Hofer's parent company, Aldi Süd, has sued Salzburg Airport for over one million euros in damages. The reason is the contamination of groundwater with PFAS chemicals, which led to significant additional costs and planning changes during the construction of the new headquarters in the Maxglan district.
Since the 1960s, firefighting foam containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) has been used in firefighting exercises at Salzburg Airport. These chemicals seeped into the soil over decades and contaminated the groundwater. Only in 2018 were elevated PFAS levels detected during measurements. The remediation of these contaminated sites is complex and lengthy.
Impact on the construction of the corporate headquarters
Aldi Süd originally planned to build a multi-story underground parking garage for its new headquarters. Due to PFAS contamination of the groundwater, this would have required extensive extraction and treatment, which would have resulted in significant additional costs. For this reason, the plan was changed, and two above-ground parking decks are now to be built. The company estimates the resulting additional costs and delays at over one million euros.
Aldi Süd has filed a lawsuit against the airport with the Salzburg Regional Court. The airport confirmed the dispute but declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings. A ruling will be issued in writing.
Airport renovation measures
Salzburg Airport began remediating the contaminated groundwater in early 2024. A special purification system with activated carbon filters was installed to clean the contaminated water. The remediation is expected to take several decades.
The PFAS contamination not only affects the airport and the Aldi Süd construction project. PFAS have also been detected in fish in a private pond in the surrounding area. The State Health Directorate has warned against eating these fish. Furthermore, around 50 landowners in the region have been asked to have their water tested.
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