§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that adequate use is being made of the fertiliser potential of sewage; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopGenerally speaking, sewage works separate raw sewage into sludge and liquid effluent. At the present time, about half the sludge produced in England and Wales is used on agricultural land as an organic manure or in land restoration. Of the rest, most cannot be used as manure due to contamination with industrial waste. The use of some sludge which is of suitable quality is rendered uneconomic because of haulage costs.
The possibilities for the recovery of fertiliser material at present lost in effluents is being studied by the Department of the Environment and regional water authorities are actively examining ways of increasing the quantity of sludge suitable for use in agriculture. Stricter controls over industrial discharge into sewers could increase the amount of sludge suitable for use as a manure but it has to be recognised that this would often increase costs to industry.
I am satisfied that within the constraints of the sewage system good use is being made of the readily available fertiliser material in sewage sludges and that officials and research workers are making adequate efforts to improve the efficiency with which the fertiliser material available in sewage generally is being recycled.