National Symposium on Contaminated Sediments: Coupling Risk Reduction with Sustainable Management and Reuse

The goal of the symposium was to promote discussion of the issues raised and recommendations presented in the National Research Council (NRC) report "Contaminated Marine Sediments in Ports and Waterways: Cleanup Strategies and Technologies," released in March 1997. Appendix D of the proceedings provides an Executive Summary of this NRC report. Although there are no simple solutions to the problems created by contaminated marine sediments, the problems can be managed effectively using a systematic, risk-based approach that incorporates incremental improvements in decision making, remediation technologies, and project implementation. Sponsors of the symposium were interested in educating and promoting dialogue among the diverse stakeholders involved in sediment management and in finding potential solutions. This was accomplished through a combination of expert panels, case study presentations, and roundtable discussions. The formal program was augmented by breakout discussion groups, which encouraged dialogue among the various stakeholders on specific issues of most interest to them. The key points from these discussions were then presented at plenary sessions. Another important component of the symposium was a number of staffed poster displays and demonstrations, highlighting a broad range of strategies and technologies that have been successfully implemented or that are in development. Appendix A presents a synopsis of the displays. The material in the proceedings has been condensed and edited.