GREen ENgineering solutions: a new LIFE for SEdiments And Shells

Introduction

GREENLIFE4SEAS stems from the urgent need to find sustainable solutions for two strong environmental concerns: the fate of 200 million m³ of sediments, often contaminated, dredged in the EU every year and the disposal of 490,000 tons/year of shells, as one of the most impactful EU aquaculture wastes.

Project Objectives

GREENLIFE4SEAS aims at demonstrating the technical feasibility, full safety, and commercial viability of breakthrough solutions for in-situ recovery and reuse of dredged harbour sediments and shells. These materials will be used as secondary raw materials for the realization of sustainable by-products by means of an optimized mixing technology.

Main Pillars

The project is founded on three main pillars:

1. The realization, at real scale, of four innovative by-products (i.e., shell powder, paving blocks, breakwaters, stabilized mass) for the building sector, mainly made by the reuse of shells and dredged sediments (after decontamination, if polluted) and produced directly in-situ by an original mixing technology.

2. The development of a sound and viable business model for the in-situ collection and treatment of mussel shell and dredged sediments based on the prototypal technology of a mobile plant (GL4S) producing the new by-products (paving blocks, breakwaters, stabilized mass).

3. The overcoming of regulatory barriers through the definition of a specific authorization protocol for the reuse of dredged sediments for engineering solutions, as the pilot by-products to be realized throughout GREENLIFE4SEAS.

Consortium Model

GREENLIFE4SEAS is carried out by a triple-helix model of Consortium, where synergy among research capitalization, industrial symbiosis, and governmental partners as primary stakeholders is the key to innovation and sustainable growth in a knowledge-based economy.

Expected Outcomes

GREENLIFE4SEAS results will epitomize a concrete contribution to improving the EU environmental policy for waste management, circular blue economy, and aquaculture.