Abstract

Contaminated sediments in rivers, lakes, and harbors around the world result in diminished ecological health, degradation of environmental resources, economic losses, and, in rare cases, impacts to human health. Despite the ongoing interest in the cleanup of contaminated sediments in rivers and harbors, little progress has been made in reducing the number of contaminated sites worldwide. Much of the difficulty in advancing this cause can be attributed to the high cost of sediment cleanups and the difficulty in assigning financial responsibility for the cost of the cleanup. Simple schemes dependent on identifying polluters are fraught with underlying complexity. More elaborate approaches tied in with waterfront redevelopment show some promise but are yet to be applied routinely. New advances in the understanding of how sediments may, or may not, factor into circularity pose new challenges and opportunities, with the potential to complement new funding paradigms. The most promising possibilities for achieving circularity in sediment management lie in a kind of “punctuated circularity,” which requires idiosyncratic, project-based beneficial use opportunities. However, these ideal situations are likely to remain rare for the foreseeable future, without advancements in technology and regulatory approaches, as well as development of market demand for the products made from contaminated sediments.

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