Guidelines for the beneficial use of dredged material

Beneficial uses of dredged material is by no means a new concept…. However, there is now a developing emphasis on environmental management which has resulted in a change in approach whereby dredged material is regarded as a resource rather than a waste. Many beneficial uses have now been tried in different parts of the world, the largest schemes being in the USA, others are under consideration. The guidelines presented here are the result of three years of literature research, discussions with a wide range of organisations in Europe and the USA, observing some schemes at first hand and in a few cases studying them in detail using numerical models. The guidelines seek to present in a consolidated form the experience gained as a basis for assessing what the realistic options presently are.