Pit Sovjak remediation
Pit Sovjak is a natural karst sinkhole located near Rijeka, in the municipality of Viškovo, which was in the 1950s used for the disposal of hazardous waste for more than 30 years. It is estimated that about 250,000 m3 of various waste was deposited in the pit at a time when there were no relevant environmental regulations, and this location was used without applying any technical environmental protection measures or having the necessary municipal infrastructure.
During the first ten years, the site was used for the disposal of acidic sludge generated as waste matter in the production of lubricants, motor oils and asphalt. Later, in addition to acidic sludge, other types of waste were disposed at the site: waste tar from the coke plant, waste oils and fuel oils from the shipyard, residues from oil and petroleum products tanks, etc. It is estimated that there is currently up to 152,000 m3 of waste in the pit.
Analyses so far have not shown any impact of waste from pit Sovjak on water sources in the neighbouring coastal area because the hard tar layer at the bottom of the pit actually serves as a sealant (the samples of the hard tar layer examined so far show properties similar to asphalt). Nevertheless, as part of the contractor's obligations, additional hydrogeological research will be carried out.
The location of the Sovjak pit was identified as a hot spot in the 2005 Waste Management Strategy of the Republic of Croatia and the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 - 2020 (OPCC). In accordance with the strategic and planning documents, the state has authorised the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund to carry out all activities necessary for its remediation.
The overall value of the remediation project (all four contracts) is HRK 390,791,535.00. 85% of the total amount will be provided from EU funds, and 15% will be provided by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.
Following the Direct Grant Award Procedure - Remediation of site highly polluted by hazardous waste - Sovjak Pit, under part of the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 - 2020, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy (currently the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development) adopted the Decision on financing allocating HRK 320,593,075.06 of EU funds to the project. The grant agreement was signed on 13 July 2018.
The works will be carried out by the consortium of bidders: GK GRUPA d.o.o. from Varaždin, EKOMO d.o.o. from Slovenia, and IVICOM Consulting d.o.o. from Zagreb. In addition, following the completion of procurement procedures, contracts were signed for: site supervision (consortium comprising: EPTISA ADRIA d.o.o., In Stria d.o.o. and INVESTINŽENJERING), the project manager (the company Civil Engineering Consultancy d.o.o. from Zadar), and the promotion and visibility services of the project (the company Prospekt from Rijeka).
All the necessary studies and a remediation program have been prepared, and the accepted concept, which was agreed upon by the local community, includes:
- extraction of floating hydrocarbons, transport and incineration outside Croatia,
- excavation of sludge/soft tar, pre-treatment with slaked lime, transport and incineration/energy recovery outside Croatia,
- continuous pumping of wastewater, pre-treatment/treatment with oil-grease separator and sand filters, finishing through GAC filters and discharge into the absorbent building,
- bottom sealing, filling the pit with inert material of natural origin and then closing with the upper sealing layer with a rainwater drainage system.
The feasibility study of the selected remediation solution envisages the removal of the upper layers of hazardous waste from the pit all the way to the hard tar that is not intended for removal - it serves as an impermeable barrier in the lower stratum of the pit. After the works are completed, the pit area will be visually integrated into the surrounding terrain in such a way that the embankment on the pit and landscaping will achieve a slight elevation over the former pit area.
NEXT STEPS
- Preparatory activities: designing and obtaining building permits and harmonisation with the requirements of the Decision on environmental acceptability of the project
- As part of preparatory activities, hydrogeological investigation works will be carried out. The aim of these works is to determine the depth of penetration of hazardous waste into the karst underground and possible impacts on coastal springs, and to define the thickness of individual layers to be removed, as well as physicochemical characteristics of layers.
- Remediation: the remediation itself starts after obtaining all permits.
- The first phase - extraction of soft tar - will take about two years.
- PROTECTION MEASURES - measures are envisaged and prescribed to mitigate negative impacts such as a permanent protective layer of water on the surface of the pit, water cannons and the like that will mitigate the impact during the works, and in addition, protection measures and the manner of their implementation will be envisaged through the main design.
- Two immission stations for gas monitoring will be established, as well as information boards that will inform citizens and a website with all the necessary information.
- The estimated duration of the remediation works is 54 months, so the completion of remediation is expected in the second half of 2026.
PROJECT BENEFICIARY: Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund
PROJECT OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES
The project includes the clean-up and closure of pit Sovjak, thus eliminating the negative impact of hazardous waste on the local population and the wider area, and it will contribute to achieving OPCC 2014 - 2020 indicators; it will contribute to Croatia’s compliance with the obligations to the EU, and to the economic development of the municipality. Compared to the current situation on site that is degraded both visually and environmentally, the project will help eliminate the adverse impact of waste on the environment, a new green area will be formed, and potentially favourable habitat for certain plant and animal species. The location will take on a suburban character and blend in with the surrounding area.
PROJECT VALUE
The total value of the Project amounts to HRK 377,168,323.60. The share of co-financing of eligible costs from the Cohesion Fund is 85.00%, i.e. the grant amounts to HRK 320,593,075.06.
IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD
Start of the implementation of the Project: 29 June 2018; conclusion of the Project implementation period: 31 December 2023.
CONTACT: [email protected]
www.strukturnifondovi.hr
www.opzo-opkk.hr
