Sludge characterisation

It is estimated that around 150 million tonnes (dry matter) of sludge are produced each year in the European Union from wastewater treatment plants and industrial processes. A great deal is recycled to agriculture, but much is also incinerated or landfilled. Such sludge are often reused in rural activities and may raise concerns on health and the environment, as they can be contaminated by pollutants.

The CEN Technical Committee CEN/TC 308 "Sludge characterisation" was founded in May 1993. It covers sludges from urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants (excluding hazardous sludges from industry). The main objectives of the TC 308 are to harmonize the technical language and methods of characterisation of sludges, to elaborate documents on good practice for use and disposal of sludges, to promote the conservation of soil quality and to propose tools to minimise negative effects on the environment and public health when using sludges. This TC has no official mandate from the European Commission but a part of its work is a subject of the EC mandate for Horizontal standards in sludge, biowaste and soil.

ECOS has been sending experts to this committee since 2003 to ensure consistency and a high-level of nature protection in the standards and user guides produced, but also to avoid exaggerated hygienic constraints on sludge use that would prevent good examples of local organic material reuse and recycling.