Septic Tank Waste in Cornwall
Septic Tank Waste in Cornwall
- Tanker operators are now allowed to store up to 60,000 ltrs / 12,000 gallons of cess and septic tank wastes at a secure location under their control without needing to apply for a permit. This helps support storage during those periods when water company sites are closed. Stored effluent will still need to be taken to a water company site for disposal when the treatment works has capacity.
- St Erth WWTW (Hayle) has increased tankered waste capacity via the provision of a reception tank. This still reaches full capacity on occasions.
- SWW is reviewing other ways in which to increase tankered waste reception capacity at sites in Cornwall. They will usually redirect operators to other facilities if they have reached capacity.
What is the problem?
We have been concerned about the illegal spreading of septic tank waste to land in Cornwall for several years, and we know local communities are worried too.
Under existing regulations, residual septic tank sludge (settled solids at the bottom of the tank) can be spread to land to provide agricultural benefit. This is an activity that we do not prohibit providing that the recovery process is conducted professionally, safely and legitimately. However, the whole contents of septic tanks (comprising the liquid contents of tanks mixed with the residual sludge) cannot be disposed of in this way. This mixture may contain substances and pathogens which could be dangerous to human health and the environment and therefore needs to be disposed of safely.
Following an extensive investigation, we prosecuted Mr Brian Matthews and Carnon Valley Transport for the illegal spreading of large volumes of whole septic tank waste, cess pit waste and other liquid waste to land over a prolonged period in early 2022. This illegal disposal operation ceased following the prosecution. We know the implications of this prosecution have significantly affected many properties across the southwest of England, where the proportion of properties relying on septic tanks is relatively high.
What did we do?
Following the prosecution, we contacted numerous waste tanker and spreading operators in Cornwall to explain the regulatory position so that all involved in the industry received the same message. We required tanker operators to search for alternative, legal outlets for the waste they collect; a responsibility that they should already have been fulfilling. We gave information to land spreading operators about how they could continue their business legitimately. This information included explanations of the types of waste permits and treatments they would require to continue recovering the septic tank sludge for spreading.
We have provided operators with advice on how they can operate legally and what permissions are required to store and treat septic whole tank contents. Some operators are investigating options and permits for the best way to treat whole tank contents, recover sludge and dispose of the liquid fraction legitimately other than at a water company site.
In winter, due to high rainfall, legitimate disposal routes at water company sites in Cornwall do risk being closed to waste tanker operators as the sites may be overwhelmed with run off from storms, mixed with sewage. Accepting additional tanker loads under storm conditions would compromise the permit compliance of the site. As a result, operators have been unable to empty their customers septic tanks – unless they transport the waste out of Cornwall.
Over the past two years, with tighter environmental regulation, increased development and high numbers of visitors in Cornwall over the summer, disposal routes also risk being closed to waste tanker operators as SWW sites reach full capacity. Accepting additional tankerloads when at full capacity would compromise the permit compliance of the site. As a result, operators may have to transport septic tank waste out of Cornwall where there is more availability.
How have things improved?
Improvements since 2022
We have published a Sludge Strategy, which outlines how we consider that sludge applications to land for agricultural benefit should be regulated in future and to include moving such operations into the Environmental Permitting Regulations. This would mean that the operations would become permitted activities with conditions promoting better regulation for genuine waste recovery and the best environmental outcomes. The strategy will deliver more effective regulatory control of these activities and reduce the risk of illegal operations. Work to deliver this strategy is currently underway.