Sewage sludge has been promoted as a low-cost fertiliser, supplying nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter to farms and reducing Scotland’s reliance on environmentally damaging chemical fertilisers. “The Netherlands,” the report says, “banned agricultural spreading of sewage sludge due to concerns about hazardous substances and pathogens. READ MORE:Sewage sludge from England and Northern Ireland has been used for spreading in Scotland, and in very rare cases Scotland exports sewage sludge to England. As a response, the Sludge Review, 2016 was published, listing a number of recommendations to improve sewage sludge regulations in Scotland. The new Scottish regulations include a new schedule for sewage sludge application, which adopts a number of recommendations from the Sludge Review.

Source: The Herald March 22, 2026 08:10 UTC