Comparison of Heavy Metal Limits Allowed for Reuse of Sewage Sludge In Turkey and EU Countries

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Taşdemir A., Erdem T. E., Bayhan Y. K.

ICAENS 2022: 2nd International Conference on Applied Engineering and Natural Sciences, Konya, Türkiye, 10 - 13 Mart 2022, cilt.1, ss.420

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Cilt numarası: 1
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Konya
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.420
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Sewage sludge has the possibility of providing organic matter and nutrients for the soil reduces the need for fertilizer and provides beneficial usage. One of the most limiting factors for its reuse is heavy metal contamination of sewage sludge. Since heavy metals in high amounts in sludge will cause toxic effects on soil, limits have been determined by governments regulations. Limit values for the use of domestic or urban sewage sludge on land in Turkey were determined as Pb(750), Cd(10), Cr(1000), Cu(1000), Ni(300), Zn(2500), and Hg(10) mg/kg dry matter. According to the European Union requirements to apply treated sewage sludge on land were set as Pb(750-1200), Cd(20-40), Cu(1000-1750), Ni(400), Zn(4000), Hg(16-25) mg/kg dry matter. However, some of the EU Member States have reduced these limits to more stringent limits. According to the implementation reports, the strictest limit values applied by different member states were Pb(100), Cd(10), Cr(75), Cu(75), Ni(30), Zn(300), and Hg(2.5). The heavy metal annual limits allowed for use on land were set to Pb(225), Cd(3), Cr(300), Cu(300), Ni(90), Zn(750), Hg(3) g/da/year dry matter in Turkey. On the other hand, the 86/278/EEC set the annual limits as Pb(1500), Cd(15), Cu(1200), Ni(300), Zn(3000), Hg(10) g/da/year. But much more stringent limits were reported by different national regulations in the implementation report which are Pb(0.025), Cd(0-0.15), Cr(0.04), Cu(0.2), Ni(0.025), Zn(0.6), Hg(0) mg/kg dry matter. Other member states will also change the regulatory requirements in a similar way over time the prevention of the annual accumulation of heavy metals resulting of land application of sewage sludge. Although there are similarities between Turkey and EU regulations in terms of Cd and Hg values for the use of sewage sludge on land, EU requirements are becoming much more stringent than Turkey for Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn values.