PFAS Soil Contamination Near Thun Military Airfield
Soil analysis results showing PFOS/PFOA contamination levels in agricultural land adjacent to the Thun military airfield, exceeding federal remediation thresholds.
Provenance
Legal Citation
Canton of Bern AWA. (2025). PFAS Soil Analysis Thun Military Airfield Perimeter (Report 2025-034). Retrieved from https://opengovclimate.ch/en/evidence/soil-pfas-contamination-thun/
Location
Measurement Period
Soil samples collected from 24 locations within a 500m radius of the Thun military airfield show PFOS concentrations averaging 12.4 ug/kg — over six times the federal remediation threshold of 2 ug/kg established under AltlV Art. 9.
The Canton of Bern’s Office for Water and Waste (AWA) published these findings in Technical Report 2025-034, confirming that perfluorinated compounds from legacy use of AFFF firefighting foam have contaminated surrounding agricultural land.
Key Findings
- 24 sample sites within 500m perimeter
- PFOS average: 12.4 ug/kg (threshold: 2 ug/kg)
- PFOA average: 8.1 ug/kg (threshold: 2 ug/kg)
- Deepest contamination: 1.2m below surface
- Affected area: Approximately 18 hectares of agricultural land
Legal Significance
Under USG Art. 32e and AltlV Art. 12, the polluter (Swiss military / armasuisse) bears remediation obligations. The canton has initiated formal remediation proceedings.