Event Recap | Soil Remediation: China-Italy Experience Sharing

On Monday, November 21st, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) and its Energy and Environment Protection Working Group (EEPWG), in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy to the P.R.C., held the online seminar “Soil Remediation: China-Italy Experience Sharing.”

The event was opened by the welcome remarks of Paolo Bazzoni, Chairman of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Matteo Tanteri, CICC Vice President for North China, and Alessandra Guidi, Scientific Attaché of the Embassy of Italy to the P.R.C.

This was an occasion to bring together institutions, academics, and companies to discuss increased collaboration in soil remediation between Italy and China. 

Simone Padoan, Vice Coordinator of CICC EEPWG and Secretary General of EEGEX, introduced the topic of soil remediation, referring to the Chinese market. Action plans on controlling soil pollution and performing soil remediation are relatively recent, and the aim is to achieve all goals linked to soil remediation by 2030.

The introduction was followed by the presentation of two case studies from two major Italian and Chinese companies that work in the field: Eni Rewind and Shanghai Chengtou Environment Ecological Remediation Technology Co., Ltd.

Francesco Misuraca, Head of Environmental and Technical and Site Activities at Eni Rewind, Eni’s environmental company, explained the best practices implemented by Eni Rewind, from the site assessment to the site requalification. He mainly focused on the case study referring to groundwater treatment and soil remediation of contaminated industrial areas.

Our second panelist, Yan Liyu, Project Engineer at Shanghai Chengtou Environment Ecological Remediation Technology Co., Ltd. (EERT), focused on the Chinese approach to soil remediation, the status of the current soil remediation industry in China, highlighting new soil remediation solutions implemented in the recent years. 

Can we find common ground?  

During the panel discussion, our experts: Professor Marco Falconi, Scientific Coordinator of Remtech Europe and Researcher Technologist at Ispra (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), Professor Hou Deyi, Head of Division of Groundwater and Soil Environment at the School of Environment of Tsinghua University, Francesco Misuraca and Yan Liyu discussed possible cooperation between China and Italy at a technical, economic, and scientific level. 

China and Italy have different approaches to soil remediation.

Professor Marco Falconi and Professor Hou Deyi explained the history of soil remediation in Italy and China, the current law, and how companies implemented the remediation of contaminated sites. They focused on the different approaches, the internal procedure to assess the contamination of areas, who is involved in this process, and who pays for the remediation. 

Each country has internal and different procedures. Even if China and Italy have different approaches to soil remediation, they share some common points, such as the initial screening of a contaminated site. They also share similar administrative processes and face similar issues regarding the soil remediation process. 

Italy and China can cooperate not only from a technology point of view and knowledge sharing but also in dealing with the cost-effect of contaminated sites, how to attract investors and how to give value to the sites.  

Soil Remediation is a multidisciplinary science: different aspects need to be considered, not only the remediation itself but also how to perform it and what needs to be done. 

The event was concluded by Alessandra Guidi, Scientific Attaché of the Embassy of Italy to the P.R.C., who gave a final comment on the topic.

Italy and China are strongly aware of the necessity of green and sustainable action in soil remediation, an area with a high potential for cooperation.

For more information, please email us at bj.events@cameraitacina.com.