How can (dredged) sediment be a sustainable resource? That is the main question the newly installed working group of the central dredging association (CEDA) aims to answer. The working group consists of dredging companies, engineering firms, research institutes, port authorities and government and was installed in January 2017.
The working group is chaired by EcoShape’s Luca Sittoni. He comments: ‘Currently dredged sediment is often seen as waste material. However, this sediment can beneficially serve a wide variety of purposes. For example, it can be turned into clay to reinforce dykes or it can be used to naturally nourish salt marshes’.
The group will work on communicating current best practices of beneficial use based on case studies to create awareness and improve societal acceptance. The group will also emphasize the most recent Building with Nature pilot applications, so that dredged sediment will no longer be seen as a waste but as a useful resource to improve the sustainability of human interventions.