Is Treated Sewage Sludge Safe?

22nd June 2026 | Health, Opinion

It’s that time of year when there can be a very unpleasant smell in the air because treated sewage sludge has been spread on farmland in the area.

This usually has been previously treated by water and sewerage companies, with a small percentage coming from privately owned septic tanks. It is seen as a soil enhancer and fertiliser.

It has been treated to be used in this way, but there are doubts about some of the contents, concerns that have now been raised by groups including Greenpeace and FIDRA.

Calls for Reform

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) held a consultation at the beginning of the year which closed in March.

Various options for reform were suggested to simplify the current regulations (Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989) and make it easier to update them as research identifies potentially harmful effects from some of the contents.

A major issue is how any changes would be paid for, and by whom. Should it be the farmers who are using the treated sludge?

The Impact on Farmers

Since farmers are often not making much, if any, profit from their work month by month, it is difficult to see how many could afford additional costs.

For changes to farming methods that naturally enrich the soil, farmers would need training and financial support.

Looking at the many responsibilities of DEFRA, it is perhaps unsurprising that some issues take a long time to resolve.

What Happens Next?

So far, the outcome of the consultation appears to be that more research is needed, although some water companies are exploring new ways of treating sewage sludge.

There is hope?

Julie Fagan
Volunteer, Sustainable Harborough Community and Eco Churches

Further information: