British Waterways recycles to offset dredging costs

By Nadia Ghani

British Waterways has offset the high cost of dredging for the first time by recycling waste created in the process.

Silt and debris that was dredged from the Brookfoot Lock near Halifax has been blended with green waste from Bradford City Council’s household rubbish plant.

The treatment created a soil substitute, which can be sold off to construction companies.

The waste would normally have been scrapped as landfill or sent to a dredging lagoon.

Although other companies have utilised this process in the past, it is a first for BW and comes at a time when funds are in short supply.

This financial year, BW has spent £4.5 million on dredging.

Tracey Garrett, marketing manager at BW Yorkshire, said:

“Due to the current economic climate, British Waterways has limited funds available and the dredging of the canals is expensive.

“Being able to create something out of the dredging process that can be sold off is a key opportunity.”

BW also highlighted the environmental benefits of using this process. Recycling material is far more energy efficient than creating refined soil from scratch using virgin materials.

Gavin Beat, BW’s waste management surveyor, estimated that 106 tonnes of carbon had been saved.