Multidisciplinary Projects

Remediation of the illegal dump Terra Cotta in Brecht (Belgium)

The "Terra Cotta” site was an unmonitored dump site. The waste consisted mainly of large volumes of sand, rubble and household waste, as well as some hazardous waste and gypsum. The remediation strategy aimed for maximum reclamation of materials from the dumped waste. This approach achieved a significant financial and environmental saving.

A mobile recycling plant was installed at the site. The pre-treatment consisted of a manual sorting station, a crusher and a magnetic belt. This created 4 fractions: materials foreign to the soil, iron, rubble and sand. The rubble was washed in the cleansing system in a rubble washer. Cyclones were used to separate the sand and sludge. The separated sludge was treated further to create a solid filter cake using a thickener, dewatering screw and screen belt press.

In an immobilisation unit, the waste materials are combined with additives to create a solid non-leachable product.

Sand, rubble and ferrous metals were recycled and reused on site. The remaining waste materials were disposed in an on site landfill.

The water purification plant provided for treatment of all the process water, contaminated surface water, groundwater and percolate water present at the site.

The joint venture SSTC of the companies Soils – now DEC – and Dredging International received the Belgian Environmental Prize for Industry 1997 – 1998 for this concept in the waste recuperation category.