News that the UK Environment Agency has approved the import of almost 30,000 tonnes of municipal sludge from the Netherlands has been greeted with some concern by environmental groups (https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2020/09/02/uk-imports-sewage-sludge-agriculture/). The material (which contains human faeces) could not be incinerated, due to a breakdown of facilities in Amsterdam. We do allow sludge to be spread on farmland (as fertiliser), after 'appropriate' treatment. The Agency assures the public that this can be safely done. Having said that, much depends on the behaviour of the farmers treating and using this material. The sludge will certainly reach this country containing potentially dangerous bacteria, pathogens and contaminants. This probably accounts for the Dutch banning the application of the sludge onto their fields (they do know a bit about agriculture).
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