Worms as a solution for dewatering sediment sludge

Reading time: 1 minute

The European dredging industry generates an estimated 200 million cubic metres of sediment annually. Approximately 5 million cubic metres of dredged material is extracted from the port basins of Rotterdam's port area each year. The majority of this material comprises a mixture of very fine sediments and water. Converting this sludgy mix into soil typically requires a considerable amount of time for the water to naturally drain or evaporate, a process known as dewatering.

Miguel de Lucas, CEO of Medeina, discovered a method to significantly accelerate the dewatering process. This approach combines biology and physics in an unconventional way, with a starring role played by worms. According to Miguel de Lucas, ‘When our worms are introduced into sediment with water, they create a network of tunnels all through the sediment. This significantly accelerates the drainage of water.’

Read the complete interview with Miguel here. Medeina is one of the participants in the 2023 PortXL accelerator programme. Together with seven other start-ups and scale-ups from around the world, they are taking part in this 100-day programme.