Advocates demand action on 'sewage sludge' issue on farmlands: 'This can't be allowed to continue'

U.K. environmentalists are calling for urgent government regulation of "sewage sludge" on farmland.

They have warned that outdated rules are allowing toxic chemicals and microplastics to be spread on cropland.

Polluted crops, soil, and waterways pose risks to human health and the environment.

What's happening?

The Byline Times reported that sewage sludge or biosolids become fertilizer. Farmers are sold or given this treated material (which contains human waste) by water companies. The solid material contains some useful nutrients, but the harm it does is great.

Campaign group Fighting Dirty argues that "regulatory failure" caused sludge toxicity. The material carries substances like dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and PFAS (forever chemicals), according to the news report.

The core issue is that sludge testing hasn't been updated since 1989, per the environmental groups. Primary tests are for regulated metal; testing for pathogens is optional. This means other synthetic chemicals go untested.

A 2017 Environment Agency report found that English crops were contaminated with chemicals. It noted that microplastics in sludge could leave "soils becoming unsuitable for agriculture," according to the Byline Times. 

Why is toxic sludge on farmland concerning?

The unregulated spreading of contaminated sludge on agricultural land poses significant risks.

Crops can absorb toxic substances, which then enter the food chain. Runoff can pollute rivers and groundwater, poisoning drinking water and aquatic life. Microplastics and chemicals in soil degrade its health and long-term fertility.

Pollutants transfer from wastewater treatment plants onto land for food production. This harmful farming practice impacts public health and the ecological health of the countryside.

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Former Environment Agency Chair Emma Howard Boyd described these rules as "decades-old" and out of touch. Georgia Elliott-Smith, the director of Fighting Dirty, added, "The 'do nothing' option … presents unacceptable risk to human health whilst leaving our soil unfit for agriculture. This can't be allowed to continue." 

What's being done about toxic sludge contamination?

Campaigners are imploring the U.K. government to modernize testing and regulation. Treating sewage sludge with the same caution as other industrial wastes is necessary, they argue. Comprehensive testing for more contaminants will set legal limits for their presence.

"This issue should and could have been sorted out years ago," said chef and environmentalist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a fellow petitioner, per the Byline Times report. "All we're missing now is that political steer."

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs mentioned an ongoing Independent Water Commission that is exploring the regulatory framework for sludge spreading. Water companies have raised concerns about costs and where to dispose of sludge if the rules change, as an Unearthed report detailed.

Despite this lockstep, pressure is mounting for more robust, science-based regulations.

Consumers concerned about chemical exposure and microplastics can support organic farming practices. They can advocate for agricultural policies that prohibit sewage sludge.

Choosing organizations with stronger environmental protections saves the local and global food supply. Meanwhile, using fewer plastic products reduces the risk of microplastics entering our environment.

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