Actually in EU countries, we rather have an issue with the sewage sludge (rather than the small amount of faecal sludge). Sewage sludge is the byproduct of wastewater treatment in centralised wastewater treatment plants.

There is lots of literature on this, but briefly: The waste activated sludge from the aeration tank and the primary sludge from primary settling tanks together is called sewage sludge. It is usually first thickened, then anaerobically digested (producing biogas which can cover around two thirds of the treatment plant's energy demand if it is an activated sludge plant), then afterwards dewatered (final solids content: 12-16%). From this point onwards it is often called biosolids and here the debate starts:
It could be used in agriculture as a fertiliser (but downside: could contain lots of heavy metals and other "nasties"), or it can be incinerated or landfilled.

In Germany, the agricultural use of sewage sludge is allowed in some states (e.g. Bavaria if I remember right) but banned in others (e.g. Baden-Württemberg).

Actually, I still remember from my childhood, there was a farmer nearby who received sewage sludge and spread it on his field. I think in those days the famers did not have to pay for this fertiliser but even received a financial reward for taking the sludge (someone correct me if I am wrong). Some months later, lots and lots of tomatoe plants grew on this field. I asked someone why. The answer was that when someone eats tomatoes, the tomatoe seeds end up in the faeces, go to the treatment plant and later end up in the sludge and then on the field and voilà: more tomatoe plants. Pretty hardy these tomatoe seeds. Somehow this really stuck in my head, I think I was about 10 years old when I saw that. Would you eat those tomatoes? They are probably OK to eat.

Anyway, the biosolids debate rages on, particularly in the US. One thing that has been done is to try and reduce heavy metal discharge in industrial wastewater, so that less of them end up in the sludge.

Anyhow, this is my short input on sewage sludge for novice.

Regards,
Elisabeth

Hi,
in the EU countries, faecal sludge from on-site or decentralised sanitation facilities is normally transported to the next wastewater treatment plant and treated together with with wastewater. As the proportion of households with on-site sanitation facilities is usually much smaller than those connected to the sewer system and the wwtp, this is techncially no problem (little amounts of faecal sludge mixed with a lot of wastewater).
For farms not connected to the sewer system, their wastewater often goes together with the farmyard slurry and is used on fields (I think laws are different regarding this in the different countries).
Florian

Hi all

whilst proof reading the factsheet book, this question arose: What is currently done with all the faecal sludge in EU countries?

This came to my mind after I read the following paragraph:

In order to develop market-based approaches with business models that provide both long term social benefit and profit in a sustainable manner, the last link in the value chain, nutrient reuse, needs to be developed into a marketable and demanded product. To make this a reality in a sustainable manner and to “harness” the potential value of excreta, innovative entrepreneurs, businessmen, governments, donors and NGOs need to collaborate and build such a market place.

This paragraph can be found in the factsheet on "Sanitation as a Business" compiled by WG9.

I look forward to your answers!