1. Remediation of
Complex Contaminated Sites:
a Practical Guideline
26th IPMA World Congress
Crete, Greece, 2012
Philippe Vallat, Guido Schommer, Lea Meister
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
1
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

2. Content
• Introduction:
– Environmental protection authorities
– Complex contaminated sites
• Complexity:
– Main challenges
– Dimensions
– Complexity graphs
• Success factors:
– Overview
– The 10 golden rules
• References
• Authors
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
2
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

3. Distinction btw complex and
complicated: the Cynefin Framework
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
4
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

4. Remediation of Complex Contaminated Sites: a Practical Guideline
INTRODUCTION
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
5
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

5. The environmental protection
authorities in Switzerland
• Federal office for the
environnement FOEN
• Other federal
authorities (e.g. Federal
office for transports,
Federal Department of
Defense, …)
• 26 cantonal authorities
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
6
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

6. Complex contaminated sites:
e.g. DIB Bonfol
• Landfill exploited 1961-
1976
• 114 000 tons of
hazardous waste
www.bci-info.ch
• Surface 20 000 m2
• Remediation:
– Ca. 15 years
– Ca. 300 Mio €
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
7
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

7. Complex contaminated sites:
e.g. SMDK Kölliken
• Landfill exploited 1978-
1985
• 555 000 tons of
hazardous waste www.smdk.ch
• Surface 70 000 m2
• Remediation:
– Ca. 15 years
– Ca. 600 Mio €
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
8
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

8. Complex contaminated sites
Characteristics: Challenges:
• Problem and solution • Technical
are unknown • Legal
• XXL project • High political and social
• Long duration pressure
• Multiple authorities • Limited resources
(e.g. international, • Limited PM skills
national, regional, • Limited skills in
cantonal, communal, …) complexity
• Socio-political management
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
9
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

9. Remediation of Complex Contaminated Sites: a Practical Guideline
COMPLEXITY
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
10
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

10. The main challenges
• The contaminated site
– How to keep the general view on the multiple
dimensions?
• The project context
– How to deal with media, social and political scrutiny?
• Time
– How fast shall a decades old problem be solved?
• The role of the authority
– How to decide under high uncertainty?
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
11
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

11. Logical levels
Global remediation project
Remediation Execution
project procedure
Party responsible
Authorities
for remediation
Logical level Terminology Content Ownership
Content Remediation project Technical Party responsible for
remediation project remediation
Process Execution procedure All the project Authority
dimensions
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
12
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

12. Paradigm shift: from content (only)
to content AND process
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
13
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

13. The 4 dimensions
Science &
Legal Social Management
Technique
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
14
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

14. WBS
Global remediation
Environnement Health Land planning Legal Finances Communication PM
Vertical Horizontal Operation Internal
Water Public health Land planning Legal procedures Objectives
coordination coordination budgets communication
Comestible Neighbour Investment External
Soil Land usage Environnement Liabilities Phases, schedule
goods countries budgets communication
Formal
Air Safety Constructions Confederation Land planning OTAS fund Participation Budget
procedures
Neighbour Public Project
Waste Health Cantonal funds
cantons procurement organisation
Risk
Districts Contracts Cost partition
management
Steering and
Communes
follow-up
Information and
documentation
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
15
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

15. Complexity levels
D C B A
Parameter Well known and Manageable Exceeds the Exceeds largely
or variable easily with the ordinary the ordinary
manageable with standard capacities of the capacities of the
the standard practices and organization organization.
practices and procedures of High degree of
procedures of the authority uncertainty
the authority
Needs No particular Analysis and Working in Working in
need for special internal projects, relying projects, with
procedure or coordination on extraordinary extraordinary
special resources resources and resources and
experts expertise.
Innovation
Problem Simple Complicated Complicated Complex
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
16
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

16. Complexity matrix (e.g.)
Parameter Questions Possible answers
D C B A
TECHNICAL
Total volume or What is the volume? < 10'000m3 10-50'000m3 50-100'000m3 >100'000m3
thickness or < 2m or 2-5m or 5-10m or > 10m
Uncertainty What is the uncertainty? < 10% 10-20% 20-50% > 50%
LEGAL
Complexity of Which are the important Simple Decision of Decision of More complex
the procedure legal steps? How are the decision of executive executive procedure:
decisions taken? one authority authority, authority, legislative,
including including popular vote
internal external etc.
consultation consultation
SOCIAL
Public How is the party perceived Neutral Disinterest Considered Considered
reputation of by the public and by as «guilty» as «victim»
party respons. opinion leaders?
for remediation
MANAGEMENT
Clarity of Have objectives been Defined, Defined, Defined, Undefined,
objectives defined? How are they understood poorly uncertain uncertain
continuously reviewed? understood
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
17
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

17. Complexity graph (e.g.)
Pollution potential
Particular hazards Dispersion of
hazardous substances
The solution The problem
Surroundings and Total volume
accessibility
Urgency of Uncertainty about
remediation total volume
Technical solution Goods which
need to be protected
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
18
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

18. Structure for defining objectives
Type of Description Time Examples
results
Outputs Products, goods and short • Realized and documented
services term investigations
• Communicated decisions
• Executed remediation
Outcomes Effects on the goods middle • Decreasing or suppressed danger
which need to be term • Utilization of the good which needs
protected, on the to be protected
concerned (group of) • Satisfaction of the concerned
people people
Impacts Effects on the whole middle • Environment quality
population and long • Quality of life
term
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
19
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

19. Examples of possible objectives
Possible outcomes
Science and Legal Social Management
Role technic
Authority Re-establishing Regulatory Confidence of Deadline for the
the legal compliance the population remediation
compliance (construction,
health,
environmental,
…)
Party Reuse of the real Legal security Reputation Costs
responsible property optimization /
for minimization,
remediation deadline for
remediation
Geological New know-how Legal Reputation Economics
consultant compliance
(prevent civil
responsibility)
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
20
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

20. Remediation of Complex Contaminated Sites: a Practical Guideline
SUCCESS FACTORS
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
21
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

21. Key success factors
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
22
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

22. The 10 golden rules
1. STRUCTURE Identify the relevant themes and dimensions, establish the decision-making
process, the communication and the controlling.
2. RESOURCES Endow the project with enough and dedicated resources, early enough.
3. THE RIGHT PEOPLE Designate a coordinator with high social competences; endow her with
resources, competences and legitimacy. Establish a multidisciplinary and cross-
department project team with all required experts.
4. COMMUNITY Identify and get in contact with the concerned communities and stakeholders:
PARTICIPATION establish community participation and a culture of dialog.
5. TIME Find the balance between taking time for reflexion and loosing time in
undecision. Avoid quick shots, think in the long term, make sure that the
project progresses continuously.
6. TRUST Establish and nurture trust with the quality and transparency of the project
work and steering. Take good care of interpersonal relationships.
7. STEERING Endorse the project leadership : ensure a structured and transparent process,
manage risks actively, take the necessary decisions.
8. WORK-LIFE BALANCE Look after the work-life balance of the project members: workload, stress,
emotional load and exposure to criticism.
9. COURAGE Assume risks, uncertainties and unknowns, take timely decision, manage the
conflicts.
10. HUMILITY Accept your limits, the unknown and learn from mistakes.
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
23
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

23. Any (toxic) question?
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
24
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

24. Authors
Philippe Vallat Guido Schommer, Lea Meister
Conseil & Formation reflecta ag
Ch. du Couchant 23 Schwarztorstr. 56
CH-1752 Villars-sur-Glâne Postfach 530
Switzerland CH-3000 Bern 14
complex.leadership@bluewin.ch Switzerland
http://projetscomplexes.blogspot.com www.reflecta.ch
Twitter: @vallatph
On behalf of the FOEN
Federal Office for the Environment
CH-3003 Bern
Switzerland
www.bafu.admin.ch
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
25
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites

25. References
Baecker, D., Organisation Als System: Aufsätze, 1. Auflage, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1999
Bavaj I., Lieber M., Projektmanagement bei Altlastensanierung und Flächenrecycling – Methoden – Erfahrungen – pragmatische Lösungen, HdA, 41.
Aktualisierung, 3. Aufl., November 2004
Blenko, M., Mankins W., Michael C., et Rogers, P., Decide & deliver: 5 steps to breakthrough performance in your organization. Boston Mass.: Harvard
Business Review Press, 2010
Cilliers, P., Complexity and Postmodernism: Understanding Complex Systems, Routledge, 1998
De Meyer, A., Loch, C.H. & Pich, M.T., Managing Project Uncertainty: From Variation to Chaos. MIT Sloan Management Review, Winter, 60-67, 2002
De Carlo, D., EXtreme project management: using leadership, principles, and tools to deliver value in the face of volatility, San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass,
2004
Fields, J., Uncertainty : turning fear and doubt into fuel for brilliance, New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2011
Hass, K., Managing Complex Projects: A New Model, Vienna: Management Concepts, 2009
Holland, J. H., Studying Complex Adaptive Systems, Journal of Systems Science and Complexity, 19 (1): 1-8, 2006
INERIS, Plan d’implication des populations concernées par un site pollué, 2008 ; http://www.comrisk.fr/
Johnson, N., Two's Company, Three's a Crowd: Demystifying Complexity Science, Rotman Magazine, Fall 2010
Klein, G., Intuition at Work (ouvrage renommé, The Power of Intuition dans sa version brochée), Doubel Day Publishing, 2004
Krauss Whitbourne S., http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201110/the-essential-guide-defense-mechanisms
Kurtz, C.F, Snowden, D.J., The new dynamics of strategy: Sense-making in a complex and complicated world, IBM Systems Journal, 42(3): 462 – 483, 2003
OFEV, Assainissement des sites contaminés, Elaboration de projets d'assainissement de sites contaminés, 2001
Santé Canada, Améliorer les relations entre les intervenants : Participation du public et lieux contaminés : Un guide pour les gestionnaires de sites, 2006,
ISBN : 0-662-70278-6, No de catalogue : H128-1/05-441F, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/contamsite/managers-guide-gestionnaires/index-fra.php
Taleb, N., Le cygne noir: la puissance de l’imprévisible, Paris: Les Belles lettres, 2008
Wynne, B., Uncertainty and environmental learning. Reconceiving science and policy in the preventive paradigm. Global Environmental Change, 2(2) : 111-
127, 1992
Ph. Vallat et al., Remediation of complex
26
IPMA World Congress 2012 contaminated sites