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Laguna de Arganda is one
of the sites where acid sludge, generated by the used
oil recycling industry, was deposited
u e s t
o l u m n
Last April, FCC Ámbito was awarded
another contract for cleaning another liability,
in this case, Laguna de Arganda, in a project
put out to tender by Tragsa which, in turn,
was entrusted with this project by the Ma-
drid Autonomous Community.
Laguna de Arganda is one of the sites where
acid sludge, generated by the industry in-
volved in recycling used oil, was deposited.
Part of the process consisted in the acidifi-
cation of the oil in order to remove the pro-
ducts resulting from its breakdown.
The waste generated by the process, acid
tar, was deposited in holes that were exca-
vated in the ground and, in this case, in a
former quarry. The acid tar was gradually
seeping into the soil and replacing the un-
derground water
This site remained as such since the 80s
and was part of the inventory of contami-
nated soil of the Madrid Autonomous Com-
munity. Its upgrading has begun and, in a
first phase, the waste will be pumped out
and transported to the cement plant for its
recovery.
Work began in May and will be completed
over the next two years.
FCC Ámbito, through its subsidiary Eco-
deal, is also performing this type of work in
Portugal. It recently started to upgrade the
San Pedro de Cova landfill site, a former
coal mine situated in Gondomar (Oporto)
where hazardous materials had been de-
posited.
Ecodeal is currently performing a selective
excavation of this waste and expects to re-
move more than 100,000 tonnes of waste
which will be transported to its Compre-
hensive Hazardous Waste Management
installations in Chamusca. There, after the
waste has been stabilised, it will be deposi-
ted in a safety cell.