Sludge in Agriculture: the European Approach

Abstract

The sludge production in the European Community can be estimated to be about 6 million tons of dry matter per year. By 1990 this quantity may have doubled. About 30% of the annual production is used in agriculture. Cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research has been actively promoted by the European Community together with European Non-Member states. One of the earliest examples of such a cooperation is the Concerted Action “Treatment and use of sludge and liquid agricultural wastes” (Cost 681). Participating Non-Member states are Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Canada takes part on a somewhat different basis. The main purpose of the Cost-action is to acquire scientific and technical knowledge and to disseminate the results to the participants and others interested. Until now there was no provision for direct funding of research projects by the Commission. The Cost-action is managed by a concertation committee in which the participating countries and the Commission are represented. The action coordinates in the most flexible way, in the countries involved, all relevant research concerning sewage sludge treatment and its optimal use in agriculture, taking into account the evaluation of possible harmful effects for public health and environmental protection. Five Working Parties were set up, dealing with the following programmes:–Assessment of the best sludge treatment techniques, and of their cost and reliability, in order to get valuable products for agricultural purposes (WP-1).–Improvement and harmonisation of sampling procedures and analytical methods for the control of organic and mineral pollutants in sludges and soils (WP-2).–Measures to be taken to prevent harmful effects to public health due to sludge spreading or storage in the environment (WP-3).–Evaluation of the agricultural value of sludges for crop and grass production, forestry and soil reclamation (WP-4).–Prevention of long- and short-term environmental risks for the atmosphere, ground water and soil micro-organisms by sludge spreading (WP-5).