π¨π & ππΆπΌππΌπΉπΆπ±π & π£πππ¦ --- π¦πΌπΊπ² πΏπ²π³πΉπ²π°ππΆπΌπ»π!Mohamed Ate...
Published on by Hossein Ataei Far, Deputy Manager of the Research, Technology Development, and Industry Relations Center at NWWEC
Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim
AECOM - WTS | Emerging Contaminants Solutions & Innovation
For the growing number of citizens now asking whatβs really in their soil, water, and food, this moment offers a rare chance to build public trust not through fear, but through facts.
The idea of recycling waste into something useful, like nutrients into farmland, carbon into soil, has long appealed to both environmental pragmatists and circular economy advocates. But when that waste carries a cocktail of invisible pollutants, the promise of sustainability collides with the limits of modern risk management. This is the dilemma we face as millions of tonnes of treated sewage sludge, commonly known as biosolids, are spread on farmland each year.
To be clear, not all land-applied biosolids present the same level of concern. The treatment method, source of wastewater, and local soil characteristics all shape the risk profile. In some cases, biosolids may be applied sparingly and monitored closely, with attention to runoff, leaching, and cumulative load. But in many parts of the UK, and indeed, the world, such nuance is absent. Auditing of sludge content is infrequent, data transparency is low, and farmers are often unaware of the chemical makeup of the material they are applying.
Whatβs needed is not simply a ban or a blind endorsement, but a rethinking of how we balance sustainability with precaution. That means updating sludge regulations to reflect contemporary scientific understanding, not legacy assumptions. It means investing in analytical infrastructure that can detect contaminants of emerging concern with accuracy and speed. And it means engaging the agricultural sector not just as end users of a waste product, but as partners in co-developing safer and more transparent systems.
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