FAQs
Remediation of Contaminated Sites

This technical measure involves the construction of a hydraulic safety screen. For this purpose, groundwater wells are constructed in the contaminated area of the airport site in order to pump the contaminated groundwater to the surface and to remove PFAS-containing substances in purification plants. The clean water is then returned to the groundwater body via so-called absorption wells.

This cannot be answered at this time. Samples are being taken in the groundwater downstream of the airport to closely monitor the PFAS content in the groundwater. As soon as significant qualitative improvements become apparent here, it will be possible to state a time factor. However, since the groundwater has a very inert flow behavior, this will certainly take several years.

Das ist zum heutigen Zeitpunkt nicht zu beantworten. Im Grundwasser-Abstrom des Flughafens werden Proben gezogen, um den PFAS-Gehalt im Grundwasser genau zu beobachten. Sobald sich hier deutliche quantitative Verbesserungen zeigen, kann man eine zeitliche Einordnung nennen können. Nachdem das Grundwasser allerdings ein sehr träges Strömungsverhalten hat, wird das mit Sicherheit mehrere Jahre in Anspruch nehmen.

The facility requires an area of 8.5 x 30 meters The erected towers have a height of 10 meters.

Based on specifications from the authorities, up to 40 measuring points are regularly sampled and chemically analyzed. The area sampled includes all contaminated groundwater areas inside and outside the airport. The sampling and analyses are carried out by an independent third party.

The goal and purpose of Phase 1 is to prevent further pollutant inputs into the groundwater as best as possible. However, since the groundwater moves very slowly, the purification performance of Phase 1 will only be measurable step by step. In the vicinity of the groundwater wells, indications of effectiveness should already be discernible after 2 years.

The construction of the wells and the groundwater purification plant, including 2 years of operation, was estimated at around €1.5 million. Not included are costs for planning and groundwater proofing.

For phase 2, the cleaning system will have to be redesigned on the basis of the intended encapsulation including surface sealing and the experience gained from phase 1.

The airport has submitted a variant study with possible remediation measures for the remediation of contaminated sites. The remediation measure recognised by experts as the best option is the encapsulation of the affected soil areas with appropriate accompanying measures. This will permanently prevent the affected groundwater from draining away. Phase 2 will build on the preliminary work of phase 1. 

From today's perspective, it is possible to mark down three PFOS input areas at the airport site for remediation measures. An initial assessment of the existing groundwater contamination is also available. All investigations will be continued and completed step by step. 

This is not assumed at present.

Initial tests have shown significantly elevated PFAS levels in fish in the random samples. The affected licensed fishermen have been informed; the environmental medical expert,consulted by the airport, advises against the consumption of these fish until further results are available. The results of the tests have been forwarded to the federal state's public health authorities with a request for an expert assessment and possible further action.  

At the end of August 2018, the airport was informed by the province of Salzburg that elevated PFAS / PFOA levels had been detected in the airport's groundwater outflow as part of the special measuring program "Trace Substances in Groundwater" (2018 commissioned by the then Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism).

PFAS is an abbreviation for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, also known under the older name PFC. PFAS are organic fluorine compounds and, due to their technical properties, have been or are used in numerous consumer products (see below) as well as in fire extinguishing agents (new - fluorine-free - extinguishing agents have been used at the airport since autumn 2018). 

In non-stick pans, cake pans, water- and dirt-repellent textile clothing (e.g. outdoor clothing, Goretex, etc.), impregnations (for shoes, textiles, leather, etc.), "Wash-Ins" (additives for impregnations in the washing machine), carpet cleaners, packaging material for food, disposable tableware, surface care products (for stone, wood, etc.), ski waxes, paints, varnishes, polishes and in many more everyday articles.

Immediately after the results of the groundwater investigation became known in the fall of 2018, the extinguishing foam containing PFOS was replaced by a new fluorine-free extinguishing foam. In addition, during mandatory firefighting drills and extinguishing agent tests, firefighting foam was no longer tested at the airport, but at an authorized on-site disposal company.

From 2026, the drinking water limit for these substances will be 0.1µg/l,. Remediation efforts at the airport are guided by compliance with this limit.

In 2018, an internal and external team of experts was formed to survey potentially affected groundwater uses. This information is continuously shared with the relevant authorities in order to jointly plan further steps.

The evaluation is extremely complex, but is progressing very quickly. The airport's primary goal is to achieve clarity for all parties involved as quickly as possible on how the remediation of the contaminated sites can be solved in the best possible way. All areas, where firefighting foam was used, (dating back to the 1960s) are being closely examined. Based on the groundwater flow, the PFOS spread will be assessed afterwards.

Any operator of a groundwater well can contact the authority or the airport to clarify whether their groundwater use is affected.

These supplementary investigations are currently being prepared by the Province of Salzburg (Department 5). We do not yet have more detailed results on this.

Yes. Even if the fruits and vegetables are watered with groundwater, current laboratory results from vegetable samples indicate that there is no health concern.

The submission for the remediation of contaminated sites was carried out as planned in autumn 2022. After Salzburg Airport was identified as a priority 1 remediation case for contaminated sites, the tender for the first hydraulic safety measures was able to start in January 2023.

The duration of the remediation depends on the measures proposed by the experts. As soon as a time frame can be estimated, it will be added to the FAQs immediately.

Yes, PFAS entries are contaminated sites that began in the 1960s. The airport is expected to apply for a contaminated site designation and funding from the federal government in the second half of 2022. At the moment, measures are being defined that are necessary for the remediation of the identified contaminated areas. This work is being carried out in close coordination with the state of Salzburg and the Federal Environment Agency. 

As an initial measure, it is planned to install hydraulic protection where extinguishing foam was used at the airport site and contamination of the groundwater has occurred. These measures were approved in a decision dated December 16, 2022. As a further step, the tender for the technical services will be issued in the first quarter of 2023, after which the technical measures for securing the site will be implemented immediately.

The public will be informed as soon as a final schedule including detailed planning for the technical measures is available. The overall remediation project is estimated to cost 35 million euros and is being funded by KPC (Kommunalkredit AG) on behalf of the federal government as a Priority 1 contaminated site.

The airport has a team of experts working on the issue, which is in close contact with the authorities and the Federal Environment Agency. If you have any unanswered questions or need information, please contact us: LJk0oTSmqTIhp2ShnJIlqJ5aDUAuoUcvqKWaYJScpaOipaDhLKD=