ENVAR Applies Expertise to Sludge Recycling
Andrew Urquhart, Director of Development at ENVAR, the organic waste and recycling specialists, believes that, by applying science and innovation, most wastes can be converted into a useful resource. In this article he describes how waste paper sludge can be utilised beneficially in the agricultural sector to improve both financial and environmental performance.
Waste sludge and crumb from the paper industry can be recycled in an effective, sustainable manner if a number of key issues are addressed:
1. The chemical, biological and physical properties of the waste are fit for end use purpose
2. The financial, environmental and ecological merit of the proposed recycling activity
3. Sustainability (energy use, water use, pollution etc) 4. The potential local market for the sludge/crumb
The Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) of England and Wales 2010 were introduced on 6 April 2010, replacing the 2007 Regulations, which combined the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) and Waste Management Licensing (WML) regulations. Broadly speaking, the Environmental Permitting Regulations apply to pulp and paper manufacturing activities where the plant has a production capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day. This covers any activity associated with making paper pulp or paper, including recycling.
The paper industry is highly proficient in the recycling of its products, however, the number of times that cellulose fibres can be re-used is finite because the fibre length decreases with each use and the fibre strength decreases. At this point, the fibres become a waste and so the challenge is to avoid sending de-inked sludge to landfill.
The EPR state that operators should ‘consider all avenues for recovery of fibre and filler from de-inking and wastewater treatment.’ A number of options exist; for
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example, incineration can be employed to generate energy. However, the EPR also allows: ‘landspreading, where it represents a genuine agricultural benefit or ecological improvement and the ultimate fate of pollutants present pose no environmental harm.’
ENVAR’s role As a waste management and recycling company specialising in organic waste and market/product development, ENVAR is uniquely placed to find effective sustainable markets for waste products – such as paper sludge and crumb.
Scientists from ADAS, ENVAR’s parent company, were part of the team that originally developed the ‘Safe Sludge Matrix,’ which stipulates the suitability of biosolids being spread to land in relation to different crops. The Matrix ensures the highest possible food safety and gives retailers and the food industry confidence that the use of biosolids in agriculture are not only completely safe but also fully sustainable.
On the back of this concept, the recycling of other waste materials was pioneered. Further activity involving the application of waste materials to land includes the spreading of flocculent sludge from water treatment to agriculture and the utilisation of digestate from anaerobic digestion for the improvement of agricultural soils.
The company is part of the ADAS Group, which has over 60 years experience in agricultural development and consultancy. This is vitally important for two main reasons. Firstly, in-house soil scientists supported by accredited laboratories are able to assess agricultural land and accurately determine whether specific waste
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