Boskalis_CSR_report__2016

Environmental Impact CSR 2016 – Boskalis 34

Contributing to the circular economy

For Boskalis the most important natural resource is sand. Sand is extracted from borrow areas, which can be designated by clients on an individual project basis. In addition, Boskalis has access to licensed sand borrow areas around the world. When deepening waterways and ports we aim to re-use as much of the sand as possible for land reclamation. While not all sand is suitable for this purpose, thanks to innovations and research we are now able to re-use sand and sediment that was previously unusable. Although sand is a renewable rather than a finite resource, in some areas its use is increasingly being restricted by legislation and regulations. Backed by scientific research from the Building with Nature program, we are able to advise our clients on making responsible choices when designating sand borrow areas and selecting sand extraction methods. We can also advise our clients to opt for sand replenishment combined with the planting of mangroves for coastal protection, as is the case in Indonesia. Please refer to pages 40-41 for more information. Our expertise can also be called upon for soil and waterbed remediation. Boskalis Environmental carries out noteworthy remediation projects both in and outside of the Netherlands, whereby it re-uses as much material as possible after processing. We recycle worn floating dredging pipelines, impellers, dredging pumps and pick points, resulting in the recycling of 520,000 kilograms of material in 2016. More information can be found in the case studies on our corporate website.