Comprehensive investigations, ongoing systematic monitoring and strict legal requirements: the handling of pollutants left over from a site’s industrial use is a big challenge, but one that can be solved. Rhystadt is doing everything it can to ensure that a green, varied and environmentally friendly area can be developed on the Klybeck district.
Until around 1870, the undeveloped area between the city of Basel and the fishing village of Kleinhüningen was mainly used as pasture land. The first manufacturing plant was erected in 1864; others followed. The site, which at the time was still outside of the city, was developed gradually over time and used for the industrial manufacturing of paints. This developed into the chemical and pharmaceutical industry that remains crucial for Basel and the world to this day. However, the use of the site did leave a mark.
Pollution: this refers to the residue left over from chemical production. The authorities currently rate a large part of the site as a ‘polluted area requiring monitoring’. The legal provisions and requirements, including the Environmental Protection Act and the Contaminated Sites Ordinance, provide a clear framework for dealing with the pollution. Every step must be agreed with the authorities in advance or is carried out at their instruction or by means of an official decree. In Basel-Stadt, responsibility lies with the Office for Environment and Energy (AUE).
Contamination: this term refers to pollution in the subsoil that has to be cleaned up due to its damaging effects. There is no contamination requiring clean-up on Rhystadt’s sections of the site, however. Rhystadt’s sections of the site are now comprehensively sealed and the groundwater is protected against precipitation seeping into it.
A glance at the Klybeck district
The situation with regard to the buildings on the Rhystadt site varies considerably. Some are already being used today following conversion and renovation work as they are proven to be free of pollution. By contrast, the buildings on Mauerstrasse near the Wiesen roundabout are so heavily polluted due to the decades of chemical production that took place there that they cannot be preserved. We can now say, however, that there is no danger to people or the environment on the sections of the site being used.
The documentation regarding the Klybeck district is very extensive. Rhystadt and planning partner Swiss Life already had a large quantity of inspection results and documentation at their disposal when the site was purchased, and further investigations were commissioned after the purchase.
Together with Swiss Life, Rhystadt is making these documents available to interested members of the public so that they can get an idea for themselves of the situation on the site.
If you click on the link, you will be forwarded to a form. You can use this form to register for access to the shared data room of Rhystadt and Swiss Life. This data room is provided by the law firm Walder Wyss. Rhystadt and Swiss Life opted for this provider due to the strict security requirements.
Please note that it can take up to 24 hours to process your registration on workdays. The two landowners Rhystadt and Swiss Life will continue to publish investigation results in the future when a process is completed or an important interim stage is reached