Australia and New Zealand Guidelines
Regulatory Review (December 2009)
The Australian and New Zealand Biosolids Partnership has completed its review of biosolids regulations that apply in all Australian states, federally and in New Zealand. This seminal document reviews and compares all directly applicable regulations, highlights any differences and explains the rationale for these differences. It also identifies whether a consistent national or regional approach to regulation is viable.
The approach used was to compare the regulations of all Australian states and territories, and New Zealand. In addition, the project reviewed the US EPA's biosolids guideline, the 40 CFR Part 503 rule, the European Union's Sludge Directive, 86/278/EEC and the UK's Safe Sludge Matrix to give context to the ANZ biosolids rules. The USA and the EU were chosen as the key biosolids regulations outside of ANZ with which comparison was most relevant.
Below is a summary of this work. The full report is currently available only to ANZBP members. Membership enquiries can be directed to: admin@biosolids.com.au
Download - Review of Biosolids Guidelines - Summary
National Australian Guidelines
NWQMS (2004) Guidelines for Sewerage Systems Sludge (Biosolids) Management.' National Water Quality Management Strategy. Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) and Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council (ANZECC), Canberra. Copies available from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
The Actew Corporation employs thermal distruction to convert biosolids into sterilised ash, which is then sustainably used as a soil conditioner or stabiliser. There are no formal guidelines for biosolids disposal, however Actew Corporation rigorously monitors
New South Wales (NSW)
NSW EPA (1997). Environmental Guidelines: Use and Disposal of Biosolids Products.
Available to purchase from the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
A scanned copy of the Guidelines is available here (with permission of the NSW Dept of Environment, Climate Change and Water). Note that this is a large file (4mb) and may be slow to download. This file does not include the appendices to the Guidelines.
Environmental guidelines: Composting and related organics processing facilities
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waste/envguidlns/index.htm
Northern Territory (NT)
No state guidelines are available. The Health Department employs the National Guidelines (above) to manage biosolids.
Queensland (Qld)
EPA Q, PWS Q (2002) 'Management for beneficial reuse of biosolids from sewage treatment plants (STP) and other sources.' Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane. Link
South Australia (SA)
EPA SA (2009), 'Draft - South Australian Biosolids Guidelines for the safe handling and reuse of biosolids'
www.epa.sa.gov.au/xstd_files/Waste/Guideline/guidelines_biosolids.pdf
Tasmania (Tas)
DPIWE (1999) 'Tasmanian Biosolids Reuse Guidelines.' (Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment: Tasmania.) www.environment.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=86
Department of Tourism, Arts and the Environment (2006) Approved Management Method for Biosolids Reuse
Victoria (Vic)
EPA Victoria (2004) 'Guidelines for Environmental Management. Biosolids Land Application.' Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Publication 943, Melbourne.
Western Australia (WA)
DoH WA (2002) Western Australian Guidelines for Direct Land Application of Biosolids and Biosolids Products
DEC WA (2010) DRAFT Western Australian Guidelines for Biosolids Management www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,4340/Itemid,/.
New Zealand (NZ)
Biosolids Guidelines 2003
www.waternz.org.nz/documents/publications/books_guides/biosolids_guidelines.pdf
Ministry for the Environment
www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/hazardous/contaminated/biosolids.html
