This Decision regulates the use of sewage sludge in agriculture in order to prevent harmful impacts on the environment and health. It also seeks to promote the appropriate use of sludge. The Decision shall apply to the agricultural use of sludge generated in municipal sewage treatment plants, other sludge of comparable quality and sludge mixtures prepared from these, but shall not apply to fertilizer made from sludge. Other provisions concerning sludge are contained in the Water Act, the Public Health Act and the Fertilizer Act. The Decisions provides with respect to, among other things: treatment of sludge, metal concentrations in sludge, use of sludge for agricultural purposes, and the keeping of records and reporting by holders of a sewage treatment plant. The Schedules to this Decision set out maximum permissible concentrations of heavy metals in sludge, sludge mixtures and cultivated soil and methods of analysis of sludge and cultivated soil.
Government Decision on the use of sewage sludge in agriculture (No. 282 of 1994).