Remediation of the São Filipe Ditch in Estarreja

Soil remediation – The São Filipe ditch received discharges of liquid industrial effluents from the Estarreja Chemical Complex (CQE) for decades (until 1975), which were rich in heavy metals, namely Arsenic and Mercury. Remediation project by ERASE It is one of the flagship projects in Portugal when we talk about environmental liabilities. In 2021, the Environmental Remediation of the Hydraulic Channel in the Surroundings of the Estarreja Chemical Complex was completed.

ETP was involved in this project which took place between April and August 2021. ETP collaborated with Angulo Recto, Lda (ACA Group).
The ETP started work before the removal operations began, taking readings from over a hundred sampling points in anticipation of the work front. This anticipation enabled more effective planning through a better understanding of the actual contamination status before excavation.

During the project, the ETP accompanied the intervention process in the ditch and surrounding areas, monitoring the environmental quality of the remaining soils after the removal of contaminated soils. Both monitoring and permanent follow-up were carried out using the expedited EDXRF (X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry) method, with the use of a portable X-ray Fluorescence device (NITON). This technique allows for the real-time determination of the concentration of heavy metals present in the soil. Complementarily, a pre-stipulated number of samples were sent to a certified laboratory.