The Norwegian Environment Protection Association demands more investigation into the sewage sludge landfill in Ås municipality as well as an investigation into Dynea poison in a closed landfill

By: Jan Hugo Holten

In the spring of 2019, the Norwegian Environmental Association (NMF) was contacted by sitters of a sewage sludge landfill at Bølstad in Ås municipality, 20 minutes from Oslo. The landfill was established under the Fertilizer Regulations and the permit was granted by the local agricultural office. The caretakers, i.e. the neighbors of the landfill, fear contamination of, among other things, groundwater, and in June 2019 the project owner suspended the reception of more sewage sludge until further notice.

The sludge comes from from Western Norway and Bergen. This is probably a consequence of NMF previously stopping the spreading of sludge along forest roads in Bergen, which means that it takes new roads. Over the mountain and on the fields in the Follo region.

Lack of notification as the basis for the permit

NMF has asked Ås municipality to intervene and provide complete documentation of the emissions from the landfill. This has not been done on the part of the Landbrukkontoret due to a lack of resources.

The permission that was granted in 2017 was based on a relatively undocumented application from the initiative holder. According to what NMF learns, the Landbrukskontoret did not notify neighbors in connection with the proceedings. This is reprehensible. NMF also fears that permission from the Agricultural Office has been breached, and that the practice of the landfill does not meet the requirements of the Fertilizer Regulations regarding runoff and control of this.

Investigation of closed landfill for possible content of chemical waste

In the same letter, NMF has asked the municipality to find out about the contents of the closed Bølstad rubbish dump, which is located a few hundred meters as the crow flies from the sewage sludge landfill. NMF has been tipped off that Dynea has historically dumped waste in this disused landfill for household waste.

• See the letter to Ås municipality here.

A copy of the letter has been sent to the Ministry of Agriculture

A copy of the letter has been sent to the Ministry of Agriculture. The intention is that NMF wants to take a closer look at the use of sewage sludge as soil improvement, especially with regard to the content of environmental toxins and other undesirable substances. In this respect, the Ministry of Agriculture plays a role.