Newly discovered glass landfill in Orrefors, Nybro Municipality

In Sweden, there are approximately 80,000 identified confirmed or suspected contaminated sites. Of the identified sites, about 1,200 are classified as (risk class 1) with a very high risk to human health and the environment. Approximately 8,500 sites are classified as (risk class 2) with a high risk. Many of these contaminated sites can harm health and the environment. Glass production has been ongoing in Sweden for about 400 years. The first glassworks in Orrefors, Nybro Municipality, was founded in 1898. It mainly produced crystal and soda glass as well as various glass bottles intended for chemical and household use. Many hazardous substances were used in glass production, such as lead (stabilizer for softness and light refraction), arsenic (clarifying agent), barium (stabilizer), and zinc (stabilizer). The purpose of this investigation is to examine the suspected area in an MIFO-1 investigation and identify hazardous heavy metals. The suspected glass dump Tikaskruv 1:85 is located in Orrefors, about 15 km northeast of central Nybro. A total of 28 soil samples were taken, of which 20 were surface samples, 3 were taken at a depth of 0-15 cm, and 5 were taken at a depth of 15-30 cm. The method used to measure the levels of hazardous heavy metals was the XRF method. The soil samples were analyzed at the Department of Environmental Science at Linnaeus University in Kalmar. The results showed very high levels of lead, arsenic, barium, and zinc. Other findings commonly associated with defunct glassworks/dumps, such as glass shards, white powder, and bricks, were also found. Some of the hazardous heavy metals exceed the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's limits for KM, MKM, and hazardous waste. The conclusion is that the suspected glass dump was likely used as a glass dump. This investigation can serve as a basis for further investigations, such as sampling at a depth of 1-2 meters using an excavator, as well as examining groundwater and surface water in the future.