10 - Sludge legislation-comparison between different countries

Abstract

This study compares sludge legislation among the EU and the world's biggest countries. It can be stated that sludge management in individual countries is affected by many factors, of which population density, land area, cost, and social acceptance are the most important. Well-developed countries have extensive legislation systems concerning sludge management. In these countries, the minimization of waste production is preferred, followed by recycling. Landfilling is not a preferable option. The less developed a country, the more sludge is landfilled or disposed on lands without control. Use of sludge in agriculture is the future solution as well as circular economy methods such as phosphorus recovery. The most controversial method is thermal treatment of sludge, in part because of cost. The sewage sludge can be considered a neutral, in terms of CO2 emission, energy source which makes it attractive for some industrial plants, such as cement factories.