Contaminated freshwater and marine sediments are a significant environmental problem worldwide. A better understanding of their nature, the risks they pose, and their potential solutions will be explored at the Battellesponsored Second International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments, in Venice, Italy, 30 September– 2 October, 2003. The city, where sediments remediation efforts are underway, is an ideal setting.

Although some contaminants have been banned or restricted, and discharge of others has been reduced, industrial and municipal sources continue to release contaminants to surface waters, while urban and agricultural areas produce polluted runoff. Harmful contaminant levels can persist for years and adversely affect human health and the environment. When navigational dredging produces contaminated sediments that require in situ confinement or confined disposal facilities, the financial costs can be staggering. Treatment technologies are emerging, but costs must be reduced to make them viable alternatives. Developing better technologies for handling and treating contaminated sediments, and designing practical and cost-effective sediments-management practices is a concern for sediments and remediation experts who will find the conference a stimulating and professionally valuable gathering.

Battelle has organized this conference in response to the success of the first one, which was held in Venice in 2001 and attended by 450 experts in the field from 40 countries around the world. Augusto Porta and Rob Hinchee will chair the 2003 conference, which is co-sponsored by the Italian Ministero dell’Ambiente e Tutela del Territorio. Cooperating organizations are Agenzia Nazionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente (ANPA), Autorità Portuale di Venezia, Central Dredging Association (CEDA), DHI Water and Environment, Environment Canada, International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), Journal of Soils and Sediments, PIANC: International Navigation Association, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Center for Contaminated Sediments (CCS), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Registration and the plenary session open the conference on Tuesday evening (30 September). The technical program will deal with characterization; ecological and human-health risk assessment; in situ treatment; dredging; beneficial reuse; natural recovery; and specialized treatment methods. The exhibit area will be open every day. The Intermediate SedNet Conference, which is scheduled for Venice on 29-30 September, ends at 5:00 p.m. on the 30th, enabling participants to move on to the opening of the Contaminated Sediments Conference at 6:00 p.m.

Information on abstract submission, registration, and the conference schedule can be found at www.battelle.org/sedimentscon.