Sewage Sludge

Roland Gilmore made this Environmental Information Regulations request to Yorkshire Water Services Limited
You only have a right in law to access information about the environment from this authority
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Yorkshire Water Services Limited,

1. Please confirm if the thermal hydrolysis process used by Yorkshire water destroys all pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge.

2. On average, what proportion of treated sewage sludge is non-degradable plastic?

3. Are any of the products or byproducts within Yorkshire Water sewage sludge harmful to life or the environment?

3. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire prior to the introduction of thermal hydrolysis treatment.

4. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire since the introduction of thermal hydrolysis treatment

Yours faithfully,

Roland Gilmore

EIR Compliance, Yorkshire Water Services Limited

Dear Mr Gilmore,

I write to acknowledge receipt of your request for information - see appended. We will reply to your request in compliance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and will respond by 4 January 2019.

Regards,
Danuta

**************************
Danuta Buczkowska
Information Governance Assistant
Data Protection Team
**************************

________________________________________
From: Roland Gilmore
Sent: 04 December 2018 09:49:25 (UTC+00:00) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
To: Public Affairs
Subject: Environmental Information Regulations request - Sewage Sludge

Dear Yorkshire Water Services Limited,

1. Please confirm if the thermal hydrolysis process used by Yorkshire water destroys all pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge.

2. On average, what proportion of treated sewage sludge is non-degradable plastic?

3. Are any of the products or byproducts within Yorkshire Water sewage sludge harmful to life or the environment?

3. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire prior to the introduction of thermal hydrolysis treatment.

4. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire since the introduction of thermal hydrolysis treatment

Yours faithfully,

Roland Gilmore

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #536741 email]

Is [Yorkshire Water request email] the wrong address for Environmental Information Regulations requests to Yorkshire Water Services Limited? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections

EIR Compliance, Yorkshire Water Services Limited

Dear Mr Gilmore,

 

Please find below answers to your questions, in compliance with the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004.  Our responses appear in
italics beneath each question.

 

 

1. Please confirm if the thermal hydrolysis process used by Yorkshire
water destroys all pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge.

 

In compliance with EIR Regulation 12 (4) (a) we are unable to provide this
information as we do not hold this information.

 

2. On average, what proportion of treated sewage sludge is non-degradable
plastic?

 

In compliance with EIR Regulation 12 (4) (a) we are unable to provide this
information as we do not hold this information.

 

There is no current regulatory driver for Yorkshire Water to monitor for
microplastics, therefore we do not monitor for microplastics. There is
also no current standard method for the analysis of microplastics. 
Yorkshire Water will continue to engage with national bodies such as Water
UK and UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) to co-fund and steer research
projects deemed by these bodies appropriate to risk from microplastics.

 

3. Are any of the products or byproducts within Yorkshire Water sewage
sludge harmful to life or the environment?

 

Significant research has been carried out over the last several decades to
understand and quantify the risks posed to life or the environment by
sewage sludge.  The recycling of sewage sludge is tightly controlled
through a number of regulatory mechanisms, as well of Codes of Good
Practice.  Most recently, the Biosolids Assurance Scheme was designed to
cover recycling to agriculture, and brings together legislation and best
practice to ensure a consistent and high standard of recycling to
agriculture.  This is a voluntary scheme, and Yorkshire Water is currently
in our 3rd year of certification against the Standard.

 

4. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire
Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire prior to the introduction of
thermal hydrolysis treatment.  

 

In 2012 (prior to introduction of THP at Esholt), 66,252 tds.

 

5. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire
Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire since the introduction of
thermal hydrolysis treatment

 

In 2017 (most recent reporting year) 73,117 tds.  This increase is not due
to THP, which actually results in greater solids reduction through the
process,  but rather to a combination of increase in sludge production
(quality schemes and population increase), and a shift in YW strategy to
recycle more to agriculture, less to land restoration.

 

 

I hope  that the above provides you with the information which you are
seeking.

 

 

Regards,

Danuta

 

**************************

Danuta Buczkowska

Information Governance Assistant

Data Protection Team

**************************

 

________________________________________

From: Roland Gilmore

Sent: 04 December 2018 09:49:25 (UTC+00:00) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon,
London

To: Public Affairs

Subject: Environmental Information Regulations request - Sewage Sludge

 

Dear Yorkshire Water Services Limited,

 

2. On average, what proportion of treated sewage sludge is non-degradable
plastic?

 

3. Are any of the products or byproducts within Yorkshire Water sewage
sludge harmful to life or the environment?

 

3. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire
Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire prior to the introduction of
thermal hydrolysis treatment.

 

4. Please confirm the quantity of sewage sludge distributed by Yorkshire
Water for use on farmland across Yorkshire since the introduction of
thermal hydrolysis treatment

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Roland Gilmore

 

show quoted sections