Port of Cleveland Scores Sediment Customer

The Port of Cleveland and its partner Kurtz Bros., Inc. have scored their first major user in the Port’s effort to market sediment for beneficial use. 

Great Lakes Construction, Co. has purchased 6,890 cubic yards of sediment for use in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Lakeland Boulevard / I-90 Replacement Project in Euclid. 

The Great Lakes’ purchase—enough to fill 300 standard dump trucks—represents a big step forward in the Port’s overarching plan to creatively and efficiently manage river sediment, demonstrating that a private market does exist, according to Port President and CEO Will Friedman.

To keep the Cuyahoga deep enough for large commercial ships, over 200,000 cubic yards of sediment must be dredged annually—enough to fill a major league baseball stadium 30 feet deep. Traditionally, sediment was treated as waste and placed in confined disposal facilities (CDFs). But Port-commissioned studies found market demand for beneficial uses of sediment, including anything from composting to road fill.

Based on the study, the Port developed a multi-tiered approach to beneficially reuse as much sediment as possible, processing and marketing the material through its partnership with Kurtz Bros., a leader in serving the waste-to-resource and soil-related industries. Just a few months into the relationship, the Great Lakes’ deal has helped make the vision a reality.

“When our studies determined the Port could turn sediment from waste into a useful product while also reducing public expense and advancing green, sustainable practices, we ran with it,” said Friedman. “The Great Lakes Construction–ODOT project is a great example of how sediment can be used, and we’re looking forward to more companies seeing the benefits of the product.”