Direct lines of communication, quick turnaround Commissioned by KNSF, Buro Antares in collaboration with Verhoeve Milieu & Water is preparing the former industrial site on the Kruitpad in Muiden for residential development. A spacious and beautiful residential area comprising approximately 1,300 single-family homes and apartments is now rising on the site of the former gunpowder factory. Within the residential area, the old layout of the factory site with its various watercourses, tree-lined avenues and several fine historical industrial buildings is being preserved, and there is plenty of space for rugged nature.
Contamination situation
The site was used from 1702 to 2004 for the production of various types of gunpowder. As a result of these activities, soil contamination involving gunpowder-related substances (non-standardised energetic contaminants such as TNT) has occurred at the location, which, depending on the concentration in the soil, poses a risk of spreading. In addition, small spots of immobile contamination are present across a large part of the site, which can be related to the raising and/or paving of the location. This contamination consists predominantly of heavy metals and, to a lesser extent, PAHs, PCBs and asbestos. Mobile oil contamination is occasionally present.
The contamination in the De Krijgsman Muiden development area posed an obstacle to the redevelopment and has been remediated. This has made the location suitable for its intended future use, residential housing with gardens and green spaces.
Remediation works carried out
For the location development, dozens of immobile spots were excavated. Furthermore, the larger blocks of explosives were removed from the ground. In the process, the large blocks of explosives were cut into smaller pieces using water jet cutting. In addition, the solid soil surrounding the removed blocks of explosives was excavated and transported to an authorised processing facility. In order to excavate efficiently, effectively, rapidly and in a controlled manner, a test area was set up on site to carry out analytical research on site to determine the presence or absence of explosives in soil samples.
Recently, a number of asbestos spots have been removed from a former allotment garden complex. A large part of the site has since been developed. Hard work is underway to make the remaining part of the project area suitable for residential construction. At present, large-scale contamination with explosives in the groundwater is being remediated, whereby the released process water is being treated without issue into clean water that meets the requirements of the water quality authority.
Performance
Buro Antares carried out the various remediation preparations and is responsible for managing and supervising the various soil remediation works. Due to the complex contamination situation, the dozens of contamination spots to be remediated, and the large quantities of contaminated soil released and to be processed, developing the area is an achievement of note. Buro Antares is proud of the contribution it was able and permitted to make to the development of De Krijgsman Muiden.
