Sewage Sludge (Hansard, 14 March 1991)

§ Mr. Gummer

All bodies in the United Kingdom currently licensed to dispose of sewage sludge at sea have reported their plans to introduce alternative methods of disposal. Timetabling and the choice of appropriate method of disposal will depend on local circumstances. All licence holders have carefully considered whether beneficial use of sludge in their area would be practicable, and a number have plans for beneficial re-use of sludge. There are proposals for spreading sludge on agricultural land, for composting sludge for agricultural use and for the production of dry granules for production of fertilisers or peat substitutes.

For most of the sludge sewage undertakers are pursuing the option of incineration. Their judgment takes account of the priority which they must give to the guarantee of a disposal outlet, the present lack of assured markets for high volumes of sludge-derived products, the distance of major treatment works from land on which sludge can be used and the environmental disadvantages of transporting sludge through urban areas. While pursuing incineration at this stage a number of the undertakers intend to keep open the option of adopting beneficial uses of sludge in the future. A beneficial by-product of incineration in some cases will be the generation of power.

On current plans the Ministry will be terminating the first licences for sea disposal by the end of 1993, with further licences terminating in 1995. In the main these cases are those where re-use of sludge is planned. The introduction of incinerators will be subject to approval through the planning system and to appropriate time scales for construction; undertakers currently envisage the commissioning of most incinerators in the period 1997–98.

The success of this important initiative depends on public recognition of the need for alternative methods of disposal. Those who have sought an end to disposal at sea have a duty to support alternatives, and to accept that there may be increased costs. The costs to water consumers of the proposed programme of measures are for determination between the sewerage undertakers and, in England and Wales, the Office of Water Services, in Scotland the Scottish Office and in Northern Ireland the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).