The beginnings of the clay excavation
For more than 100 years, the clay deposits in the Dülmen-Rödder in North Rhine-Westfalia were used as a source of raw material by various brick producers, starting with pre-industrial mining at the beginning of the 20th century and continuing with the operation of a plant within a major group of companies operating throughout Germany. Four quarries were mined industrially, of which clay pits 2 to 4 have already been completely recultivated.
Backfilling required as part of recultivation
Clay pit 1, located closest to the brickworks, was backfilled by REMEX Coesfeld GmbH between 1998 and 2022 with uncontaminated soil from the area to the level of the surrounding terrain. From the outset, these activities were supported by a facility for processing soil and construction waste with the aim of storing non-reusable, lightly contaminated soil in the clay pit and, after processing, returning sorted stones and construction waste to the recycling cycle as secondary mineral materials.
Thanks to its central location in the Münster administrative district with good connections via the A 43 motorway, the REMEX landfill site offers sufficient capacity for both the greater Münster area and the northern Ruhr market regions.
The imperative: disposal as a last resort
As part of the legislative update governing the disposal of construction waste and soil, the requirements for recycling and soil storage have increased significantly in recent years. The use of soil for backfilling excavations is now only possible to a very limited extent. However, the capacity required to dispose of part of these material flows still exists. This gap is filled by landfills for so-called inert waste of landfill class 0. Construction and demolition waste, mainly excavated soil, for which no recycling measures can be found at the time of their generation, can be deposited in these DK 0 landfills.
The landfill facility: permanent protection of soil and groundwater
In order to enable the disposal of inert waste in Dülmen, REMEX has decided to plan and apply for the construction and operation of a DK 0 landfill site as a follow-up use of the recultivated clay pit. The landfill volume approved in March of this year amounts to 960,000 m³. With an annual filling volume of 72,000 tonnes, the landfill site will be operated for approximately 20 years.
In accordance with landfill regulations, DK 0 landfills are constructed with a waterproof base in the form of a geological barrier; rainwater seepage must be collected and drained via a canal system. The collected seepage water is regularly tested by an independent, accredited body in order to continuously monitor its quality and, in the event of contamination, to ensure that it is not discharged into the water network.
Landfill construction in less than twelve months
Construction of the landfill site has started in April this year, and the base sealing, including seepage water collection and drainage, has been completed. A new access road to the facility has already been built, and the drainage facilities required by emissions protection regulations for the area where the waste treatment plant is located have been newly constructed. This means that everything is currently on track: after less than a year of construction, inert construction waste that cannot be used elsewhere can be deposited in Dülmen from 2024 onwards.
“When the permit was officially granted in March 2023, it was clear to everyone involved that we would try to create real added value for the construction industry in the Münsterland region as quickly as possible, in the form of shorter transport routes and new capacities at affordable prices.”
Dr. Ulrike Kalthof, Managing Director REMEX Coesfeld GmbH
Adventure with a happy ending for the little owl!
Every year, owls breed in the vicinity of REMEX Coesfeld, more precisely in the ruins of an old transformer station, which our colleagues on site always observe and accompany with great enthusiasm. This year, a nestling from the habitat intended had strayed onto our premises. Attentive employees of the construction company working for us on site discovered the owl in time. Of course, work was stopped immediately. A short time later, the young lady was taken to safety by a specialist from the Coesfeld district. Rumour has it that this cute little picture went viral there!
The DK 0 landfill site in Dülmen provides reliable waste disposal capacities and makes a sustainable contribution to the circular economy. Find out more at the German remex-coesfeld.de
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