Sediment decontamination at Essche Stroom

This was the project par excellence in which all of Kurstjens’ specialisations came together and maximal synergy was achieved120,000 m³ of badly contaminated dredge spoil (chrome) was removed from the Essche Stroom using cutter suction dredgers on behalf of Waterschap De Dommel and under the direction of Niebeek. This dredge spoil underwent extractive cleaning on a pontoon on the water. The clean sand fraction was immediately returned to the water in order to guarantee the stability of the strong flow of the water way. The badly contaminated sludge fraction was dewatered using mobile belt presses and decanters and turned into a semi-solid sludge cake and removed to a licenced waste disposal facility. This unique dredge, sand separation and dewatering system does not only enable dredging all year round without detrimental consequences to Flora and Fauna, but the system was also secured in agreement with the applicable BRL-OCE provisions, so that 16 of the sections suspected of containing unexploded ordnance in this Essche Stroom could be dredged using the same material and in the same manner.