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Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Abstract

Sewage sludge management represents a major challenge in Europe, carrying significant environmental and legal implications that require strong regulatory enforcement. Here, we explore the legislative measures, technological developments, and environmental impacts of sewage sludge management in Central Europe (Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, and Poland). Sludge management is regulated at the EU level through a series of directives (e.g., Council Directive 86/278/EEC, which forms the basis of national regulatory frameworks). However, national adaptations vary considerably: Croatia and Slovenia have invested in sludge phosphorus-recovery systems, while Poland and Slovakia have focused on the agricultural use of sludge as a fertilizer. Several countries, including Czechia, have extended compliance timelines for technological upgrades and tightened their microbial and heavy-metal standards beyond the EU requirements. However, persistent issues remain, such as contamination with microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals in sludge recycling, which will require advanced treatment technologies and the introduction of new legal standards. Therefore, the management of sewage sludge as a source of fertilizer and raw materials, based on the principle of minimizing risks to human and animal health and the environment, has the potential to play an important role in implementing the circular-economy approach.

Author ORCID Identifier

VALERIE VRANOVÁ: 0000-0003-0931-2345

ALEŠ KUČERA: 0000-0002-3139-7675

VLASTIMIL SKOTÁK: 0000-0002-6342-4623

ERIKA FIALOVÁ: 0009-0007-7688-098X

RAHUL DATTA: 0000-0001-9001-2555

DOI

10.55730/1300-011X.3485

Keywords

Sewage sludge, waste management, heavy metals, EU regulations, circular economy

First Page

557

Last Page

570

Publisher

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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