Quebec City-The Quebec government last month eased up slightly its rules banning the use of ruminants or animal parts as fertilizer because of new federal controls on specified risk materials or those from animals associated with mad cow disease. The new regulation still prohibits spreading of composted mammals or poultry both on crops destined for human consumption and on pastures, as well as the spreading of sewage sludge from municipal treatment systems and from septic tanks. However, the province noted, the amended regulations do not target the spreading of composts made from either domestic food waste or sewage sludge coming from an abattoir’s or processor’s treatment system. Quebec spokesman Patrick Septembre told Green Markets this type of sludge, which is usually collected in the waste water, is not considered to be specified risk materials and may be land applied, but must be composted or treated to destroy any pathogens. He said that municipal biosolids cannot be land applied on soils that are sown for human food such as vegetables, fruits, and some grains, unless the material is certified by an independent third party. Currently, there are only two municipal facility biosolids that have such a certification in the province.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain