Uisce Éireann Considers Golf Courses for 70,000 Tonnes of Sewage Sludge Amid Farm Limits
Uisce Éireann needs new sites for 70,000 tonnes of sewage sludge, projected to increase to 96,000 tonnes by 2040, as farm options are limited. The company is considering golf courses, race courses, and other methods. They seek public input on their National Bioresources Strategy to manage this resource sustainably, despite potential contaminants.
Uisce Éireann faces a shortage of land for spreading 70,000 tonnes of biosolids annually, with volumes projected to reach 96,000 tonnes by 2040. Currently, only 130 farms utilize this dried, sterilized waste from toilets and sinks, which contains phosphorus, potassium, ammonia, and nitrogen, usable as fertilizer.
Options for increasing farm use are limited due to existing animal manure applications and Bord Bia certification restrictions. Consequently, Uisce Éireann is exploring alternatives like golf courses, race courses, landfills, mine restoration, forests, mixing with cement, incineration, or anaerobic digestion to produce biogas.
Aoife Kyne, asset planning bioresources manager, highlighted the potential for resource recovery from wastewater sludge. The company is seeking public input for its National Bioresources Strategy to establish a long-term vision for sustainable management. While biosolids offer fertilizer benefits, they can also contain contaminants such as microplastics, pharmaceuticals, viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, and PFAS. Uisce Éireann monitors treated biosolids but notes a current lack of limits for organic pollutants in agricultural use, proposing regular research and analysis to mitigate risks.