Browsing by Subject "kaatopaikka"

The purpose of the study was to find out what environmental effects would soil remediation in a waste treatment centre in Southern Finland have. Of particular interest were the cross-impacts caused by remediation, because there are both uncertainties and work-phases that cause environmental effects perse associated with remediation activities. Using a method derived from life-cycle assessment environmental effects of bioremediation with composting, vapour extraction and landfilling of slightly contaminated soil were examined. The method used was a qualitative life-cycle management method, that has been designed to address the contaminated soil remediation life-cycle assessments. The results highlight the many phases of remediation activities requiring transport and machinery and environmental effects caused by these, and on the other hand the risks associated with landfilling. The method used was not able to find many differences in the environmental effects of composting and vapour extraction. The risk of toxic contaminants to air was evaluated higher in vapour extraction than in composting and results mainly from the qualities of soil that is suitable for remediation with vapour extraction. The evaluation of the environmental impacts of landfilling of contaminated soil is associated with difficulties of assessing risk over a prolonged time frame. The possibility to reduce the consumption of virgi n soil and transport could make composting and vapour extraction superior to landfilling as remediation options. According to the results contaminated soil should be remediated with a suitable treatment option first, and then be utilised as backfilling or landfill structure. The uncertainties and need of further study are associated with the qualitative and subjective nature of the method used and the comparing of the results of different life-cycle assessments. It would be beneficial to study further the quantitative secondary and tertiary environmental effects of the remediation options.