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Historic Environmental Task Signed at Høfde 42

The work on the largest cleanup in Denmark’s history has now begun.

The agreement involves Denmark’s largest cleanup of a generational pollution: Cheminova’s old depot at Høfde 42, which today contains over 100 tons of pollutants. The complex pollution, which has marred the area for generations, will now be cleaned up by 2030. 

“Being an advisor on Denmark’s largest pollution cleanup makes me more than proud. It is truly significant that we are now seriously starting to clean up some of the major sins of the past. It also gives hope,” says Lars Sloth, Division Director for Earth & Environment at WSP Denmark.

 

First Step

Three companies were pre-qualified in the EU tender for the task, and at the end of March 2024, the regional council in Region Midtjylland decided to contract with Arkil A/S together with WSP Denmark and Haemers Technologies. After securing the funding for the cleanup, an agreement has now been made. 

“This is the culmination of a long and arduous struggle over many years, where first the technology to solve the task had to be found – and then the money to do it. We have now achieved that thanks to skilled Danish companies, collaborating professionals in the region, persistent enthusiasts, and patient political dialogue. With today’s signatures, we have committed to going the rest of the way as well. It is historic. For Harboøre Tange, for Region Midtjylland, and for Denmark,” says Regional Council Chairman Anders Kühnau. 

Sandra Roost og Lars Sloth fra WSP Danmark

Well-Known Technology

Now begins the major work of obtaining the relevant permits and approvals from the authorities. This is expected to take about a year and a half, after which the actual cleanup can begin. 

“It is not without pride that we now embark on a task that requires a highly flexible and innovative approach. Both due to the composition of the pollution and the unique – and sometimes harsh – location on the West Coast. We look forward to carrying out the cleanup and to collaborating with Region Midtjylland and our partners from WSP and Haemers Technologies,” says Michael Hansen, Managing Director of Arkil. 

The cleanup will be carried out using a well-known technology, but on such a large scale that it attracts international attention. 

One of the requirements in the tender was that heating (thermal cleanup) should be used to remove the pollution. The cleanup will take place at or near Høfde 42, so large amounts of contaminated soil and sand do not have to be transported away from the area for both safety and climate reasons. 

The pollution is already surrounded by the sheet pile wall that Arkil installed back in 2006. Inside the sheet pile, four “treatment cells” of approximately 6,200 m3 each with double sheet pile walls will be established, where the actual cleanup will take place using gas burners for heating. 

The cleaned soil from the cells will be returned to the area, and the beach will be restored once all the soil/sand has been treated.

 

Focus on the Future

The cleanup technology is well-known, and it requires large amounts of energy to clean the soil. Therefore, a significant part of the project aims to minimize resource consumption and the impact on the environment and climate as much as possible. WSP will use their Future Ready concept.

“We will continuously monitor developments to see if there is anything that allows us to reduce resource consumption, think circularly and in terms of recycling, and consider the future use of the area,” says Peter Bornhardt, Nordic Future Ready lead at WSP.

He will use the principle that delves into developments in climate, resources, technology, and society to continuously optimize and improve the project. The cleanup is expected to be completed by 2030.

 

FACTS 

  • Contractor: Arkil A/S 
  • Consultant: WSP Denmark 
  • Cleanup Technology: Haemers Technologies 
  • Client: Region Midtjylland 
  • Expected Completion: 2030 

It is estimated that the chemical depot currently contains over 100 tons of pollutants, including 7 tons of mercury. The majority of the pollution consists of the substance parathion, which has been used for pest control in agriculture.