The name of the competence center, Chalmers FRIST, stands for Chalmers Forum for Risk Investigation and Soil Treatment. Chalmers FRIST will ensure Gothenburg’s role as a pioneer in soil remediation nationally and internationally.
"Contaminated soil affects many of us, and by helping to establish Chalmers FRIST the Stena Metall Group is hoping to promote understanding in this area," says Stena Metall CEO Anders Jansson. "An important goal of the Stena Metall Group and our customers is to develop cost-effective technologies and strategies to treat contaminated soil. It is critical that we target society’s resources where they are needed most. Ultimately, this investment is expected to contribute to sustainable development both locally and in a global perspective."
Businesses, government agencies and researchers in such diverse areas as technology, finance and law will cooperate to find sensible, environmental solutions. Research and development will be conducted in the Gothenburg region in close collaboration with the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland and the city of Gothenburg.
"Greater cooperation between universities and recycling companies like Stena Metall is the key to creating an internationally strong, cross-disciplinary competence center," says Christer Forsgren, Head of Technology and Environmental Science at Stena Metall.
For the next five years Stena Metall will serve as one of the financial backers of research studies on contaminated soil at Chalmers. The other supporters are the recycling company Renova and the Knowledge Foundation. Initially at least four doctoral candidates will be affiliated with the competence center.
The objectives of Chalmers FRIST include:
- Increase understanding of the extent of contamination in various types of soil.
- Develop risk analyses that provide a basis for selecting strategies for evaluating and treating contaminated areas.
- Develop cost-effective treatment methods. Treatment of contaminated soil is associated with high costs, and it is essential to put society’s resources to use where they are needed most and in the best way possible.
- Help to reduce the environmental impact on society.