For more information click on the link for a detailed write-up: Remediation and Waste Minimization

San Diego Bay (Treatment of Marine Sediments) The technology for treating marine sediments involved the remediation of dredge spoils in the form of copper- contaminated sediments from San Diego Bay. After a demonstration pilot phase, an on-site treatment plant was developed which converted 50,000 tons of these sediments into a recoverable sand fraction, extracting the copper for subsequent smelting. The technology for the initial separation of gross objects (tires, ship components, rocks, large metals, etc.) is generic and can be applied to any marine sediment. The subsequent processing to remove specific metal or hydrocarbon contaminants is accomplished through the modification of second stage unit operations. Some recent studies indicate that culturing and re-injecting the indigenous sediment microorganisms can aid in the dewatering of the dredged material prior to further processing.