After a successful workgroup meeting and conference, we are delighted to present to you a summary of the workgroup meeting that took place in Lisbon, Portugal.

Thank you to the session chairs Bruno Lemière, Julia Gebert and Arjan Wijdeveld.

More information about the working group, please contact Arjan Wijdeveld.

Greenhouse gas (GHG):

– Demonstration of GHG balances in SedNet CE site applications

– Is GHG part of the criteria for CE of sediments or should it become a focus point?

– Can we use the concept of ecosystem services (the Generic ESA Framework) for setting starting points and end goals (PIANC Report No. 195-2021) regarding GHG?

– Contribution from SedNet members to the CEDA GHG work group?

Trends in sediment quality indications:

– Looking at the OSPAR Indicator Assessments, which trends related to the CE of sediments are positive and are potential new threads?

– Discussion of a BU related topic which is in the spotlight: Impact of WFD TBT EWS sediment standards on the CE of sediments

Opportunities in policy developments:

– The EU Soil Strategy, what is it and how will it impact the CE of sediments?

– The new Nature Restoration Law, what is it and will it enhance CE of sediments?

– How to strengthen CE enablers and overcome barriers, lessons we can apply from the BU of sediment report by PIANC, Report No. 214-2022

CE projects examples:

– New projects

– Updates of the CEDA case study sites

– Planning of next meeting and field visit (April/May 2024)

– Welcome to new members

– Notes from the 5-6 July 2022 meeting

– The CE white paper, pushing for publication or a source for internal inspiration?

– White paper topics:

– Beyond the initial mass balance      

– Definitions of BU concepts          

– Incorporating CO2 and CH4 balance of sediment

– Setting up a synthetic catalog  

– New topics potential of interest for the CE workgroup:

– EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience directive → topic is on the agenda

– Emerging compounds in water and sediments:

– TBT → topic is on the agenda

– PFAS → at SedNet conference (but are there new policy developments?) 

– Cocktail effect of pesticides

– Pharmaceutic drugs

– Other topics of interest?

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

– Beyond the initial mass balance:

– Inspiration: PIANC EnviCom Working Group Report N° 195 – 2021(AN INTRODUCTION TO APPLYING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR WATERBORNE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS)

– Use of the Economic & Environmental Impacts and Benefits Tools for sediment, as developed by Munster Technological University by Branislav Batel/Joe Harringtonand Richard Lord/Keith Torrance.

– Definitions of BU concepts:

– Inspiration: PIANC EnviCom Working Group Report N° 214 – 2023 (BENEFICIAL USE FOR SUSTAINABLE WATERBORNE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS)

– Use of recommendations to focus on Value Creation and Ecosystem Services in our research and projects, do we have the tools to define value (see previous point)?

– Incorporating CO2 and CH4 balance of sediment:

– Presentation by Julia Gebert on the success story of GHG management in waste dump sites

– PIANC Blue Carbon WG ToR  -> who participates?

– CEDA GHG ToR -> -> who participates?

– What questions and points do we want to be addressed in both work groups?

12:30-14:00 Lunch

– Setting up a synthetic catalog:

– (230425_ceda_Case Study NWW Adaptive Management Strategy)           

– New initiatives?

– New: EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience directive

– Reflection on the directive (as written by Jos Brils)

– Discussion: Will the directive impact the CE of sediment and how?

– New: Emerging compounds in water and sediments (introduced by Arjan):

– SedNet’s reaction on the EQS for TBT in sediment

– Discussion: Can we use the opportunity to set sediment EQS standards for the WFD as a positive driver for CE of sediments? And how?

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

– Volunteers for organizing the site visit in 2024 (May – June)

– Volunteers for writing a short newsletter item for SedNet on a sediment CE related topic

– Any other business

– Interest in CEDA workgroup on PFAS

– Closure of the meeting