The management of contaminated sediments: the Italian situation

Italy has about 8000 km of coastline, which is densely populated and has a strategic role for the national economy owing to the intense touristic, industrial and harbor activities carried out. The marine areas facing the coasts are often heavily polluted in the sediments. Many Sites of National Concern (SNCs) include sea areas, resulting in about 140000 hectares that need urgent characterization or remediation actions. On the other hand, many non-SNC sites still have to be dealt with, as well as many cases of polluted sediments in surface water bodies spread all over the national territory. No official data are available about the amount of sediments dredged in Italy, but 30 to 40 million cubic meters a year can be estimated. The number of laws pertaining to the topic also tangles the management of these materials, which somehow are perceived and managed as a waste. The development of sustainable management schemes is necessary to overcome the major issues in the sediment management. In this work, the situation of contaminated sediments in Italy is presented, with particular focus on the scale of the problem, the management options and the major research activities carried out by either Italian universities or private companies to deal with dredged materials. The projects carried out at national level are the basis for interesting and innovative management scenarios in the next future.