The company Chemwood has been dealing with wood impregnation on an industrial site in Alvesta since the 1970s.
They have used impregnating agents containing chromium, arsenic and copper, and the property has therefore been heavily contaminated.
The municipality has known that the ground water on the plot contains high levels of toxic substances, but not exactly how much.
New samples show high levels of toxins below the surface
Now a new report, commissioned by the municipality, shows that there are very high levels of arsenic in the soil and in the groundwater on the plot, up to 40 times more than the guideline value.
The samples have been taken at a depth of two metres.
- It is arsenic that is the most problematic of these substances found here in the earth, says environmental inspector Karolina Ruter.
Some substances can cause cancer
After long-term consumption, arsenic can cause both cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The two nearby watercourses, Ilabäcken and Hjortsbergaån, on the other hand, show no signs of elevated levels of toxic substances.
The consulting company that has carried out the investigation has come up with three proposals on how the site can be cleaned up.
The cheapest variant costs SEK 18.7 million, and the most expensive SEK 24.4 million.
The bill may be paid by the taxpayers, as Chemwood went bankrupt in 2019 and thus lacks a property owner.