Diagnostics

Potentially harmful substances can be unintentionally released during the remediation or demolition of a building if the works are not carried out professionally. Therefore an identification of building contaminants at an early stage is crucial for protection but also planning and cost reasons.

Pollutants and contamination in buildings

Many buildings worldwide constructed or renovated between the 1950s and the early 1990s often contain potentially harmful environmental pollutants in a great variety of applications and materials.

For example, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in caulks, sealants, paints, anti-corrosion coatings and concrete paints; Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (CP) in sealants, caulks and paints; bonded and unbonded Asbestos in over 3’500 products; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) for example in cork insulation and roofing felt; or wood preservers and flame retardants, and many more.

Legal situation in Switzerland

The Swiss Waste Ordinance (ADWO) and the Swiss Ordinance on Construction Work (BauAV) require a check and analysis before a building is renovated or demolished.

Checking buildings for contaminants - why?

Prior to any renovation work or the demolition of a building, a thorough check of the concerned building shall be carried out in order to identify possible pollutants and contaminations.

Based on the findings from the check, risks are assessed, measures and precautions for an environmentally sound and sustainable clean-up and removal of contaminated materials defined and proposed in a specific report. We provide an overview of the best available techniques (BAT) and the best environmental practices (BEP) in the respective canton or region, and suggest disposal options.

Moreover, an early and professional assessment will allow reliable scheduling and budgeting of the next project phases. A later detection of possibly harmful contaminants, for example during the remediation work itself, can result in considerable health risks or delays and hinder work progress (building freeze), and thus cause additional costs.

The overall objective of identifying building contaminants at an early stage is the environmentally sound - but at the same time and cost-effective - remediation or demolition of the building.

Step-by-step approach

• Review of available reports, project documents, files and drawings
• Site visit and sampling of representative building materials, documentation
• Analysis of samples and interpretation of analysis results
• Evaluation of risks posed to the human health and the environment
• Recommendation of measures and precautions to be taken with regard to an environmentally sound remediation and disposal
• Evaluation of the urgency of remediation or immediate actions
• Definition of maximum concentrations after remediation (clean up aims)
• Definition of treatment and/or disposal options for hazardous wastes
• Recording of volumes and sizes of contaminated materials
• Cost estimate for remediation of identified contaminated materials