Interview with Cornel Varvara, founder of Uni-Recycling: “A landmark environmental rehabilitation project, the largest in the past 50 years”

Reporter: Mr. Varvara, Uni-Recycling carried out an extensive project to rehabilitate a historically polluted site. Can you tell us how it all began?

Cornel Varvara: Indeed, we’re talking about the rehabilitation of the historically polluted site in Crângurile commune, Dâmbovița County, a former industrial location where, between 1958 and 1990, a chemical plant produced various hazardous substances: laundry soap, corrosion inhibitors, paints, chromic anhydride, etc. Unfortunately, chemical residues were disposed of in an uncontrolled manner—directly into the soil or in open pits—contaminating the groundwater. The Crângurile project was one of three pilot projects implemented in Romania for the rehabilitation of historically contaminated sites.

Reporter: What was the main goal of this rehabilitation project?

Cornel Varvara: The primary objective was to reduce the mobility of contaminants, their migration into groundwater and aquifers, and to mitigate risks to the environment and the health of the local population. Through the implementation of this project, a major source of pollution was eliminated, ensuring the community’s long-term safety.

Reporter: We understand the project was extremely complex. What did the rehabilitation process involve?

Cornel Varvara: It was a large-scale project that required the winning contractor to rehabilitate a 20,000 m² area in accordance with the Technical Specifications and the Feasibility Study that formed the basis of the tender. After winning the project, the contractor was required to conduct additional investigations and prepare the Technical Project. As a result of these supplementary investigations, carried out in collaboration with specialized companies, we discovered that the situation was much more severe than originally estimated in the Technical Specifications and the preliminary Feasibility Study.

The site involved larger quantities and higher concentrations of contaminants, including green sludge containing both trivalent and hexavalent chromium—carcinogenic substances that had not been previously identified. This led to contamination of the groundwater and wells with soluble chromium, a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance. The situation had a devastating impact on the community’s health, with serious cases being reported, including birth defects in newborns.

Reporter: What challenges did you encounter during the implementation of the project?

Cornel Varvara: There were numerous challenges. The additional investigations revealed higher amounts of contaminants and carcinogenic soluble chromium coming from greater depths than initially estimated. These “omissions” in the Feasibility Study were cases of negligence, not unforeseen situations.

Since this was a European-funded project, we had only two options:

• To abandon the project, because the Technical Specifications and the Feasibility Study did not reflect the actual situation, which required major technical and financial adjustments;

• Or to continue the project, taking on the financial losses ourselves, since the costs arising from the omissions in the Feasibility Study had to be covered from our own funds. After consulting with both national and international experts in European funding legislation, we were informed that additional funds could only be requested in case of unforeseen events, and in this situation, it was a matter of negligence—not unpredictability.

Due to the migration of soluble chromium and the increasing risk of birth defects, we realized that not carrying out the project would have caused serious problems for both the current and future generations. Therefore, we decided to continue the project, taking on financial losses but staying true to our human values.

Reporter: What solutions did you implement to manage the issue?

Cornel Varvara: The stabilization/solidification process involved treating the contaminated soil, ensuring the conversion of soluble chromium into insoluble chromium, thus reducing the mobility of the contaminants. We also immobilized the soil contaminants to prevent future risks. For the implementation of the project, we separately built, on a rented plot of land, a concrete platform for processing, where all necessary equipment and machinery were installed—expenses fully covered by our own funds.

Reporter: How did you manage to overcome these challenges?

Cornel Varvara: Carrying out this project required tremendous effort from our team and the consultants involved. Like in a concert, only a well-synchronized team can achieve success. To meet the project’s objectives, we overcame all encountered difficulties by identifying the best existing solutions. The specialists involved carried out complex assessments to adapt the rehabilitation and treatment process to the site’s difficult conditions.

Given the severity of the contamination and its severe effects on public health, Uni-Recycling decided to proceed with the project despite the challenges, without requesting additional funding for the extra operations. These additional activities included: in-depth investigations, extra excavation operations, conversion of soluble to insoluble chromium, treatment of larger quantities and concentrations, allocation of adjacent treatment platforms, supplementary equipment, international chemistry experts, and more.

Reporter: How were you able to successfully complete the project?

Cornel Varvara: The completion of the project was the result of a fully dedicated team and a proactive approach. We made considerable efforts to adapt the remediation process to the difficult on-site conditions, and every decision was made with the goal of protecting public health and meeting project deadlines. All the measures I mentioned above, as well as all activities not specified in the initial Technical Specifications and carried out at Uni-Recycling’s expense, were implemented to achieve the project’s objective, despite financial and technical challenges.

Reporter: How would you describe this project overall?

Cornel Varvara: It’s a landmark project not only in Europe but internationally, being considered the largest rehabilitation of a carcinogenic soluble chromium-contaminated site in the past 50 years. The success of this project highlights the importance of responsible actions in environmental protection and the safety of communities affected by historical pollution. For Uni-Recycling, this is a symbol and declaration of our commitment to the environment and the future of communities.