Council Directive of 12 June 1986 on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture (86/278/EEC)

Article 2 U.K.

For the purposes of this Directive:

(a)

‘sludge’ means:

(i)

residual sludge from sewage plants treating domestic or urban waste waters and from other sewage plants treating waste waters of a composition similar to domestic and urban waste waters;

(ii)

residual sludge from septic tanks and other similar installations for the treatment of sewage;

(iii)

residual sludge from sewage plants other than those referred to in (i) and (ii);

(b)

‘treated sludge’ means:

sludge which has undergone biological, chemical or heat treatment, long-term storage or any other appropriate process so as significantly to reduce its fermentability and the health hazards resulting from its use;

(c)

‘agriculture’ means:

the growing of all types of commercial food crops, including for stock-rearing purposes;

(d)

‘use’ means:

the spreading of sludge on the soil or any other application of sludge on and in the soil.