How is waste and debris managed during microtunneling?

Q: How is waste and debris managed during microtunneling?

During microtunneling, debris is transported to the pit by conveyors, wagons or sludge pumping; EPB shields continuously eject the compacted material, and hydroshields mix and separate sludge and solids at the surface. Eurohinca treats and recycles the waste according to environmental regulations.

🧱 Key waste management processes in microtunneling.

During the execution of a microtunnel, debris management is fundamental to maintain efficiency, safety and comply with environmental regulations:

The excavated material is transported from the shield front to the surface via conveyor belts, trolleys or sludge pumping systems (in hydroshields)
At EPB tunnel boring machinesThe debris is continuously compacted and expelled into the wellbore, keeping the face pressure constant.
In systems with hydro shieldThe bentonite sludge mixes fines and gravelly material, which is then separated at the surface by centrifugation and settling.
The extracted material is sent to treatment or recycling plants for classification and possible reuse, reducing waste in landfills and optimizing the material cycle.

Eurohinca details these techniques on its web pages at EPB tunnel boring machine y hydro shield in the section of Equipment - Closed shield y hydro-shield.

To learn about the general framework of environmental management, you can consult the Wikipedia entry on Trenchless Technology.