Soil remediation

In 2004 Ercros launched an ambitious project to clean up the soil and groundwater at the Flix factory

Significant environmental actions carried out by Ercros
Portada del dossier de saneamiento de los suelos de Flix
Download the Flix soil remediation dossier

No risk to human health

As a result of the historical activity carried out since the factory came into operation in 1899, its soil and groundwater have been affected to a greater or lesser extent. Since 2004, Ercros has been working under the supervision of the competent authorities (the Agència de Residus de Catalunya and the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro) to clean up these soils and waters, with the result that today the soils of the Flix factory pose no risk to the health of the inhabitants and visitors to the town or to the people who work in the factory; nor is there any active source of contamination detected in the entire factory site.

The remediation actions completed and planned involve an investment of more than 11 million euros.

Confinamiento del depósito histórico de la fábrica de Flix

Confinement of the historical waste deposit

Control de suelos de la fábrica de Flix

Flix has around 800 research and control points on the ground.

Extracción de gases del subsuelo del antiguo almacén Alsuta de la fábrica de Flix

Five underground gas extraction plants have been installed.

Soil and groundwater remediation at the Flix factory, an example of environmental remediation in Europe

Número 1

Like most advanced countries

The remediation actions implemented are in line with those used in countries with more advanced environmental policies (Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada and the USA, among others).

2

Almost 800 research points

Soil characterisation has been exceptionally extensive, with nearly 800 investigation points, a number well above the standards applied by state and European administrations on sites of similar size.

3

Isolated land

The impacted soil of the factory is isolated thanks to the remediation actions carried out and the natural hydrogeology. Consequently, there is no leakage of pollutants into the environment.

4

Guardianship of the administration

All the factory's sectors, without exception, are covered by a dossier from the competent authorities. The administration effectively monitors the quality of the soil and groundwater.

5

Continuous works

Further actions to improve soil quality are being carried out to minimise the degree to which impacted soils are affected.

6

Consolidated monitoring network

The subsoil quality monitoring network, which monitors and controls the progress of remediation actions, is exceptionally robust.

As of 13-02-2024

The big figures on soil management

Below you will find the main magnitudes of the actions carried out to clean up the soil and groundwater at the Flix factory.

53

Remediation studies and proposals

221,889

Analytical determinations

285

Piezometers installed

807

Research points

1

Organic treatment plant

4

Barriers to groundwater interception

550,768 m<sup>3</sup>

Treated groundwater

8,682 Kg

Extracted organochlorines

75 Kg

Mercury extracted from groundwater

20

Wells to extract organic product from subsoil

538 t

Heat-treated organic liquid product

>2.20 m

Thick to contain the historical solid waste repository

19,000 m<sup>3</sup>

Isolated and controlled historical solid waste

5

Vapour extraction plants to capture organochlorines

38,170 Kg

Organochlorines extracted from vapour plants

11 M€

Spent and provisioned for remedial actions

Our environmental management

Actions included in soil and groundwater remediation projects

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Data as of 1-01-2023

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Flix sign with the factory in the background

Additional documentation

If you want to know more about soil remediation in Flix you can check the following documents.

More than a century of history (in Spanish)

Schedule of the soils sanitation of the Flix factory (in Spanish)

Questions and answers (in Spanish)

Flix remediation glossary (in Spanish)