Guidelines for the sustainable treatment of dredged sediments in the Marittimo area
The amplification of the silting phenomena linked to climate change and the presence of pollutants mainly of anthropic origin fixed on the sediments make it necessary to organise their management and integrate risk control. The costs of treating and managing non-submersible sediments weaken or endanger the economic activity and competitiveness of ports. Moreover, the scientific data needed to come up with a normative framework for the management of sediments on the ground are partial, scarce and often inaccessible. Responses must be provided, as sediments present in ports, rivers and canals can have a lasting impact on ecosystems and ultimately on people's health. Hence, the need to implement jointly controlled and economically acceptable operational solutions within the Italy-France Maritime area. As part of the Europe 2020 strategy objectives, the project promotes the production of eco-materials deriving from the management of sediments. SEDITERRA proposes mainstreaming the structured management of a new public waste: sediment. The living lab inspired goal is to share experiences and rely on the results of local solutions that have been able to provide partial answers to a global problem. The application and monitoring of pilot operations on the Maritime region, with sediments from partner ports, will produce data and information widely disseminated during interviews open to all, which will be summarised and published online at www.cap-sediments. SEDITERRA aims to expand a capitalisation process through an exchange of good practices and cross-border emergency participation in a regulatory framework adapted to the land-based handling of sediments.