Soil contamination at the wood preservation industry: Treatment technologies

IRG/WP 01-50166-16

A B Ribeiro, L M Ottosen

The soil is a specific compartment of the biosphere, because it is not only a geochemical sink for contaminants, but it also acts as a natural buffer, controlling the transport of chemical elements and substances to the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biota. Soil contamination problems are expected at wood preservation sites, particularly at those which use(d) inorganic wood preservatives or creosote. In sites where sap displacement methods were used, as the Boucherie method or the modified Boucherie procedure, spills of preservatives directly on the soil, or serious soil contamination are almost a constant. In sites where only pressure methods took place (Bethell, vacuum/pressure or full-cell process), the expected soil contamination is reduced, comparing with the former methods. However, there are still major areas of concern in a plant, such as: around solution storage tanks, near autoclave treatment site, in storage areas for freshly treated wood, in storage areas for final wood and in storage areas for sludge associated with dissolved salts of Cu, Cr and As. Today, there are detailed manufacturers and statutory Codes of Practice regarding safe handling procedures with recommendations for enclosing drip-dry areas and having dedicated fork lift trucks. There are also accelerated fixation technologies available to prevent the occurrence of handling wood wet with preservative and to speed up the production process. However, there are still many treatment plants operating with high level environmental impact. This paper presents a collection of available data related with the soil contamination problem in Europe, due to the wood preservation industry, as well as it gives examples of soil treatment technologies which have already proved to remediate, or are being tested in the remediation, of soil pollution cases. In the framework of COST E22 - Environmental Optimisation of Wood Protection, Working Group 2 - Impacts, the network Soil Remediation is giving the first steps, and it is our will to include as much information as possible, on the topic here presented. This Symposium is then a privilege space for all, e.g. industries, to show up their interest on the topic.


Keywords: No keywords available

Conference: 01-05-06/02 Cannes-Mandelieu, France


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