Phytoremediation
By harnessing nature’s own processes, contaminated soil and water can be remediated in a sustainable manner. Phytoremediation uses plants to absorb, break down, or bind contaminants directly on-site—an environmentally friendly method that both preserves the landscape and creates opportunities for greener, more vibrant environments during the remediation process.
Phytoremediation is a method that uses plants to clean contaminated soil and water. It is a natural, cost-effective and proven way to remediate polluted environments.
Different plants have different properties. Some absorb pollutants from soil and water and store them in their tissues. When the plants are harvested, the pollutants are removed from the site and incinerated. Other plants bind pollutants in the root zone, preventing them from spreading. This can be especially useful in areas with high levels of contamination. Roots and bacteria in the root zone can also break down organic pollutants. In these cases, the plant material usually does not need to be removed after remediation.
Water can be treated using aquatic plants or roots in floating wetlands. The plants absorb pollutants directly from the water. This method can be used to treat stormwater, wastewater and leachate from landfills.
Only certain plants are effective at remediation. They must also tolerate the local climate and should preferably be native, so they do not risk becoming invasive. Certain types of willow, Salix, are used for remediation. The plants you see in the planter are willow.
Phytoremediation has several advantages. It is natural, environmentally friendly and cost-effective, and can be used over large areas. The contamination is treated directly on site, and the structure of the soil is preserved. This planting shows how the area could be used as a park or recreation area while remediation is ongoing, if the Scharins area were not already clean and remediated.
The method requires long-term planning and works best on land with low or medium levels of contamination.
PhytoEnvitech AB uses this environmentally friendly remediation technique, which has been in use for more than 25 years. The company adapts each project to the conditions of the site, such as the type of pollutants present and their concentrations.