Grant: Strategic Workshops Program

The project will be spearheaded by the applicant (project leader) in collaboration with a research team in Japan and the co-leader from Environment Canada. The long-term objective is to develop new technologies for in-situ treatment of contaminated sediments and establish new collaborations to accomplish this. The new technologies are expected to be flexible in terms of capacity to function in various water qualities and conditions at the location. They will also be cost-efficient in terms of operation and maintenance. There is an urgent need for efficient and cost-effective technologies for treatment of sediments in Canada. Primarily, ports and marinas, where the water is highly polluted by spills from cargo ships, will benefit from the treatment method, and secondarily, waterways such as rivers and streams polluted by industrial and agricultural discharges will benefit. The workshop is potentially scheduled for March 2008 and will involve coleadership between a university (Concordia) with an international university (Tokai of Japan) and the federal government (Environment Canada). The objectives of the workshop would be to establish research collaborations and research priorities with regards to sediment treatment technology in general and in particular the development of the in situ sediment treatment technology. Regulatory aspects, commercial viability and environmental needs in Canada will be discussed. The workshop will enable the researchers to identify the potential of the technology for Canadian applications and to establish the requirements for  future in-situ experimental research work which will take place in Canada. Subsequent phases and means to finance the research activities will be identified .  A comprehensive research plan will be formulated at the end of this workshop.