Following concerns about the odour within the parish the parish council raised concerns with the Environment Agency and have received the following reply;
Please find below our response to each of the questions you have raised. In addition, we have included some information on the Safe Sludge Matrix and the GOV.UK website that you may find helpful. Sewage sludge in agriculture: code of practice for England, Wales and Northern Ireland – GOV.UK
- Can you confirm whether the material being spread is a form of fertiliser intended for agricultural use?
Yes.
- Is the material derived from human sewage, abattoir waste, or a combination of both?
Material is human only.
- Which companies are responsible for the production, supply, and transportation of this material?
South West Water Ltd (SWW) are responsible for the production and compliance (Critical Control Points as part of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point HACCP , Potential Toxic Elements etc), Gregory are the contractors for SWW and oversee the transportation and compliant storage and spreading of the Biosolids on SWW’s behalf.
- When did the use of these materials begin in this area?
Biosolids have been sent to land for many years, even before sewers were invented, however these days the product is treated to high levels to ensure it is safe to be used. It is spread to land under the Sludge Use in Agriculture Regulations (SUiAR)
2 stores (see below for positions)
Northerly store – deliveries 01/05/27-06/05/27/ Spread 06/05/2027
Southerly store – deliveries 03/04/2025-23/04/2025/ Spread 25/04/2025
- Is there any indication of how long this practice is expected to continue?
Spreading is complete and both stores are empty. The farmer will be looking for more tonnage next year, but store location will be reassessed due to odour complaints
- Will the application of this material and associated odour persist through the summer months?
Odour disperses within a few days of delivery/ spreading. Warm weather may increase time taken to dissipate, but is gone relatively quickly. No more odour than expected found when visited on 07/05/2025, all found to be dispersing as normal. It is the Local Authority that regulates any public health and public nuisance complaints regarding odour and therefore you should contact them to report potential odour issues.
- If no viable alternative exists, could the use be seasonally restricted to cooler months and be required to be incorporated into the soil promptly to minimise odour?
The timing of applications will depend on farmer’s cropping. The time for product to be in store and then spread was kept to a minimum due to the vicinity of the village. April/ May have also been abnormally warm. Other options are to store further from village, but that would mean more/ longer journeys when spreading, which has further risks for persistent odour if not all spread at once (each time stockpile is disturbed there will be odour), mud on road, longer storage time.
- Are the farmers using these materials in full compliance with current environmental codes of practice and regulations?
Biosolids are stored and spread in full compliance with Biosoilds Assurance Scheme Standard (BAS), SUiAR, and Farming Rules for Water (FRfW)
- What is the known or potential impact of these materials on soil health, local watercourses, ecosystems, and the food chain?
This is the link to the BAS website https://assuredbiosolids.co.uk/
- Would the producers or suppliers of this material be willing to meet with the community to discuss its benefits and drawbacks?
A representative from Gregory is always happy to engage with the community if required and we can pass your contact details onto their Compliance Manager for them to arrange this with you directly.
