Subject
The SOLINDUS project aims to develop a mineralogical treatment process applicable to polluted sediments. The aim of the VALSOLINDUS project is to validate the process introduced in SOLINDUS by assessing the health risks for personnel responsible for the treatment and the risks to human health and ecosystems related to the recovery of treated sediment from soils.
FEDER Convergence 2007-2013 programme in partnership with the CTP and the INISMa.
Budget: €8,052,743.93 including €797,635 for the ISSeP, financed 40% by the FEDER and 60% by the Walloon region.
This project began on 1 July 2008.
The SOLINDUS project aims to offer an integrated solution to the problem of managing sediments and similar materials by creating a semi-mobile mineralogical platform with the aim of decontaminating a significant proportion of category B sediments. The effectiveness of the treatment is partly assessed by chemical analysis of the materials, as described in the decree from the Walloon government of 30/11/1995. The recovery of fine fractions (the most polluted) in cement plants, brickyards or in expanded clay beads is also studied.
The results of mineralogical treatments developed in SOLINDUS show a tendency to concentrate pollutants (organic and inorganic) in the finest (<15 µm). However, the contamination of other granulometric fractions remains important in terms of the thresholds set in AGW 1995.
The recovery channels studied (production of bricks, clay beads, etc.) are promising. The tests carried out in the laboratory to incorporate 10% of the fraction <15 µm in the clay to produce expanded clay beads have shown very good results. It is the evaluation of large-scale feasibility which poses problems as manufacturers need large quantities (120 T) to perform their tests. Recovery in cement works does not seem suitable because the sediments studied contain too much mercury and/or too much organic matter. Finally, the “bricks” channels are still being studied. It is important to note that there is interest from the manufacturers (producers or aggregates and bricks) who have been contacted.
To find out more about the 2007-2013 structural funds programme, the Walloon government’s website devoted to the structural funds can be consulted at: http://europe.wallonie.be.