The uncontrolled management of solid and liquid waste from chemical wo
rks and metallurgical industries caused the pollution of numerous area
s in the alpine regions. The high permeability coefficient allowed the
infiltration of polluting agents of the groundwater level and their d
ispersion downstream. The restoration of hazardous waste sites in the
upper Rhone river valley demonstrated that: hydrogeological evaluation
s are essential to understand the infiltration and the transport of th
e polluting agents; they are essential to assess the efficiency of a d
econtamination or a stabilisation process on the environment; modellin
g approaches have to be considered cautiously; the controlling factors
and decision making criteria have to apply to every situation.