International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

product, especially when bioactive organic compounds were found to be present in
the sludge. As is written in Hogg et al. (2008). 713
587
“Big retailers such as MIGROS and COOP requested that their suppliers stop
using sewage sludge. Consequently, the use of sewage sludge in agriculture
dropped drastically, even before any restrictive regulation was in force. The
government had to find emergency solutions for the elimination of sewage
sludge; a wide-ranging research project about compost was started,
particularly to try to understand the degree to which fears regarding the
quality of BTPs were justified. Results of two research studies demonstrated
that the composts in Switzerland were of good quality, but also identified
further improvements that were desirable. The research clearly demonstrated
the positive effects of the use of compost in preventing plant diseases in
agriculture and horticulture. It appears that, rather than having too much
biowaste for composting / digestion and a resultant surplus of BTPs,
Switzerland now faces a shortage of supply, with energy companies turning to
waste as a potential renewable energy supply, and interest in anaerobic
digestion growing significantly as a result.”
Livestock Pathogens
A recent survey suggests that the existing approaches in those countries with most
experience of composting and anaerobic digestion have generated no obvious
problems in respect of livestock pathogens. The study notes: 714
In conclusion, empirical evidence provides little support to the view that the
use of BTPs in agriculture poses an unacceptable level of risk to farmers, their
crops or their livestock, provided that systems are in place which seek to
assure the quality of the BTPs. This does not mean there is zero risk
associated with the use of compost. Hence, one could not suggest that the
apparent absence of such a problem in the past is evidence of the
impossibility of problems arising in future. It does however suggest that these
risks are minimal and that the systems in place may be providing appropriate
means to manage them.
Furthermore, in some countries with longer experience with the use of BTPs in
agriculture, the existence of quality assurance schemes has apparently led to
an increase in confidence in the use of BTPs in agriculture over time,
sometimes in the wake of what were, initially, distinctly unenthusiastic
responses to such possible use.
713 D. Hogg, D. Lister, J. Barth, E. Favoino and F. Amlinger (2009) Frameworks for Use of Compost in
Agriculture in Europe, Final report for WRAP, January 2009
http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Eunomia_compost_in_agriculture_final_report.703534d2.6993.
pdf .
714 D. Hogg, D. Lister, J. Barth, E. Favoino and F. Amlinger (2009) Frameworks for Use of Compost in
Agriculture in Europe, Final report for WRAP, January 2009
http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Eunomia_compost_in_agriculture_final_report.703534d2.6993.
pdf .
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes