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A conversation on the viability of sustaining recovery of biosolids to agriculture

Speakers/Panellists

  • Clive Humphreys, Senior Advisor, Environment Agency
  • Richard Brindle, Bioresources Strategy Manager, United Utilities
  • Chris Peot, Director of Resource Recovery, DC Water, USA
  • Jason Mingo, Water Sustainability and Strategy at the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
  • Diane Mitchell, Chief Environment Adviser at the NFU

Chair: Esme Piechoczek, Bioresources Consultant, AtkinsRéalis

CIWEM together with AtkinsRéalis, on behalf of Water UK brought together the English water industry, environmental and economic regulators as well as other key stakeholders to collaborate and co-create a long-term strategy for the safe and sustainable management of bioresources in England (finalised in 2023). This identified 4 potential strategies within an adaptive pathway framework as viable options – Recovery to agriculture – Food, Advanced Thermal Conversion, Resource Production, and Incineration. Each has enabling activities which require further exploration to provide sufficient confidence in their deployment as long-term sustainable strategies for biosolids.

Over 80% of biosolids is currently applied to agriculture in the UK, and both sustaining this option, and the movement into alternatives requires a combination of technological, regulatory and market development. It is imperative therefore to ensure clear plans are in place in the short-term to maintain the current position whilst transition to alternative strategies are developed (if required), whatever the magnitude.

Join our expert panel as they discuss the challenges of managing the recovery to land outlet, trends we are witnessing globally, best practice being deployed and alternative biosolids derived outputs to improve demand.

 

Chris Peot
Chris is an environmental engineer with more than twenty five years experience in wastewater treatment, residuals reuse, and recycling. His work experience includes operations manager for a 1200 ton/day, implementation of the Bloom product and marketing plan, development for new biosolids reuse options, development of a nationally recognized research program, design/construction inspection/permitting work, and development of an award winning EMS program. In recent years, Chris has also focused on green energy development, carbon footprint modelling, and renewable energy credits.

Jason Mingo
Jason is Manager Sustainability and Strategy at the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), where he plays a key role in driving innovative and sustainable water management practices within the urban water sector. With postgraduate qualifications in Environmental Science and Freshwater Ecology, Jason has built a strong career focused on integrated water management, drawing on his experience across policy development, project planning, and community engagement. His previous work as a Project Manager for the Western Cape Government in South Africa involved implementing cutting-edge practices at both catchment and urban scales. WSAA, the peak industry body representing the urban water sector in Australia, provides Jason the ability to champion water management strategies that align with sustainability and resilience goals, for the water sector and beyond.

Diane Mitchell
Diane is the Chief Environment Adviser at the NFU. In this role she has an overview across the environment team and the diverse range of agri-environmental policies affecting farmers, including agri-environment, air quality, biodiversity, protected landscapes, soils, trees, waste management and water.

Diane has led on the NFU’s policy work feeding into the Environment Act 2021 and more recently other areas such as nutrient neutrality and water quality. She also provides the secretariat to the NFU’s Environment Forum, which works with members, other NFU commodity boards, government, government agencies and other stakeholders to ensure farmers’ views on the environment are at the forefront of policy making.

Alongside her responsibilities at the NFU, Diane was the Vice-Chair of the Environment Working Group at COPA-COGECA, which is the trade body for farmers and agri-cooperatives at an EU level, for six years until 2020.

Before joining the NFU, Diane was a researcher at Cambridge University Farm and she has a BSc and PhD from the University of Aberdeen, both in soil science.

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