Summary
Use of sewage sludge on land has to be controlled to avoid environmental problems from contaminants such as heavy metals which usually occur in higher concentrations in sludge than in the soil to which it is applied. The problems to be avoided are associated with effects on crop growth and quality, animal nutrition and soil fertility and contamination of ground and surface water. The following general principles are suggested to minimise potential problems. (1) Applications of sludge to the land should be controlled in terms of quantity, timing and location; (2) The receiving land should be managed according to good agricultural practice; (3) Levels of contaminants in sludge and soil should be monitored regularly to ensure compliance with limits; (4) Levels of contaminants in the sludge should be controlled by appropriate limits on industrial discharges to the sewer. The likelihood of contamination problems arising depends on the way in which the land receiving sludge is used and different land uses are discussed in this context. Local conditions are important but a generalised assessment suggests that horticulture, gardens and allotments are high-risk outlets; arable land, grassland and forest land are medium-risk outlets; whilst reclamation, green areas and viniculture provide comparatively low-risk utilisation routes for sludge.
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© 1986 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg
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Fleming, G.A., Davis, R.D. (1986). Contamination Problems in Relation to Land Use. In: L’Hermite, P. (eds) Processing and Use of Organic Sludge and Liquid Agricultural Wastes. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4756-6_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4756-6_20
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