Frist - forum for risk investigation and soil treatment- a competence centre for treatment of contaminated sites

Abstract

Forum for Risk Investigation and Soil Treatment, FRIST, is a recently established
competence centre for investigation and treatment of contaminated sites. The centre is a
co-operation between Stena Metall, Renova and Chalmers University of Technology.
FRIST is situated at School of Civil Engineering, Chalmers, and Associate Professor Lars
Rosen at the Department of GeoEngineering is the manager of the centre.
The main aim with FRIST is to initiate research for development of cost-effective
treatment techniques and strategies for investigation of contaminated sites. The research
should be taken into a wider perspective, and one goal is to establish Goteborg, both
nationally and internationally, as a precursor area for treatment of contaminated sites. The
aim is also to initiate co-operation with other universities and companies. Projects within
the Alliance for Global Sustainability, AGS, are high on the FRIST agenda.
Three research areas have been identified and will be given high priority in the FRIST
activities. The first area is concerning legislation, permissions and priorities. Risk
investigation and prioritisation processes, and outlines of more efficiency in the process
for permissions are requested. The goal is to establish co-operation, and start a PhD
project, within the area of economics and environmental law. The second area is on risk
investigation. Uncertainty and data worth in decision analysis for contaminated land will
be important, with focus on pollution distribution and mobility. Focus will be on costbenefit-risk decision analysis for managing uncertainties and achieving cost-effective
treatment strategies. A PhD project in this field is already on going at GeoEngineering,
Chalmers. The third prioritised area is research and development of treatment techniques.
A PhD project will be started on studies of pollutant distribution and mobility.
Adsorption and leaching processes will be studied for development of more efficient onsite and in-situ treatment techniques. Research will be carried out on both organic and
inorganic pollutants.