Sludge Watch ==> UK: sewage sludge in the forest

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Sludge Watch is hearing about more cases of sewage sludge in 
forests...sometimes in trenches (story below) and sometimes flung into the 
trees as high as twenty feet off the ground.

This is habitat destruction.

............................................

Human sewage
Published on 20/11/2007

By Julian Whittle

HUMAN sewage sludge is to be used as fertiliser in a forestry plantation 
near Longtown.

The move has alarmed nearby residents who fear their water supply might be 
contaminated.

The plantation is in Kershope Forest, immediately north of the B6318 between 
Catlowdy and Roadhead.

Carole Somerville, who lives half a mile away at Pike, said: “This has all 
been done in secret and we’ve only just found out about it. If we have 
nothing to worry about, why is it such a problem to get information?”

Kilmarnock-based Digit Site Services expects to begin operations shortly. 
Preparatory work is already underway.

The firm has a licence from the Environment Agency to bury up to 250 tonnes 
of sewage per hectare over a 12-month period at the 78-hectare site.

Objectors fear that 19,000 tonnes could end up there.

Sewage cake will go into trenches covered with top soil. Buffer zones should 
protect streams, springs, wells and private water supplies.

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said it was “common practice” to 
use sewage as fertiliser on agricultural land but less usual in forestry.

However, Digit has run a similar scheme at Hewisbridge, near Newcastleton, 
in the Scottish Borders.

That brought complaints about pollution, smells and lorries. A petition was 
sent to the Scottish Parliament.

Digit’s managing director, Tommy Hogg, said the Cumbrian site should 
generate only three-to-four extra lorry movements a day.

He added: “This isn’t sewage disposal. We’re using sewage sludge as 
fertiliser as part of tree felling and planting.”

Mr Hogg said the operation was part of an agreement with Scottish Woodlands, 
which manages the plantation and the site at Hewisbridge.

Under the agreement, Scottish Woodlands pays Digit to buy the sewage as 
fertiliser.

Objectors have lobbied MP David Maclean and met representatives of Digit and 
the Environment Agency.

They have also raised concerns that wildlife, including deer and endangered 
red squirrels, might be at risk.

Nicholforest parish council is holding a public meeting on Thursday, at 
7.30pm in Nicholforest public hall, to discuss the sewage scheme.

Parish council chairman Jack Sisson said: “It’s going to get into the food 
chain.

“This ground is saturated and its serves a lot of springs, wells and 
watercourses.

“People draw on these springs for drinking water.”

JWhittle at cngroup.co.uk

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=566092