Launch of Code of Practice for the Use of Organic Materials in Land Reclamation

9th March 2010

 

Land Research Associates is pleased to be associated with the launch of a new national Code of Practice, the second in the last few months that the company has been involved in producing (the Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites was published last September).

On March 9th the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER) hosted a seminar in Edinburgh to launch the new Code of Practice for the use of Organic Materials in Land Reclamation. The event was attended by approximately 30 delegates across a range of sectors and organisations. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency provided an overview of the policy context for the code, and then the contractor team, WCA Environment and Land Research Associates, presented the Code of Practice and accompanying Technical Document.

The restoration of land can considerably benefit from well managed use of organic materials, which can substitute for topsoil and fertilisers. However, poorly managed practices can result in risks to soil, water and air quality. Although there are codes of practice for the use of sewage sludge and biowastes in agriculture and forestry there is currently no published code for the use of sewage sludges, composts and biowastes for land restoration. This is despite the fact that their use is increasing nationally.

SNIFFER identified a need to pull together recent scientific findings into a format suitable for all stakeholders - that is, a readily understandable code of practice that would assist waste producers and land restorers with their legal compliance, highlight good practices and help reassure land owners that good practice was being followed.

The 30-page code, is illustrated with photographs and was prepared by Tony Chapman and Graham Merrington of WCA Environment and Malcolm Reeve of Land Research Associates.

The Code of Practice can be accessed from the SNIFFER website:

www.sniffer.org.uk/Webcontrol/UploadedDocuments/CoP%20Brochure.pdf

 

 

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