Research on contaminated sediments in the Netherlands
conference paper
In the Netherlands pollution of aquatic sediments is a high priority pro blem. The sediment pollution complicates the disposal of dredged material and presents a potential long-term threat of aquatic life. The main pro blems are concentrated in the sedimentation zones of the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt, but local point sources and diffuse sources have also caused sediment contamination in regional waters. The risks of sediment pollution for aquatic life are rather unknown. There fore, a research programme is being carried out to analyse both physical, chemical and biological processes in aquatic sediments and the role of con taminants. Based on the results of these studies removal, treatment or other restoration measures can be considered. Apart from the studies on processes in watersystems the national policy and research directed towards reducing pollution sources are top priority. Furthermore, an important part of the research is focussed on methods for the reduction and disposal of the enormous quantities of contaminated sedi ments, which have to be dredged yearly due to for nautical reasons. Some methods are already available, but the high costs, the lack of disposal sites and the low acceptance level of certain solutions by society demands additional research to tackle these problems.
TNO Identifier
251089
Source title
Bron onbekend
Place of publication
Apeldoorn
Pages
1-18
Files
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