Erla Guðrún Highlights Progress in Contaminated Land Management at NORDROCS 2026

Erla Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, Ph.D., Environmental and Geochemical Scientist at Verkís Consulting Engineers, delivered a joint presentation with Kristín Kröyer, contaminated land specialist at the Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency, at NORDROCS 2026, held in Helsinki, Finland, from 14–17 September. Their presentation explored the development of contaminated land assessment and remediation in Iceland, the progress achieved in recent years, and opportunities for further improvement.

Significant Progress in Recent Years

The presentation, titled Momentum for Change: Fast-tracking Iceland’s Contaminated Land Practices, examined how contaminated land assessment and remediation practices in Iceland have evolved since 2019.

When Erla began working in Iceland in 2019, the sector faced several challenges, including limited technical guidance, a lack of specialised equipment and laboratory facilities, and few options for managing contaminated soil.

Significant progress has since been made through the development of new guidelines, increased expertise, and improvements in contaminated land investigation and remediation practices.

The presentation highlighted several developments, including the establishment of a national contaminated land database, advances in regulations and technical guidance, and the growing need for improved soil treatment and management facilities in Iceland.

Specialist Expertise at Verkís

Erla holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Geochemistry and has extensive international experience in contaminated land assessment, remediation, and environmental research, including work in Australia and Antarctica.

Verkís currently has a dedicated team of six professionals specialising in contaminated land assessment and consulting services.

The team’s projects cover a wide range of sectors, including airports, former military sites, petrol stations, municipalities, and energy providers.

Alongside its consulting activities, the team actively contributes to knowledge sharing and collaboration with environmental authorities, regulatory bodies, and other industry stakeholders.

Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing Drive Progress

Erla is also the Chair and a founding member of FUMÍS, the Icelandic Professional Association on Contaminated Land, established in February 2024. The association promotes professional standards, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in contaminated land assessment and remediation.

She also served on the international organising committee for NORDROCS 2026, representing FUMÍS.

In their concluding remarks, Erla and Kristín emphasised that collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential to maintaining momentum and bringing Icelandic contaminated land practices in line with international best practices.

NORDROCS is a biennial conference bringing together professionals working in contaminated land and groundwater management from across the Nordic countries and wider Europe.

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