SEDNET - Contaminated Sediments in European River Basins

This booklet gives a short, state-of-the-art overview of the main scientific, policy and regulatory issues on contaminated sediments, based on the results of the SedNet network activities. In particular, this booklet describes the main sources, transport processes and impacts of contaminated sediment and describes the main methods used to evaluate (including chemical analysis, bioassays and impact assessment) and manage (such as treatment, disposal and beneficial uses) contaminated sediment in river basins. The booklet also presents the main policies and regulations that relate to contaminated sediment (including the EU Water Framework Directive) and describes recent developments in sediment management, such as 6 the move towards the basin-scale approach, the use of risk-based management and the need for stakeholder participation in the decision-making process. As a result of the activities of SedNet, and especially the workshops and conferences, SedNet has developed the following main recommendations: • Towards European policy development: Further develop and eventually integrate sustainable sediment management into the European Water Framework Directive and related policy and legislation • Towards sediment management: Find management solutions that carefully balance social, economic and environmental values and are set within the context of the whole river system • Towards research: Improve our understanding of the relation between sediment contamination (hazard) and its actual impact to the functioning of ecosystems (ecological status) and develop strategies to assess and manage the risks involved More specific recommendations are given in Chapter 6.