"Millions of tonnes of toxic sewage sludge spread on UK farmland every year", 7 July 2025

An investigation by the Guardian and Watershed has identified England’s sludge-spreading hotspots and shown where the practice could be damaging rivers...

About 87% of the UK’s 3.6m tonnes of sewage sludge is applied to farmland... The water industry’s own chemicals investigation programme found hormone-damaging nonylphenols and phthalates, the banned carcinogen PFOS, antibiotics, antimicrobials and anti-corrosion chemicals in every sample tested from 11 treatment works.

Scientists from Cardiff and Manchester universities estimate that 31,000 to 42,000 tonnes of microplastics are spread on European farmland annually via sludge, with the UK possibly facing the worst contamination... Contaminated fields become silent sources of pollution. Even uncontaminated sludge can be a problem if mismanaged. When too many nutrients reach rivers, they fuel algal blooms that block sunlight and starve aquatic life of oxygen – a process called eutrophication...

The investigation found that 73% of all sludge sites – 23,844 – are within nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs), where strict rules apply due to pollution risks. In England, no rivers meet chemical standards and just 14% meet ecological ones...

A water industry source said: “Colleagues in the industry are not out to commit evil in their public service of water management. They’re just constrained by a lack of research and development.”

A spokesperson for Water UK said water companies were backing research and trialling new uses for bioresources, including as aviation fuel. “The UK has banned some products with microplastics – we need the same for Pfas, plus a national cleanup plan funded by polluting manufacturers. Contaminants cross borders, which is why we’re calling for coordinated action across Europe.”

Shubhi Sharma, of the charity Chem Trust, said the government used lack of funding as an excuse for “failing to prevent our farmlands from being poisoned”. She called for tighter chemical restrictions and a “polluter pays” model. “France has already introduced taxes for Pfas polluters. The UK should follow,” she said.

The EA said sludge must not harm soil or water, and that it enforced strict rules, including through more than 4,500 farm inspections last year, resulting in more than 6,000 pollution-reducing actions.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it wanted safe, sustainable sludge use and it has launched an independent water commission to review the regulatory framework in collaboration with the EA, farmers and water companies.