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Characterisation plans
The characterisation plan, the first of the three design phases established by Decree Law No. 152/06 for the treatment of contaminated sites, is intended to lay the bases for drafting of the preliminary remediation project. It comprises a preparatory in-situ study, including collection of data regarding pollution phenomena, followed by construction of a conceptual model used to develop hypotheses regarding the contamination processes that have occurred.
Collection of the necessary documentary evidence, completed if necessary with bibliographic research (a detailed reconstruction of the history of the industrial site helps to define the type of substances present and the type of waste produced) is accompanied by systematic in-field activities that include recording and sampling of the air, water and land. These surveys are necessary in order to define the type and extension of contamination of soil, subsoil and surface and underground waters of the site and any migration paths followed by contaminants to environmental targets and to the population.
As drafting of a characterisation plan is directed towards preparing a reclamation project, it must provide extremely detailed information regarding:
- the site and all the activities carried out;
- the relationship between the activities carried out and the type (location and extension) of possible contamination;
- the characteristics of environmental components at the site and in the area affected by this;
- the conditions necessary to protect the environment and to safeguard public health.
Backed by the experience of its own Environmental Services Centre (ESC), acquired during a wide range of often complex remediation projects of public and private sector industrial areas, EDF Fenice is able to draw up complete characterisation plans, also for wide-scale reclamation projects.