protection in infrastructure construction

Decentralized precipitation treatment

Traffic areas such as roads, parking lots, railroad lines or airports are exposed to heavy loads and pollution from oil and other substances. If precipitation falls on these sealed surfaces, they absorb the pollutants, which can enter the groundwater via ditches. In case of paved surfaces, these pollutants can seep through the joints and other areas where permeable pavements are constructed.

To collect surface water contaminated with pollutants, sorbing pollutant barriers can effectively prevent them from entering the groundwater. The geotextile pollutant filter can be laid along a road to clean the water that is washed from the impermeable surfaces into the roadside ditch. In the case of paving and other permeable pavements, the filter can be laid directly below the surface to bind the pollutants and clean the water that seeps through and permeable pavement areas.

Advantages of groundwater protection with active geocomposite

Simple and effective environmental protection
Alternative to conventionally sealed trenches

Permanent storage of sediments without treatment

Structure core in groynes and breakwaters

Sediments can be permanently encapsulated in geotextile tubes without treatment. The sediments are used as a filler for the specially developed coastal protection tubes, which are used particularly in modern hydraulic engineering. The possibility of permanent storage in filter-stable tubes must be individually checked in advance by our experts.

The large-format coastal protection tubes can be used as a structural core in groynes and breakwaters, providing sustainable protection for coastlines and riverbanks. As a tailor-made system solution, they enable optimized structure geometries and cross-sections. In direct comparison to conventional rubble stone structures, the use of local sediments can reduce cost-intensive transportation of, for example, armour stones.

Advantages of permanent storage without treatment

Sediments can be used as filler for geotextile tubes
Avoidance of long transportation routes to special landfill sites
Conservation of soil as a resource
Saving on disposal costs and landfill volumes

"Geosynthetic pollutant filters represent an innovative approach to controlling the spread of pollutants from diffuse sources across various applications. The concept of treating leachate or vapours in situ introduces novel methods for the remediation and containment of contaminated soils and sediments, offering sustainable solutions for managing environmental pollution, particularly in soil and sediment encapsulation projects."

Malek Bouazza

Our geotextile products for soil remediation and remediation of contaminated sites

Our varied product programme and our customer-oriented engineering services enable active environmental protection with innovative treatment methods. The diversity of our solutions takes into account the specific and individual requirements of each project. The use of geotextiles not only makes it possible to eliminate contamination, but also to minimise the risk of further environmental pollution. Get to know our products and their advantages.