Photo: Københavns lufthavn A/S and Dragør Luftfoto
PFAS is the collective term for a group of synthetic chemicals that are currently getting a lot of media attention due to their level of toxicity. If soil and groundwater are polluted, the toxic chemicals might enter humans through for example beef from a cow that has grazed on contaminated soil.
Most recently, the media has focused on the chemical PFOS, a flame retardant used in firefighting foam, used for fire extinguisher training at different locations around Denmark. The chemical has also been used at Copenhagen Airport. However, here a proactive effort to remove the chemical was initiated more than
10 years ago which is to say long before the issue was raised on the national agenda.
Artelia helps clean up PFAS polluted sites in collaboration with Kemic Vandrens who has invented a cleaning method for this specific purpose. The facility pumps water up and cleans it through active coal filters that are effective in removing PFAS compounds allowing the water to be reused after cleaning. The coal filters do not require replacement very often making it a cheaper alternative to other
cleaning solutions.
Polluted water as resource
Artelia and Kemic Vandrens are cleaning up the contaminated area by the fire station in the western part of the airport. Here, firefighting foam containing PFOS was used back in the ’90s. However, the airport has long since stopped using it.
The clean-up has been very successful, and the amount of PFOS has been reduced to below the limit value. This means that the airport can reuse the water for other purposes such as cleaning, cooling or fire extinguishing, saving water resources.
The cleaning facility is temporary, however, because of the positive results, Artelia and Kemic Vandrens will now set up a permanent facility to increase the cleaning capacity. Our role was to manage logistics and perform hydraulic calculations for the drainage system. We have assisted the airport with rainwater management for several years from which we know the infrastructure of the airport well. Business Manager, Civil Works & Environment, Bo Schytte, is part of the team that has helped the airport with PFAS management. He underlines how the results and experiences from the airport can easily be used on other projects:
The airport has its own environmental department that carries out tests
and analyses of PFAS. However, Artelia would also be able to manage these
environmental assessments. Especially now that we know more about the source
of pollution and are currently assisting the client who are frontrunners within
PFAS management. We can map out the scope of the pollution, define the actions
necessary and determine whether the project has reached satisfactory results.
Copenhagen