Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01563 · Session 4

Sewage sludge spreading

Closed Submitted 12 Feb 2015 Rural Affairs
Signatures
1,300
106 online signatures with a country
Comments
6
Considered
9 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to ban the use of sewage sludge on land and to look for alternative acceptable methods of disposal as adopted in other European countries.

What the petitioner did first

A door to door collection of 1300+ objection/concern letters were submitted to Falkirk Council. Complaints and concerns were also passed to the Environmental Health Department, Falkirk Council and SEPA.
Attended planning appeal meetings and organised meetings with Angus MacDonald MSP and SEPA respectively.
Sent letters raising our concerns to Angus MacDonald MSP, Michael Matheson MSP, Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Margaret Mitchell MSP, Richard Lochhead MSP, Michael Connarty MP, Douglas Millican (Chief Executive of Scottish Water), Scottish Water, SEPA, National Farmers Union, SFQC, Mary Pitcaithly (Chief Executive of Falkirk Council), Director of Development Services Falkirk Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Health and Safety Executive, Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, RSPB, SSPCA and the Food Standards Authority.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 26 May 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 23 Jun 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 6 Oct 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  4. 8 Dec 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  5. 9 Feb 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  6. 8 Mar 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  7. 16 Jun 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Work Programme
    1 mention
  8. 30 Jun 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  9. 29 Sep 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

106 online signatures
  1. Scotland92 86.8%
  2. United Kingdom13 12.3%
  3. England1 0.9%

Comments

6 comments, oldest first
  1. Kenneth Macleod 7 Mar 2015
    The sewage sludge is not being sterilised by autoclaving to over 1000 degrees.Check Scottish Water,Holm Park ,Stornaway.
  2. ian wrigley 11 Mar 2015
    Composting with organic waste or anaerobic digestion, utilising the methane for energy, are acceptable and highly cost effective ways of generating an end product for safe application as agricultural fertiliser. These processes should generate a net profit in addition to disposing of the sludge in a hygienic way.
    Theres no excuse!
    Old, proven technology and profitable utilisation of the valuable nutrients locked into our "waste". The scheme which was causing the issue was a total waste of resources and a scam designed to take subsidies which shouldn't be necessary in ANY way. The end users of the products created by disposing of the sludge should be paying for the privilege.
    THESE ARE VALUABLE NUTRIENTS USE THEM!!!!
  3. Leslie Goodchild 24 Mar 2015
    l live several miles away from Avonbridge in Brightons and the smell can be awful
  4. Isabel Fairgrieve 24 Mar 2015
    I have experienced the dreadful nauseating stench of this sludge while walking one of the core paths in the Lionthorn area with a friend. I never want to smell it again and trust this petition will end the practice.
  5. Gerard McGuire 27 Mar 2015
    it is my legal right to walk on or near fields. I believe that being in the vicinity of where this sludge has been spread is a health hazard to both humans and animals.
  6. Nicola Thomas 4 Apr 2015
    I work in Govan, Glasgow, just along from the Shieldhall Waste Water Treatment Works. I live in Avonbridge, Falkirk. There is a constant stench from the Shieldhall Works, so much so that my colleagues and i have to hold our breath when we drive past. Regarding during the summer months I cannot begin to describe how horrific the smell can be, even inside my office building. I chose to live in Avonbridge so my family and I could enjoy a fresh rural life, within reasonable proximity to urban facilities. There is nothing like coming home to fresh air and fields surrounding your house. I am absolutely appalled that the Scottish Parliament is considering building a sewage treatment plant so close to our homes here in Avonbridge and Standburn. There is plenty of open space available in the central belt of Scotland, near the arterial road network where this could be built which would not affect people and their daily lives. I for one would seriously consider moving should these plans become reality. What right does the Scottish Government have to decide that we as tax payers have to put up with a regular stench, which I can assure you it will be. Perhaps we should ask them to come and garden in our village, hang their washing out or let their children play in our streets once it is up and running.