Application of cost-effective technologies in the process of clean-up and conversion of former military base in Borne Sulinowo

Abstract

Since 1990, Poland has launched massive efforts to manage and solve the large-scale environmental pollution on more than twenty abandoned military bases. The government project started with the development of an environmental risk assessment methodology and the estimation the environmental loses and costs which were needed to perform immediate, medium-term and long-term remediation activities. The aim of this article is to discuss the methodological, technical and economic tools aimed at securing the optimal performance of the environmental risk assessment and remediation activities at these abandoned military complexes of land forces and fuel depots. The typical feature of the abandoned large military base is that the relatively localised areas of high pollution are neighboured by vast areas which are free from pollution and thus could be reused for commercial or social purposes. The land and infrastructure-use management strategies aimed at the conversion of former military sites had to be focused on the real need for action in the most polluted "hot spots" and the identification of unpolluted areas. This paper describes the experience gathered during the investigation of the abandoned Borne Sulinowo military complex, which was composed of several types of sub-areas: troop housing and barracks, armoured forces training areas, firing ranges, NBC troop training area, diesel and rocket fuel depots, munitions depots, workshops and repair stations, and hospital and wild waste dumps. Several sub-projects aimed at the rehabilitation of the polluted and damaged sites with the purpose of meeting national environmental standards are described. The main problem was the stopping of the spread of pollution into the soil and ground water and to secure the areas contaminated during exercises against chemical warfare agents. Large quantities of hazardous wastes were found to have been dumped underground. These wastes have been recovered and neutralised on-site by using a specially developed technology. This project has resulted in the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, buildings and installations in Borne Sulinowo for social housing and recreational purposes. Most of the former military area has been completely remediated. A large portion of the land has been forested and is being reused for civilian purposes. © 2007 Springer.