WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3280/98 by Mark WATTS to the Commission. Disposal of sewage sludge
Date: 1998-10-30
Institutions: European Parliament, WATTS
Subjects: domestic waste, fertiliser, marine pollution, waste disposal, waste incineration, waste management, waste recycling

21.7.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 207/47

(1999/C 207/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3280/98

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(30 October 1998)

Subject: Disposal of sewage sludge

Given that EU legislation will shortly prohibit the disposal of sewage sludge at sea, what alternative means of
disposal are available?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 1998)

Traditionally, there are four main routes for sludge disposal: re-use in agriculture, incineration, landfilling and
dumping at sea. Due to environmental concerns, Community legislation will phase out the disposal of sludge
at sea by the end of 1998. Indeed, Article 14 (3) of Directive 91/271/EEC (1) concerning urban waste-water
treatment states that ‘Member States shall ensure that by 31 December 1998 the disposal of sludge to surface
waters by dumping from ships, by discharge from pipelines or by other means is phased out’.

Provided that the concentration values for heavy metals in sewage sludge stay within the limits set in Directive
86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in
agriculture (2) and that sludge is treated in order to reduce its fermentability, a possible option is to use sewage
sludge as fertiliser or soil improver in agricultural soils. Sewage sludge is in fact a mixture of organic matter and
nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium. Article 14 (1) of Directive 91/271/EEC states that ‘Sludge arising
from waste water treatment shall be re-used whenever appropriate. Disposal routes shall minimise the adverse
effects on the environment’. Directive 86/278/EEC seeks to encourage the correct use of sewage sludge.

Incineration of sewage sludge, preferably with energy recovery, may be a sound disposal option when the
sludge is too contaminated and its use in agriculture is not allowed. Incineration is in general rather expensive
and should be used only when the agricultural outlet is not available.

Landfilling, although not prohibited by Community law, is to be considered as the least environmentally sound
way of dealing with sewage sludge. Sludge is mainly composed of organic matter that in a landfill would
decompose, producing methane which is one of the gases that cause the greenhouse effect.

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.
(2) OJ L 181, 4.7.1986.

(1999/C 207/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3283/98

by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 November 1998)

Subject: Production and marketing of wine in Denmark

I refer to the Commission’s answer to Question 82 (H-0909/98) (1) during Question Time at the October I
1998 part-session.

< Since Danish wine production does not exceed 25 000 hl a year does this mean that in practice Danish
wine producers can in fact use Article 11 and thus sell their wine to the public, or can the wine only be
consumed by the producers themselves?

< Is it not only if Denmark wants to become a wine-producing nation (i.e. with more than minimum

production) that Council and Commission regulations will have to be amended accordingly?

(1) Annex to the verbatim report of proceedings of the sitting of 9 October 1998.