Monica Barnes
Question:10 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his proposals for dealing with sludge from waste water treatment plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31018/01]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Waste Water Treatment.
Sewage sludge is an inevitable and potentially useful by-product of advanced waste water treatment processes. The volume of such sludge will inevitably grow as a result of the major investment in waste water treatment facilities now under way as part of the national development plan. It is desirable, therefore, and in accordance with EU requirements, that sewage sludge should be re-used wherever appropriate. Sludge management plans are being developed by all relevant local authorities in the context of waste management planning generally. These plans are intended to address the management of waste water sludge in a progressive and environmentally sustainable way. I anticipate that this planning process will be completed early in 2002.
My Department has taken steps over the past decade to promote improved management of sewage sludge and has, for example, provided detailed guidelines and financial assistance to support the preparation of sludge management plans by local authorities. At this stage, all marine dumping of sewage sludge is statutorily prohibited and has been terminated. Treated sewage sludge from the main Dublin waste water treatment plant is reused as an agricultural fertiliser.
Following a series of studies commissioned by my Department in relation to the re-use of sewage sludge, arrangements are being put in place by other local authorities for the full treatment of sewage sludge, including pasteurisation, and its conversion into a soil conditioner and fertiliser, or biosolids.
To assist the farming sector and local authorities in implementing this approach, a code of good practice for the use of biosolids in agriculture and a guidance document for the preparation of sludge management plans by local authorities, with an associated model plan, have both been published under my Department's auspices.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I agree with him that when all these waste water treatment plants are in place, the volumes of sludge will become a problem. Will the Minister confirm if land spreading of sludge is to be allowed under an EU directive, perhaps conditionally? Also, from where will the funding for the treatment of sludge come? Will it be provided by the Minister's Department or encompassed in the waste water treatment costs?
The EU directive is not about land spreading of sludge. I referred in the earlier part of my question to biosolids and the sludge being properly treated and pasteurised. That is permitted. The spreading of sludge on land is not permitted.
The costs of the sludge treatment facilities are part of the water services investment programme and are funded by my Department in addition to the funding allocated for planning which, in many cases, means that local authorities are centrally disposing of the sludge. All of those capital works are being financed by my Department and the remainder of the works are part of the water services investment programme. As I said earlier, because the needs and resources model do not pick up these new facilities for a period of 12 months, that will be taken into account in the allocations to local authorities.