During 1949-85 the Swedish Telecom ran a plant for pressure impregnation of poles in Hjältevad, 80 km east of Jönköping in the southern part of Sweden. About one million poles were treated with CCA-preservaties. Leaks and accidential spills have contaminated soil and groundwater within the 5 ha large site. The total amount of released arsenic, the main pollutant, is estimated to 6-7 metric tons. It has been considered necessary to reduce environmental and healthy risks. Different types of remedial measures have been evaluated, but finally a treatment concept based on soil washing was decided. The purpose of the remediation is to create the necessary conditions for sport activities and recreation in the area. The remediation was conducted in 1997. About 26 600 metric tons of soil with arsenic concentration exceeding 40 mg/kg was treated on site in a soil washing plant. Approximately 4.6 metric tons arsenic was removed from the site in a restfraction, but also in highly contaminated, not treated soil. This high concentrated soil material was placed in a safe hazardous waste landfill. The treated soil and the low contaminated soil (<40 mg/kg) was left on the site. The project, which is the first real soil washing remediation in Sweden, has been successful. The treatment goals are reached in all essentials. The time schedule and project budget are also managed.

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