Calls for further controls to protect public health in land-spreading

FURTHER controls are required to safeguard public health in relation to land that is being used for food production and which has been fertilised through land-spreading, a report produced by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has claimed.

Issues surrounding the land-spreading of organic agricultural (OA) and organic municipal and industrial (OMI) materials on agricultural land used for food production were highlighted in a report published at a seminar in Dublin yesterday.

The report states that appropriately managed land-spreading provides a sustainable option for the utilisation of organic waste materials.

However, food safety must be safeguarded and this requires the implementation of effective controls and the consistent application of good practice by all parties involved.

In the absence of these measures, land-spreading of organic materials on agricultural land used for food production may pose both microbiological and chemical risks to food safety, the report states.

The report, produced by the FSAI Scientific Committee, reviews the current scientific knowledge in relation to the treatment, management and best practice options available to prevent food safety risks from land spreading.

It seeks to summarise the legal framework under which controls are implemented. The report also acknowledges opinions from other agencies on the level of compliance with these best practices and highlights the implications that non-compliance may have for food safety.

The report states that ready-to-eat produce such as food not cooked before consumption pose a particular food safety risk when land on which they are grown is spread with OA or OMI materials.

Trends indicate a significant increase in the use of treated OMI materials in agriculture in Ireland, although at present the proportion of OMI relative to OA materials spread on agricultural land is very small. However, the report suggests that controls on the disposal of septic tank waste are strengthened, as untreated human waste poses a particular risk to the safety of food crops.