The demolition of the existing buildings and a new replacement building was planned on a site in Dietikon. The site was registered in the test perimeter for soil displacement (PBV) and was therefore suspected of having high levels of chemical soil contamination. The suspected causes of contamination were a nearby main road (traffic carrier) and the location in an old building area or in a selected building zone. The suspected areas were investigated according to the suspected sources of pollution. As there were also some entries in the neophyte distribution information map on the site, a neophyte check was carried out.
The investigations revealed that the soil was heavily contaminated with zinc and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, populations of various invasive neophyte species were found, including American goldenrod. As part of the construction project, the neophytes were cleared and the soil removed to a depth of around half a meter. Ecosens AG supervised the work and coordinated the triage and disposal.
