Our project group started two field experiments: (1) at farmland near Blíževedly (Česká Lípa District) in cooperation with Statek Vodňanský, a private farm, and (2) at agricultural land near Údlice (Chomutov District) in cooperation with Kobra Údlice, a composting and waste treatment company. The main aim is to experimentally verify the applicability of composted sewage sludge and/or pyrolyzed sewage sludge in agriculture. Composting process (degradation of a mixture of sludge and biomass) or pyrolysis (the high-temperature process in the oxygen-limited atmosphere) are assumed to transform unwanted components to make a safe product that can be utilized for sustainable agriculture and sustainable waste treatment.
Sewage sludge is not only waste but represents a beneficial material with high contents of nutrients. On the other hand, it may contain variable amounts of components that are potentially harmful to the environment or human health. Therefore, our project group is developing and testing appropriate sewage sludge treatment methods to minimize any potential risks.
Selected sludges were composted/pyrolyzed and properly manually mixed with the surface soil layer. Finally, winter wheat seeds were sown in each experimental plot. Experimental fields will be regularly monitored – pore water solution and soil samples (and crop samples during the vegetation period) will be collected for analysis. The environmental impacts of the treated sludges and the individual sludge treatment methods will be evaluated.
Refer to the project of the National Agency for Agricultural Research (NAZV; Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic) No. QK21020022 called “Complex evaluation of the application of sewage sludge in agriculture with respect to emerging pollutants”.