Research and analysis

R057 - Alternative use of dredged material

Updated 16 January 2019

1. Requirement overview:

1.1 Requirement detail

Currently the vast majority of dredge material is disposed of at sea. The MMO wish to encourage and enable both the alternative use and re-cycling of dredged material. This will help maintain coastlines, ecosystem services and sustainable development.

Re-used dredged materials conserves primary resources, especially in capital projects where dredged materials can provide fill for allied construction works. However to be able to ensure that these opportunities are maximised the MMO would like to better understand the barriers to the reuse of dredged materials.

1.2 MMO use

Marine Planning: to develop and effectively implement marine plan policies that will help increase alternative use of dredged material in the marine plan areas.

Marine Licensing: to improve the delivery of legal obligations and support government’s policy that no waste should be disposed at sea if there is a safe and practicable alternative to provide the licensing team guidance of the requirements of alternative use applications.

1.3 External interest

Natural England, Environment Agency, Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Centre for Environmental Data Analysis, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Crown Estate

2. Aims and objectives

2.1 Aim:

To increase the understanding of, and therefore encourage and enable, alternative use of dredged material.

2.2 Objectives:

The objectives are as follows:

• identify examples of alternative use of dredged material
• identify where and how dredged material could be reused, and other projects that could incorporate alternative use
• identify the costs from alternative re-use/recycling projects
• identify the legislative barriers to encouraging alternative use of dredged material
• design a framework and provide guidance of how re-use of dredged material could work practically.

3. Existing evidence

3.1 MMO

MMO1073 provides recommendations to the MMO on the use of beneficial dredged materials in the south marine plan areas. The associated mapping began linking potential sediment sources to potential locations of need. In addition, strategic initiatives and solutions were identified.

3.2 Academic

There are example studies looking at beneficial use schemes and associated recovery such as Bolam, S.G., 2014 which found macrofaunal recolonisation occurred rapidly following recharge and looked at a comparison between structural and functional approaches, and the study by Bolam, S.G. and Whomersley, P. 2005 compared three beneficial use schemes after one year and found that two of the recharge sites had attained reference levels.

3.3 Other

The results of sampling done in 2004 on 5 dredged material disposal sites are detailed in Bolam, S.G., et al. 2015 and recommendations were given for their licensing and monitoring.

OSPAR guidelines specify Best Environmental Practice (BEP) for managing dredged material. National authorities use these guidelines to manage dredging and dumping and to minimise effects on the marine environment OSPAR, 2014.

The Solent Partnership have created a project on Beneficial Use of Dredging in the Solent Project (BUDS)which aims to overcome the barriers to effective re-use of dredge material in the Solent area.

An APBmer report suggests managed realignment and regulated tidal exchange projects have an important role to play in coastal habitat creation and restoration and delivery multiple social and economic benefits.

SEABUDS - Precipitating a SEA Change in the Beneficial Use of Dredged Sediment published in May 2018 detailed the current situation with beneficial reuse and identified the barriers to it happening more widely. As part of this project a working group was initiated to progress the recommendations. A similar approach to this report would be useful to investigate other alternative uses of dredged material.

4. Current activity

The MMO is involved in discussions with interested parties including industry, non-governmental organisations and other parts of government about how to facilitate greater beneficial use of dredge material and overcome the challenges in its use. The MMO also has a project in early 2019 (MMO1190) to map potential future sites for dredging activity and where the material could be beneficially used in the future.

5. Associated evidence requirements

R014 - Loss of fringing habitat and transitional communities from coastal squeeze

R031 - Improved knowledge of ecosystem services

R086 - The location, condition and features of significant sites for habitat creation or restoration

6. Further Details

For more information or to add further research to the existing evidence list please email evidence@marinemanagement.org.uk