Scottish farmers face ban on sewage dumping

12 June 1998

Scottish farmers face ban on sewage dumping

DISPOSAL of sewage waste has become a contentious issue and a major headache for water authorities, said a top water board chief.

Arthur McQueen, North of Scotland Water Authoritys waste water quality and regulation manager, said the public are opposed to spreading sewage waste on farmland and a ban, preventing companies from dumping at sea, was about to be enforced.

He told Perth farmers that the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activities code of practice had effectively taken away the option of putting sewage on land over the late autumn and early winter. It was also impractical to set up storage for this period.

The fact that 38% of all pollution incidents from farming sources were caused by slurries only added to this problem. And the banning of dumping at sea at the end of the year was causing water boards more headaches, he said.

Mr McQueen said his organisation was now concentrating on producing either a dried product or one which has been pasteurised by treatment with quicklime. He also said incineration was an alternative.

• The Scotsman 12/06/98 page 30