Solving the Beach Wrack Problems by On Site Treatment with Reed Beds Towards Fertilizer Amendments

Abstract

Beach wrack is a specific problem. It is both ecological problem for eutrophicated reservoirs such as the Baltic Sea and the social one associated with nuisance for inhabitants and tourists visiting seaside resorts. This generates a problem for institutions responsible for beach management (local authorities). Nowadays local authorities generally recommend cleaning the beach to local companies and it is not known how the beach wrack material is utilized. According to the current trend, the nuisance of beach wrack should be turned into a resource that will bring benefits. To understand what beach wrack really is and establishing a specific definition is a problem. In the material washed out by the sea there are not only natural origin of organic substances, but also human products: plastics, glass or metals, which in many cases forces to pre-select before using the technology. Good treatment of material which quantities are undefined and the occurrence is variable is a real challenge. Beach wrack processing on reed bed system so far used mainly to treatment of sewage sludge seems to be a good idea. It is an innovative technology that is expected to have similar results as for the processing of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment - high nutrient fertilizer. In accordance with European Union recommendations, the possible use of beach wrack as a fertilizer in agriculture or enrichment of compost, will close the circulation of organic matter in environment, thus entering the reed bed system into a circular economy. Many aspects related to reed bed system favor the use of this technology in the practical processing of marine organic waste.

Keywords

• eutrophication
• nutrients
• reed bed system
• fertilizer
• beach wrack