Sediments and Sludges

DEC has various treatment and recycling techniques that have been devised by our own Research & Development department. Some of these technologies, such as Soft Soil Improvement®, have been specifically developed for in situ treatment, while others are used on a daily basis in the fixed licensed sludge-processing centres.

Sediment treatment techniques

Dewatering

Natural dewatering in lagoon fields
Mechanical dewatering (chamber filter compression, membrane compression, sieve belt presses)
Geotubes
In-situ consolidation via horizontal or vertical drains
Vacuum consolidation

Sludge stabilisation

Soft Soil Improvement®
Consolidation via horizontal or vertical drains
Vacuum consolidation

Immobilisation

Cold immobilisation
Chemical immobilisation

Remediation

Bioremediation/land farming
Physical/chemical treatment
Flotation techniques
Sand/sludge separation via hydrocyclonage or sand separation techniques

This sediment was compressed and dewater in geotubes on site (Hultsfred, Sweden).

Using the Soft Soil Improvement® technique, contaminated sediment is immobilised and stability greatly improved (Cargovil, Vilvoorde, Belgium).

We developed a technique to immobilise TBT in sediment. Sludge contaminated with TBT occurs primarily in harbours (Guernsey, United Kingdom).

Would you like to know more?

Download our sludge and sediment brochure (pdf, 912 KB), or view some projects that we have completed using this technique.