Assessment tools for sulfide soils - business and price models

Sulfide soils occur along the coastal area from the Mälardalen valley in the south to Haparanda in the north and in a similar way sulfide soils occur along the Finnish coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Sulfide soils are difficult from a geotechnical perspective with high water content, clay and silt content.

Improperly managed, the soil also contributes to acidifying soil and groundwater conditions and in some cases acidified watercourses and lakes with elevated water levels of e.g. aluminum.In connection with housing construction and infrastructure projects, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sulfide soil are excavated in Sweden.

In the absence of a differentiated classification of sulfide soils, all assessed sulfide soils are usually treated as potentially acidifying, which leads to deposition and long transports. In the project Management of Sulfide Soils, funded by i.a.

The Swedish Transport Administration and SBUF, developed a more differentiated classification, which shows that up to 30% of the volume is not acidifying and must be deposited can be less than about 50%, see figure 1. The assessment system is based on analysis of the soil content of sulfur, iron and calcium and measurement of soil pH.

With this more differentiated assessment, sulfide soils can be sorted and set aside for different purposes or disposed of more cost-effectively and environmentally than at present.The assessment system is currently an expert system, but in order to be utilized effectively, it needs to be more user-friendly and accessible, for example through a tool.

In the development of such a tool, an essential part is to identify how the offer is to be financed and maintained.The purpose of describing projects is to create the conditions for and offer an economically sustainable tool that supports a differentiated assessment and sustainable management of sulfide soils.

This includes investigating different alternatives for business and price models based on the business ecology in which the tool operates.

This is to be able to analyze and discuss alternatives for how the daily use of the tool should be priced and who should own the tool and use it.Pricing based on business model and business ecology must contribute to a financially sustainable offer.

The use of the tool contributes to reduced environmental impact for new construction of buildings and infrastructure, reduction of time for projects, reduced costs and new business models based on a life cycle perspective. Recycling of sulfide soil reduces the need for landfill space and extraction of quarry material.

The project also contributes to the overall knowledge of business and pricing models that promote recycling and sustainable disposal.The work is carried out together in a work package where the tasks are to 1) carry out a SWOT analysis and based on this carry out 2) an interview study with actors in business ecology, the conclusions are calibrated in 3) an internal project workshop.

The project ends with 4) dissemination of results in the form of an open workshop with respondents from the interview study and other stakeholders.

Project results on business ecology and identified alternatives for business and pricing models are also delivered in a report.

Through the interview study and concluding workshop, collaboration takes place with need owners (builders and waste companies).