Switzerland Criticizes Management of Massive Landfill Reclamation Project
BERN (AWP/ATS) – Switzerland’s Federal Audit Office (CDF) has issued a critical report on the Confederation’s handling of the ongoing reclamation of the Gamsenried chemical landfill in Valais (VS), the country’s largest and most complex contaminated site. The audit highlights a lack of overall risk assessment and coordinated oversight of the multi-decade project.
the former landfill, spanning 29 hectares (roughly 40 football fields) and containing 3 million cubic meters of waste, was used by pharmaceutical company Lonza for chemical waste disposal between 1918 and 1978.
Reclamation efforts began after pollutants were detected in groundwater downstream of the site, exceeding permissible limits. The project is expected to take decades, with Lonza covering the majority of the costs.
Multiple levels of government are involved,with the Federal department of the Surroundings,Transport,Energy and Communications (Datec) taking the lead at the federal level. Specifically, the Federal Office of the Environment (UFAM) and the Federal Roads Office (Usra) – due to the A9 motorway crossing the site - are key stakeholders.
The CDF audit found a significant deficiency in coordination between these federal offices, particularly criticizing UFAM for being insufficiently involved. Currently, there is no comprehensive reclamation plan in place, lacking defined timelines, phases, or overall cost estimates.
This fragmented approach hinders effective federal action, which is crucial given the project’s scale, complexity, and long duration, as well as the potential financial burden on the Confederation.
The CDF recommends that Datec’s General Secretariat actively facilitate ongoing,risk-based dialog between the involved offices to prevent conflicts of interest and safeguard the Confederation’s financial interests by minimizing exposure.
Datec’s General Secretariat has acknowledged the recommendation,defending UFAM’s past involvement while committing to closer monitoring of the project and a thorough risk analysis. UFAM will now assume a more proactive role, taking on management and overall coordination of the reclamation efforts.
