Proceedings

The options for managing the residual sewage sludge biosolids generated by urban wastewater treatment have diminished with the ending of the sea dispersal outlet in 1998 and the reduction in landfill disposal of biodegradable wastes, associated with the implementation of European environmental legislation in the UK. The two remaining outlets for managing bulk quantities of sludge are incineration and agricultural recycling. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches and also questions about the public acceptability and perception of dealing with waste materials by these methods. This paper examines the progress and research that has occurred in recent years to support the use of sludge in agriculture. Recycling to farmland is then compared to the potential for resource recovery and cost of incineration.

KEYWORDS Agriculture, biosolids, incineration, recycling, sewage sludge.