Please find below the full Conference Program, including abstracts of the papers, for the 5th European Conference on Contaminated Sediments.

Further details on the Conference and the program can be found in the Final Announcement Brochure.

Click here to download Final Announcement Brochure (PDF 968 kB)

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Conference Program
PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGES
WEDNESDAY - MAY 14, 2008

12.00 - 17.00
SITE EXCURSION BY BUS
Visit to Olympic Site and Prescott Lock (separate registration required). See brochure for detailed program.

18.30 - 19.30
WELCOME RECEPTION - Upper Lobby Hotel Crowne Plaza Docklands
THURSDAY - MAY 15, 2008

09.30 Opening speech
Leo Oost, Chairman REUSED Foundation


SESSION 1 POLITICS, BUSINESS AND SEDIMENTS

09.50 Key Note: Restoration of Waterways as a Catalyst for Regeneration
Simon Bamford, General Manager, British Waterways London, UK

10.20 Cradle to Cradle with Contaminated Sediments
Aldert van der Kooij, DHV Consultants, The Netherlands

The growth of the world population and world economy seems to reach its limits, which causes scarcity and exhaustion. We all on earth contribute to the exhaustion of biodiversity, natural resources and raw materials.
How interesting is this for economy and ecology and where and how do we have to choose?
The Cradle to Cradle concept shows that we do not have to choose between economic and ecologic prosperity. They just can enforce each other. And that demands smart design of our products, logistics, buildings and cities.
Contaminated sediments can be applied in the Cradle to Cradle principle. Several pilot projects will be introduced, with a discussion on the reality of full scale implementation.


COFFEE BREAK at TRADE SHOW – Hotel Lobby


SESSION 2 SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH

11.10 Phytoremediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Lagoon Sediments
Williams, J.B*; May, E*; Mant, C*; Hodkinson, B†
* University of Portsmouth - † UK Ministry of Defence

Runoff from a fire-fighter training area has resulted in sediments in semi-saline lagoon being contaminated with over 35,000 mg/Kg of TPH. This 1Ha site is next to a SSSI and a prestigious residential development, which limit the remediation options. One possibility is phytoremediation using wetland plants, such as Phragmites australis, that can aerate their rhizosphere developing ‘hot spots’ of aerobic microbial activity. This is being investigated in collaboration between the MoD and the University of Portsmouth. Initial screening studies in microcosms have demonstrated that several plants can grow in the sediment and on-site planting trails are planned.

11.30 Possibility of heavy metal polluted sediments immobilization in a clay-based material
Miljana Prica, Krcmar Dejan, Becelic Milena, Milena Dalmacija, University of Novi Sad, Serbia

This study attempts to determine the possibilities and limitations of immobilization of heavy metals polluted sediments by their incorporation into clay-based material. It focuses on the effects of several processing parameters such as the temperature of thermal treatment, pH and grain size. The effectiveness of sludge inactivation was assessed by various leaching tests.
It was found that the efficiency of metal immobilization was dependent on the processing parameters. Incorporation of metals in a clay based matrix led to an immobilization of most trace contaminants.

11.50 From Dredging Spoil to Concrete
Simon C. Bos, BSc, Tauw B.V., The Netherlands

Water management is essential. A great deal of water and sludge from other European countries ends up in the Netherlands. Therefore, management and maintenance of rivers and flood plains is an important point of attention. In addition to the Water Authorities, there are other official bodies that are responsible for this. In the Province of Gelderland RGV is one of the bodies managing a number of recreational areas, which means that they are also responsible for the removal and processing of dredge spoil from these areas, both with a view to water management and to the recreational functions of the areas.
At the marinas, camping and daytrip sites in the recreational area north of Arnhem called the Rhederlaag the waterway must be dredged regularly. The resultant dredge spoil is moderately to highly contaminated.
Usually, this dredge spoil is dumped into submerged depots in the same river system. In addition, it is also necessary to render the beaches accessible for daytrips. Among other things, this requires the construction of car parks for which building materials have to be supplied.
These two tasks, i.e. the dredging and the cementing, can go together very well by using the dredge spoil as paving material for the parking facilities. There are several advantages to this. The dredge spoil remains in the water system, but with a useful purpose. It would also remain in the system by dumping it, but it would not have a function then. Even worse, it would require space. In addition, combining the two tasks means that no additional material will have to be supplied to the river system in order to create the parking facilities.
In other words, the total use of space is much smaller and the dredge spoil has been given a useful purpose. The usefulness has been effected by means of a new innovative technology invented by Megatrax Benelux ©
They use a special form of immobilization and a highly developed additive. The immobilization and the additive together create a process binding the harmful components from the dredge spoil into a concrete structure, preventing a spread via the water system. This technique must meet high requirements because during high water periods, the parking facilities are flooded. There should be no erosion due to the flowing water or due to the parking of cars.

Nevertheless, all environmental and civil engineering requirements and criteria have been met, with the result that a pilot car park (3,700 m2) was constructed in the Rhederlaag recreational area in October 2007, in which more than 1,200 m3 severely contaminated dredge spoil has been processed.
Finally, there is another environmental advantage to be gained. One that enjoys worldwide urgent attention: CO2 reduction. Because the final product must be more or less similar to concrete, cement was used as the binding agent. However, in addition to cement, a number of additives were used to ensure the right fixation and strength. These additives resulted in much less cement being required than for normal concrete, which yielded another 15% CO2 reduction for said pilot car park. An amount equaling the emissions of a medium-sized car driving three times around the world.

12.10 C-Rocks – Artificial rocks produced from waste material with C-Fix
Willem van der Horst, C-Fix B.V., The Netherlands

C-Fix has been developed as a new type of bituminous binder for the production of Carbon Concrete. When the product is cooled these mixes have concrete properties and unique leaching characteristics. C-Fix is very tolerant of secondary or waste materials. Moreover, C-Fix applications prevent substantial CO2-emissions. The innovation easily applicable breaks water stones product for the water construction sector. Possible application is for the protection of coastlines and rivers sites. Point of view is to use secondary raw materials as basis material. These raw materials have sufficient negative value to finance the production of C-Rock.


12.30 BUFFET LUNCH - Hotel restaurant


SESSION 3 INLAND WATERWAYS AND EUROPEAN DIRECTIVES

14.00 Implications of the EU Water Framework Directive and Waste
Directive for inland waterways restaurations and developements
Constantijn Dolmans, IADC International Association of Dredging Companies, The Netherlands

14.20 Site investigations of Inland Waterways
Jos Vink, Deltares/TNO, The Netherlands


NARROW BOAT TOUR - VISIT CANAL MUSEUM & CITY DINNER

16.00 Bus departure

For evening programme see brochure

22.30 Return at Hotel

FRIDAY - MAY 16, 2008

SESSION 4 UK PROJECTS - PREPARING THE 2012 OLYMPIC PARK

09.00 Key Note 2 - Innovations in East London Waterways REUSE
Olympic Waterways: How British Waterways are Contributing to a Green Games
Richard Rutter, British Waterways, UK

The River Lee Navigation and its tributaries have been at the heart of the life and economy of East London for generations. The 2012 Games, together with the development of a new ‘city’ at Stratford with a high speed rail link to Europe, provides a superb opportunity to breathe new life into the river and create a world-class waterway legacy for London. The vision is to create a ‘water City’ where development is fully integrated with the river network and use of the waterways is maximised for people, for wildlife, for leisure and for transport. The talk will set out how this is being achieved through a close working partnership between a range of stakeholders and through the development of new waterway infrastructure.

09.20 Economic and viable remediation solutions to the disposal options for
sediment to be dredged from the River Lee
Carl Ainley, British Waterways London & Bill Gush, Land & Water Services Ltd, UK

During the summer of 2007 a site investigation was carried out within the River Lee and East London Navigation in order to provide chemical and physical data for the design of a dredging programme to open up the canals and river sections for the construction works associated with the 2012 Olympics.
A mixture of silty sands and gravels with soft silts were located along the sections to be dredged with elevated levels of heavy metals and hydrocarbon contamination in some areas.
This paper describes the findings of the site investigation and the remediation options for the dredged arisings with the ODA’s maximum reuse criteria in mind.

09.40 The Soil Treatment Centre at the Olympics 2012 site, London, UK
Stany Pensaert, Process and R&D manager, DEC, Belgium

The site for the 2012 Games is located in the East End of London in an area, which had been subject to industrial activity for centuries. This industrial activity caused widespread contamination of soil and groundwater in the area. The regeneration of this disused industrial site and the Lasting Legacy that would be provided following the Olympics was one of the key factors in London being chosen as the host city for the Games.

In July 2006 DEC was appointed to the Framework Contract for Demolition and Remediation Works for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Under this Framework Contract, DEC was selected for:

*Soil Washing
* Bioremediation
* Soil Stabilisation/Immobilisation
* Thermal Desorption
* Dredging and Sediment Treatment

Following the appointment to the Framework Contract DEC has won contracts for Soil Washing on the site of the Aquatics Centre and Site Wide Remediation works in the southern area of the Olympic Park which includes the main Olympic Stadium.

Soil Washing works commenced on the Aquatics Centre site in June 2007 where DEC deployed one of its in-house developed soil washing plants and is expected to treat in the region of 50,000 tonnes of soil. The principle contaminants encountered included hydrocarbons and heavy metals.

10.00 Innovative in-situ Treatment for Contaminated Sediments
Ed Fahnline, URS Corporation Ltd., UK

Increased environmental constraints have placed new challenges on the management of potentially contaminated sediments. An integrated, comprehensive legislative framework does not exist for sediments in the UK or in the EU. However, new UK legislation significantly increases the need to treat sediments on-site or in-situ. The intent of this paper is three-fold:
- Explain regulatory drivers for on-site and in-situ sediment treatment
- Discuss when on-site and in-situ sediment treatment is appropriate,
sustainable, and cost beneficial
- Describe an innovative in-situ sediment remediation technology being
developed by URS

This technology comprises a Floating Bioreactor®, that uses air injection to loosen and airlift sediment with minimal disturbance. During aeration, volatile organics are stripped from the sediment. The sediment can then be either redeposited on the water body floor or dewatered for on-shore reuse, disposal or additional treatment. The redeposited sediment will be oxygen rich allowing for enhanced biodegradation of volatile and non-volatile organics.

10.20 Economical and Sustainable reuse of Contaminated Sediments
Stephen Keevil-Jones, Envirotreat, UK

In essence sediment contamination has historically consisted predominantly of TBT (Tributyl Tin), Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) and Heavy Metals, all of which preclude disposal at a Licensed Landfill facility without prior treatment.

Utilising their patented in house E-Clay® technology Envirotreat Limited have stabilised not only the normal pollutants identified within dredged materials but also many other species in order that the resultant mass might be combined with cementitious products to produce a material that can be safely used as a substitute sub-base or civil engineering related infill material.


10.40 COFFEE BREAK at TRADE SHOW – Hotel Lobby


SESSION 5 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

11.10 Sediment Contamination and Options for Remediation, a Scandinavian perspective
Arto Itkonen, Mika Nieminen, Golder Associates Oy, Tampere, Finland

Scandinavian aquatic environment is affected by cold water and temporal ice cover. This slows down the decomposition rates, and in the case of lakes and rivers, it may result anoxia and associated internal release of certain contaminants from the sediments. Geologically, the Scandinavian shield area drainage basin typically results non-carbonaceous minerogenic sediments with resistant organic compounds.
Golder Associates has experience of close to 100 contaminated brackish or fresh water sediment sites in Scandinavian. Distinct features in these sediments include e.g. a differential distribution of PCBs versus other contaminants at port areas, a higher than expected half-life of easily degradable compounds like VOCs, and enrichment of POP compounds as a result of long range transport. Winter-time climatic conditions in the north hinder the use of certain treatment methods, like enhanced natural attenuation, suction dredging and geotube dewatering.

11.30 Mass Stabilization - a Method for Reuse of TBT -contaminated Sediments
as a Part of the Harbour Field in Helsinki, Finland
Jorma Havukainen, Project Manager Geotechnics, Ramboll Finland Oy, Finland

In Helsinki, the analysis of surface sediments of the new Vuosaari Harbour area indicated high TBT concentrations at the area of 75 hectares before actual dredging for structural filling works. The area was isolated from the surrounding sea by the embankments and a temporary silt curtain. Then the basins were formed on sand fill by the embankments sealed with moraine. The contaminated sediment was dredged carefully and transported into the basins. The work was controlled according to the method approved by the authorities. In 2006 the TBT-contaminated sediment layer of five metres and 10 hectares was mass stabilized in site with cement. The QC/QA was based on controlling of permeability, shear strength and settlement observations.
The method proved to be applicable for remediation of dredged sediments and production of structural fill.

11.50 Capping Heavily Contaminated Sediments in the Volgermeerpolder
Marten van der Wijk, Witteveen+Bos, The Netherlands

The Volgermeerpolder is a former landfill (100 hectares) near Amsterdam. Between 1960 and 1980 chemical waste (f.e. agent orange) was dumped at the municipal landfill. Within the borders of the landfill approximately 4.5 km of waterways are present, which contain heavily contaminated sediments (f.e. dioxins).
The goals of the ongoing remediation are twofold. The first goal is directed to risk reduction, therefore the entire area is capped with a layer of clean soil and a HDPE (2mm) lining. The second goal is to restore a typical Dutch polder landscape with a good potential for nature restoration. For this the existing waterways in the polder are reused.
To reuse the waterways in a save way and to establish good conditions for nature restoration it is necessary to apply also a HDPE liner and soil layer in the waterways. In the original situation the sediments in the waterways had a thickness of approximately 2 meters and were situated on top of peat and clay layers which are very sensitive to settling processes. The sediments itself had a consistency which can best be described as "thick water".
Given the consistency of the sediment the ideal approach for applying the HDPE and soil layers was to pump the water out of the waterways and remove the sediments. The pumping would result in the abstraction of large quantities of heavily polluted leachate and excavation of the sediments would result in excessive health and safety risks for the workers on-site and the local community. For this reason an, innovative approach is used to apply the HDPE and soil layers.
First of all, the sediments in the waterways are covered with a 1 meter thick layer of sand. Therefore a sand/water mixture is sprayed into the waterways in a fine tuned way. With this approach mixing of contaminated sediment and the sand layer was prevented. In the coming period the HDPE layer will be applied through submersion. After the HDPE layer is in place, it will be directly covered with a 0.5 meter layer of sand. The toplayer of sand will provide ideal conditions for a good water quality, which support the re-introduction of rare species typically for the Dutch peat region.

12.10 High-quality building with Geotube® filled with dredge sludge
R.J.M. Wortelboer, Market Manager Marine & Environmental, Ten Cate, NL

TenCate is producer of the product Geotube® for more then 30 years. Since 8 years, Geotube® is used for containment and dewatering of all kind of sludges. Since two years now, both applications are combined in a new application.
Geotube® filled with sludge, used for high-quality building.
The presentation/paper will give an overview of the application for marine constructions, containment and dewatering of all kind of sludge's and the experiences for this new, valuable application with Geotube®.

12.30 Removal of Asbestos on the Shoreline and Roadstead
Alfio Bazzichi, Cosint, Italy

The shoreline and roadstead in front of the former ETERNIT SICILIANA plant were characterized by asbestos cement contamination. The shoreline exhibited, over an area of approximately 13 hectares, areas with:
- fragments scattered in the first sub-superficial soil layers
- fragments cemented to each other or to the rocks.
In the sea, over an extension of approximately 3 hectares near shore line, piles of scraps and processing waste from the plant were present. These areas were contained, removing visible contaminated materials, adopting innovative and unique technologies.


12.50 BUFFET LUNCH – Hotel restaurant


14.00 End of Conference

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