In recent years there has been considerable interest in how the quantity and quality of sediment impacts ecosystems and human health. Examples of such impacts include excessive fine-grained sediment on aquatic habitats (such as salmonid spawning gravels), detrimental affects of contaminated sediment on animal and human health (e.g. pathogens in coastal beaches, mercury in Arctic food-chains), and the role of airborne fine particulates (e.g. PM2.5) on respiratory problems in urban areas. This session welcomes contributions that address these concerns from a variety of different perspectives, including process studies, experimental work, and research that focuses on management needs.