Contaminated areas represent a threat to human health and to the environment. Following the principle of ‘the polluter pays’, environmental legislation establishes that whoever is responsible for contamination must pay for the recovery.

This recovery is made according to criteria established by environmental bodies, which require an environmental diagnosis to be presented for areas where suspected contamination has occurred.

To prepare this diagnosis, IPT analyses physical and chemical data of subsoil and of any contamination present. The Institute conducts studies to devise innovative solutions for contaminated area remediation projects, including complex cases, seeking alternatives for eliminating the contamination or aligning the area to applicable legislation. The most common contaminants are organochlorines, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals.