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Human health and environmental impact of
using sewage sludge on forestry and for
restoration of derelict land
Project Code: UKLQ09 .
Tasks
Background The following tasks have been
undertaken as part of the project brief:
Although there is a great deal of research and
Task 1: Literature review and risk
scientific data on sewage sludge application to land,
assessment of the human health
much of this relates to modest application rates on
impacts of sewage sludge
agricultural land. In recent years there has been a
spreading on land:
substantial increase in the amount applied to
forestry, and to former opencast coal sites in the UK a) The literature review has focussed on
for purposes of land restoration. Application rates of health effects of spreading of sewage
sewage sludge have been considerably higher than sludge on non-agricultural land e.g.
traditionally practised, and sludge has been applied for land treatment and remediation
using different techniques. There is concern that such as derelict land and forestry.
poorly managed practices could result in risks to The study has considered both the
human health; water, air and soil quality and microbiological components and the
biodiversity. Public and political interest is high and chemical components of sludge e.g.
this project has addressed the need to review this metals and persistent organic
activity, and to develop decision support systems pollutants. Issues such as odour
and guidelines to ensure that the activities will not which affects quality of life and health
affect public health or adversely affect the in its wider sense have also been
environment. considered.
b) Consideration has been made to how
Aims the evidence of health effects is
relevant to sites currently or
The project aims have been to: potentially used for sewage sludge
spreading on non-agricultural land,
• Carry out a detailed desk-based literature and the potential pathways to man,
review of human health impacts, and e.g. direct exposure and indirect
environmental and ecological effects; through inhalation and ingestion. The
• Follow this up with quantitative assessment source–pathway–receptor model has
of sites where sewage sludge has already also been an important consideration.
been applied; and
• Use this information to develop a systematic
site suitability and risk assessment
procedure.
c) How the source, possible treatment Outputs
processes and disposal methods for
sewage sludge, in addition to weather and The systematic site suitability and risk
environmental conditions at the time of assessment procedure will enable
and after spreading, impact on the regulators to readily determine if a site is
potential health effects has been suitable for sludge spreading and what
addressed. How these factors impact on management and application rates are
concentration and mobility of chemicals appropriate. Further work is now ongoing
and pathogens has also been considered. within SEPA regarding how the outputs
from this research will be taken forward.
Task 2: Literature review of the environmental
and ecological effects of spreading of sewage Contacts for Further Information
sludge on non-agricultural land.
For more information on the research
Task 3: A detailed environmental assessment project, please contact:
has been undertaken for four sites where
sewage sludge has been used on forestry and SNIFFER
on restored derelict land. The focus of this task Tel: 0131 557 2140
has been informed by the outcomes of tasks 1 Email: info@sniffer.org.uk
and 2 but includes analysing and
characterising the native and restored soils / For further information on next steps
subsoils present at the sites (including the clay following completion of the research in
and organic matter content), as well as surface Scotland, please contact:
and groundwater analysis.
Debbie Storm / Gayle Howard
Tasks 4 to 6: A decision support system has Public Relations
been developed to predict if sludge will result Scottish Environment Protection Agency
in an overall ecological improvement, or be of Tel: 01786 457700
benefit to non-food crops; and to predict the
effect of the sludge application on soil and The research outputs are available as five
surface and groundwater water quality. separate reports. Copies are available for
free download from:
A systematic site suitability and risk www.sniffer.org.uk (search on ‘Project
assessment procedure has been developed to Code’ UKLQ09)
enable regulators to predict site suitability,
management and application rates and to Partners
predict public health, environmental, and
• Scottish Environment Protection
ecological effects.
Agency
• Northern Ireland Environment Agency
• Scottish Government
• Forestry Commission
• Health Protection Scotland
SNIFFER
E-mail: info@sniffer.org.uk
Phone: 0131 5572140
Date produced:
September 2008
SNIFFER, First Floor, Greenside House, 25 Greenside Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3AA
Tel: +44(0) 131 557 2140 Fax: +44(0) 131 652 3670 Email: info@sniffer.org.uk www.sniffer.org.uk
Scottish Charity No SC02375,
Company No SC149513. Registered in Edinburgh. Registered Office: Edinburgh Quay, 133 Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh, EH3 9AG
