§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to change current sludge and land regulations to allow the immediate use of composted sewage sludge in amenity planting.
§ Mr. YeoSuch use of composted sludge is already permitted. The restrictions in the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 govern the application of sludge only to agricultural land. There is also an exemption from the requirement to hold a waste disposal licence (in Schedule 6, paragraph 13 of the Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988) for the deposit of sewage sludge, whether composted or not, directly on to land for the purpose of fertilising or beneficially conditioning that land.