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DEC: Specialist in Brownfield Development

DEC is familiar with all kinds of environmental problems, and develops turnkey solutions for large environmental projects as well as smaller remediation projects. Its experience is wide: soil, water and sediment treatment, soil remediation, hydraulic engineering, recycling techniques, isolation, remediation and capping of landfills and redevelopment of heavily contaminated sites or brownfields.

Brownfield Development probably appeals most to our imagination. Using the most advanced environmental techniques, DEC removes historical contamination. In this way, the sites become suitable for business activities, where entrepreneurs can develop economical activities in an ecologically responsible way.

In the area around Ghent, DEC has been prominently active for many years. It has been awarded remediation projects that are of vital importance to the further economical development of the region, such as Colgate in Gentbrugge, La Floridienne at the Kluizendok, Total Belgium in Ertvelde, Fasiver in Zwijnaarde and Trefil Arbed in Gentbrugge.

Europe-minded

DEC’s activities gradually extended from Flanders into Europe. DEC follows the legislation in other European countries closely and takes up on the growing need for experience in custom made and integrated environmental contracting.

Because of the experience with numerous techniques, DEC’s staff can develop project propositions for very specific types of contamination, in a very flexible and inventive way. DEC goes back on a long tradition of tight integration of the most diverse disciplines. This is a guarantee for the successful and harmonious completion of the projects.

Large-scale projects in Europe

Some fine examples of large-scale projects throughout Europe are: the environmental dredging and treatment of sediments from the Lagan River in Belfast in Northern Ireland, the extensive remediation of a former gasworks in Dublin, the remediation of the mercury contamination in Swedish lakes and the remediation of the Ría Avilés in Spain.

DEC was this year awarded the remediation of the former Avenue Coking Works in Chesterfield. The area is more than 100 hectares and the project is worth approx. 80 million euros.

Also, DEC is the only Flemish company contracted for the remediation of the 200 ha brownfield that will be developed to host the coming 2012 London Olympic Games. By the end of 2008, all contaminated soil must be remediated.

“With references such as these, we place ourselves firmly on the international market of complex projects”, says Johan Maes, Business Development Manager. “We are marketing ourselves increasingly as the company that can deal with every form of environmental contamination. And brownfield development is one of the niche markets in this matter”.

DEC’s activities are growing in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Spain as well as in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France and Italy.

November 2007