ABSTRACT
Compost is regarded as a recycled product and, therefore, contributes toward the achievement of these ambitious targets. The directive has been further extended
CONTENTS
I Background Context ..................................................................................... 263 II Introduction ..................................................................................................266 III Metal Accumulation by Earthworms............................................................ 267 IV Metal Concentration and Availability during Vermicomposting ................. 270 V Effects of Metal-Contaminated Composts on Plants ................................... 273 VI Composts in the Remediation of Metalliferous Soils ................................... 274 VII Effects of Metals on Earthworms ................................................................. 275 VIII Conclusions ................................................................................................... 276 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 277 References .............................................................................................................. 277
under the Waste Strategy for England 2007 (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 2007) through the establishment of the following action timetable: (i) the recycling and composting of household waste (at least 40% by 2010, 45% by 2015, 50% by 2020); and (ii) the recovery of municipal waste (53% by 2010, 67% by 2015, 75% by 2020). Moreover, the high levels of sewage-sludge production in the European Union, the United States (Table 17.1), and elsewhere are of particular concern. For example, the annual production of sewage sludge in the United Kingdom is over 1 million metric tons of dry solids, 62% of which is applied to agricultural land, 19% is incinerated, 11% is used for land reclamation, and the remaining 8% is dealt with in other ways, including composting and land¤ll (Parliamentary Of¤ce of Science and Technology 2007). The U.K. Biomass Strategy 2007 (Department of Trade and Industry 2007) used economic and abatement criteria to bolster a move away from incineration as a means of disposing of biosolid wastes.
