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Sewage Sludge Recycling to Agricultural Land: the Environmental Scientist's Perspective
Author(s) -
Towers W.,
Horne P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1997.tb00103.x
Subject(s) - sewage sludge , environmental science , agriculture , sewage farm , soil water , sustainability , sewage , waste management , environmental engineering , agricultural land , sewage sludge treatment , environmental protection , business , sewage treatment , engineering , ecology , soil science , biology
During the next fifteen years, the recycling of sewage sludge to agricultural land will increase significantly in Scotland as a result of EC regulations. This paper describes how soils and related environmental data around Edinburgh can be interrogated and interpreted to assess (a) the suitability of land for sludge utilization, (b) the risk of water pollution in relation to different soil conditions, (c) the ability of soils to adsorb potentially toxic elements in the sludge to prevent transfer to water or plants, and (d) the operational security and environmental sustainability of sludge recycling. The interpretations can make a valuable contribution to the appraisal of sludge disposal policy and implementation, and provide a framework for technology transfer between engineering, environmental and agricultural interests.