BITC report highlights the threat of contamination of biosolids and calls on the wider chemical and manufacturing industries to take action

Business in the Community (BITC) recently published a report – Optimising Bioresources: Reducing Water Pollution that can be found here or under ‘other documents’ on the BAS website. The report highlights the benefits of biosolids recycling to agriculture but also the threat of complex chemicals and microplastics in wastewater/biosolids and the potential impact these could have on the environment.

As the only current viable alternative outlet for sewage sludge is incineration, which will be costly to consumers and be carbon negative, the BITC calls for action from chemical manufacturers and those selling products containing non-biodegradable chemicals along with those producing clothing that can release microplastics into wastewater to review what they can do to minimise their impact on the environment using a proposed hierarchy of actions including a ‘green chemistry’ approach.

Assured Biosolids welcomes this report and will be pleased to contribute to ongoing discussions on this important topic.