The challenge
At its production site in Ludwigshafen, chemical company BASF is required to comply with strict regulations on the maintenance of sealing surfaces to protect the soil and groundwater from contamination.
At its production site in Ludwigshafen, chemical company BASF is required to comply with strict regulations on the maintenance of sealing surfaces to protect the soil and groundwater from contamination.
By systematically investigating, recording, documenting and analyzing the current situation, compiling damage reports and developing suggestions and plans for restoration, the company can ensure proper compliance with the regulations of the German ordinance on facilities for handling substances that are hazardous to water (AwSV).
Safe sealing surfaces lay the foundations for long-term environmental protection, legal compliance and business continuity at the main factory of chemical company BASF.
The national German ordinance on facilities for handling substances that are hazardous to water (AwSV), which came into force in August 2017, created new responsibilities for many plant operators. Companies face particular challenges in the implementation of the new regulations. For a chemical production site like the BASF plant in Ludwigshafen, compliance is critical — not only for its survival under the new system, but also for the long-term protection of the environment.
Arcadis is one of a number of partner companies that supports the BASF Sealing Surfaces Taskforce, founded in 2015, with inspections of sealing surfaces, documenting damage and drafting the relevant restoration plans. The size and technical complexity of the BASF plant at Ludwigshafen required a systematic, efficient and digitalized approach to the recording, documentation and analysis of the condition of each sealing surface and the required restoration work.
Through its role in the BASF Sealing Surfaces Taskforce, Arcadis made a significant contribution to ensuring that one of the world's largest chemical production sites was operating in full compliance with the law and without harming the environment. The generated database serves as the basis for the long-term monitoring of the sealing surfaces, ensuring that all maintenance and repair work can be managed with maximum efficiency.