Institut für Geologie und Umwelt

Institut für Geologie und Umwelt GmbH (IGU) is a German environmental engineering and consulting firm based in Sehnde, Lower Saxony. Founded in 1994 by Dr. Hanno Paetsch and Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Schmitt, the company has built more than three decades of experience in the assessment and remediation of contaminated land. It operates as a privately held Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH), with Dr. Hanno Paetsch serving as managing partner. IGU positions itself as a service provider for environmental problems, offering a broad portfolio that spans historical and technical investigation of contaminated sites (Altlastenerkundung), remediation and land recycling (Altlastensanierung / Flächenrecycling), building demolition and pollutant registers (Gebäuderückbau / Schadstoffkataster), landfill monitoring (Deponieüberwachung), and baseline status reports (Ausgangszustandsbericht) for industrial facilities handling hazardous substances. The firm's work is aimed at hazard assessment across all impact pathways, supporting clients in the energy sector, industry and public authorities. The company's core competencies include experienced and qualified experts, continuing education and instruction, project management and economic mediation. Its service focus covers the investigation and remediation of operational sites in the energy industry, assessment and remediation of accidents involving hazardous substances, remediation of groundwater and soil contamination, landfill monitoring, and the preparation of pollutant registers for buildings. IGU's website, altlasterkundung.de, reflects its specialisation in contaminated site investigation. As a small, specialised engineering consultancy, IGU operates primarily in the German market. Its long-standing expertise and technical qualifications make it a niche player in the environmental services sector, particularly in the fields of contaminated land management and environmental due diligence.

Institut für Geologie und Umwelt GmbH (IGU) was founded in 1994 by Dr. Hanno Paetsch and Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Schmitt. The company was established as a specialised service provider for environmental issues, with a focus on the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites. Over the following decades, IGU developed expertise in historical and technical site investigation, remediation planning, building demolition and pollutant registers, landfill monitoring, and baseline status reporting for industrial facilities. By the 2020s, IGU had accumulated more than 30 years of experience in handling environmental projects. The company is currently led by Dr. Hanno Paetsch as managing partner. Its work has concentrated on contaminated sites and abandoned industrial sites, remediation of energy industry operational areas, assessment and remediation of accidents involving hazardous substances, remediation of groundwater and soil contamination, landfill monitoring, and the preparation of pollutant registers for buildings. IGU operates from Sehnde in Lower Saxony, Germany, and serves clients primarily in the German market. Its website, altlasterkundung.de, highlights its core service areas and its qualifications, including certified experts, continuing education, project management and economic mediation.

• 1994

  Founded by Dr. Hanno Paetsch and Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Schmitt.

• Accumulated more than 30 years of experience in environmental projects.

Specialised environmental engineering consultancy for contaminated site investigation, remediation and landfill monitoring in Germany.

• Altlastenerkundung

  Historical and technical investigation of areas for possible contaminated sites with the aim of a final hazard assessment for all impact pathways.

• Altlastensanierung / Flächenrecycling

  Planning and expert supervision of remediation measures with the aim of reusing contaminated sites and abandoned industrial sites.

• Gebäuderückbau / Schadstoffkataster

  Recording of pollutants in buildings with regard to occupational safety and disposal during demolition.

• Deponieüberwachung

  Creation and implementation of investigation programmes for the sustainable safeguarding of protection goals in the surroundings of a landfill.

• Ausgangszustandsbericht

  Recording and documentation of the condition of soil and groundwater in relation to the handling of hazardous substances within an industrial plant.

1. 1Institut für Geologie und Umwelt GmbH – Official Websitealtlasterkundung.de
2. 2Wikidata – Institut für Geologie und Umwelt (Germany)wikidata.org