2nd meeting WG Sediments in Circular Economy

Working Group SedNet Circular Economy, 2nd Session April 2nd, 2019, Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, Croatia 

The 2nd session of the Working Group on Circular Economy and Sediments took place the day before the 11th SedNet conference. The WG-meeting was followed by a short joint session with the SedNet WG Sediment Quantity.
22 participants representing 9 countries were present.

The following was discussed during the meeting:

  • Outcome of the first session.
  • Which topics are missing yet in WGCE.
  • Feedback from PIANC, CEDA and other.
  • Proposition that the next WG meeting will be organised in an place where beneficial uses of sediment have been implemented (works, plant) or tested at the pilot scale. 
  • Proposition that the next WG meeting will have 3 separate subsessions for working on selected topics, and a shared wrap up.
  • Need for clear definitions of concepts (BU, valorisation, reuse, sustainability) discussed and validated by all participants. Lead: Julia Gebert
  • Beyond the initial “mass balance” approach to CE, need for defining ‘value’ to ecological potential of sediment. Lead: Arjan Wijdeveld
  • Need to incorporate CO2 and CH4 balance of sediment (old or fresh) use in CE balance and funding, benefit or risk? Lead: Arjan Wijdeveld.
  • List barriers to CE options for dredged sediments (economic value (Bruno Lemière), regulation bottlenecks (Arjan Wijdeveld), public perception.
  • Prepare texts together that can be used to support EU policy or can be incorporated in RTD call texts. On RTD support to EU regulatory issues (-> lead Arjan Wijdeveld), on circular economy objectives (-> lead Bruno Lemière).
  • Interest in setting up a synthetic catalogue of beneficial use options. To be initiated soon and fed by the CEDA incoming paper.  Proposition from Julia Gebert, Goedele Vanacker and Arjan Wijdeveld that the next WG should be held October 23-24 in or near Bremen, Germany, with a site visit to Delftzijl (Kleirijperij, see https://www.ecoshape.org/en/projects/clay-ripening-pilot-project/). Lead: Arjan Wijdeveld

General issues WG CE activities include:  – Exchanges and open discussions on beneficial use options, sustainability (environmental, social and economic benefits), how to take into account external benefits in the economic balance, find different ways to answer the question ‘How to convince policy makers’ ? Beneficial use should not be a goal in itself but a substitute to primary materials extraction, – Gathering information from other groups (CEDA, PIANC) and events (AquaConsoil), and cooperation opportunities,  – Submitting communication on good practice to the EU stakeholders platform on CE – Supporting RTD initiatives, especially trying to include Sediments topics in incoming Horizon, ERDF and Life call texts, and favouring the constitution of partnerships, – Connecting with SedNet “Sediment quantity” WG to exchange information and perspectives

Further topics will be addressed in the next meetings the WG. – Preparing our own “white paper” but first consolidating knowledge on CE – Preparing texts supporting RTD initiatives, especially trying to include Sediments topics in incoming Horizon, ERDF and Life call texts? – Preparing texts conveying the message to policymakers: Valorisation should be facilitated by regulations..

A presentation about METHA was given as keynote during the SedNet conference the next day, and discussed in WG CE too.  

Topics to be addressed in WG3:
 The next WG will have 3 separate subsessions for working on selected topics, and a shared wrap up. A list of possible topics will be circulated with the extended minutes. Participants are kindly requested to select their preference(s). Further topics can be proposed for WG4, planned for early 2020. 

 

 

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