Environment

Overview Polluted Sites Water Waste Air Noise

The Froriep environment team has a deep understanding of environmental laws, regulations and policies and we know our clients businesses and needs. We advise our clients active in various sectors such as the oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, transport and chemical industry as well as property owners (companies and individuals) on all aspects of environmental law (including soil contamination and remediation, water protection, air emissions, noise emission, industrial hazards) and energy law.

We help our clients understand and manage environmental risks and include the sustainability dimension in their business operations. Our lawyers are very experienced in environmental administrative and civil litigation.

We have particularly extensive expertise and experience that enable us to advise our clients in all matters related to soil contamination, soil remediation and waste disposal in connection with a construction project, in commercial transaction (M&A) or in administrative enforcement procedure.
We advise our clients and help them identify, evaluate and manage environmental risks and liabilities through due diligence, environmental impact assessment and structuring and negotiation of agreements for simple acquisition of single properties as well as for large industrial development project or large transaction.
Our unique academic footprint allows us to be at the forefront of the regulatory developments and changes in these fields, sometimes actively shaping the new legislation. We regularly advise regulatory agencies in law making projects and legislative matters, for instance on issues of liabilities arising from the radiological contamination of housing by the watch industry in the mid-20th century or in the revision and drafting of the new Federal Ordinance on Radon Protection that implements in Switzerland the latest OMS recommendations on radon protection in housing and workplaces.

Polluted Sites

Our team has an extensive experience and expertise with regard to all issues related to the contamination and remediation of polluted sites. Our work includes advising and representing our clients in environmental investigation and clean-up procedure before governmental agencies. We also advise them in real estate and business transactions, including M&A, involving polluted sites. This includes the drafting and negotiating of contractual terms and indemnity clauses to protect against environmental liabilities and risks. We represent clients in enforcement and investigation proceedings as well as in litigation regarding the liability for the costs of remediation.

Water

We have a long-standing expertise in all matters related to groundwater and surface water pollution and remediation and we advise and represent our clients both in investigation/enforcement procedure before governmental agencies and in criminal and civil litigation. We also advise companies and public collectivities with regard to property rights on water as well as the granting of concession to use public water for industrial or commercial purposes.

Waste

We advise and assist our clients in all matters relating to compliance with the regulation on waste disposal and waste recycling, including the granting of international export permit. Our work also covers all stages of the planning and construction of (hazardous) waste disposal facility, including the procurement stage.

Air

We advise our clients on all aspects of compliance with air pollution standards and regulation, in environmental enforcement proceedings as well as in construction projects.

Noise

We advise our clients on compliance with noise emissions regulation with regard to the construction of new infrastructure or industrial facilities as well as the modification of existing infrastructures or facilities, the preparation and review of environmental impact assessments in enforcement procedures (including the granting of variances) as well as in litigation (including expropriation procedure).