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Content

Bitterfeld is a small town in the industrial area in Germany between Dresden & Berlin. The contamination situation at the Bitterfeld megasite is related to the industrial development of the area, which began more than 100 years ago and resulted in three main industries:

  • open-cast lignite mining
  • production of energy
  • chemical industries.

Up to 1990, in an area covering about 10 km2, more than 5,000 different products and compounds were produced.

The chemical production and the disposal of chemical waste in abandoned open-cast lignite mines lead to a large-scale soil and groundwater contamination, estimated at about 100 million cubic meter of contaminated water. The first comprehensive remediation framework concept for Bitterfeld was completed in 1994. The complete decontamination is technically and economically not feasible. The stepwise approach of the IMS leads to a feasible scenario where risk reduction and costs are optimized. Final decisions about the implementation of the plans still have to be made.

Checklist of existing information

Information

Bitterfeld

Megasite area
Impact area 

25 km2
50-100 km2

Land use (maps

General topographic map
(former) chemical production facilities surrounded by residential
areas of Bitterfeld, Wolfen, Jeznitz, Greppin and agriculture/nature
reserves;landscape and hydrology determined by flooded open pit
lignite mines

Documents from involved
stakeholders and other institutions

Bitterfeld database, geological model UFZ, data of LMBV

Historical timeframe
(use/production)

Chemical production, lignite mining and chemical waste landfilling
originating from 1900 and since 1940 focus on chlorinated hydrocarbons
and pesticides

Range of substances produced/
used/present in soil and groundwater

Chlorinated and non-chlorinated organics, to some extent heavy
metals in groundwater

Potential sources (existing landfills, etc.)

Land-fill and high concentration groundwater damage represent four km2 
hotspot source areas, in Quarternary and Tertiary aquifers. Lower
groundwater concentration areas surround these hotspots

Potential receptors (residential areas,
protected areas, rivers, etc.)

Land use /topographic maps

River Mulde and tributaries (Spittelwasser, Fuhneau)

Flooded open pit mine Goitsche

Quaternary / Tertiary aquifers

Residential areas of Bitterfeld, Greppin etc.

Predominant stakeholders

LAF, MDSE, Municipalities of Bitterfeld, Wolfen, LAWA, Bitterfeld Chemie AG



The deliverables of the case-study of Bitterfeld can be downloaded under Workpackage 3 in the 'About' part of the IMS: About->Deliverables.

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