news release
    20th October 2003

SAS have recently started a project to look into what happens to sewage sludge, - the bit of sewage that doesn't end up in the oceans. Sludge is a by-product of the water treatment process, and consists of all the lumpy bits (mmm…nice!), that have been filtered or settled out of the sewage. Higher levels of sewage treatment have resulted in cleaner seas and beaches in the local area, but have also lead to more sludge being produced, and needing to be disposed of. Several options exist for sludge disposal including burning it, making bricks out of it, and treating it and using it as fertiliser on farmland.

Over the last year, we've been researching the various options for sewage sludge. We've looked at what the water companies are doing in the south west, and we've found what we think are most environmentally friendly options for sludge disposal. However, sludge can be a contentious issue, should it be burnt, and if so where should the facilities be? Should it be treated & used as fertiliser, but do you want it on the fields near you? For any disposal route to be sustainable, it must be publicly acceptable, so we want to know what you think are the best options!

To find out, we're running focus groups across the south west to first explain the options and the issues surrounding sludge, and then ask peoples opinions; - do we want cheap fertiliser, renewable energy, or houses made of poo?

The latest bunch of meetings have finally been organised, and are listed below, If you can make it along to one of them to give us your opinions, it'd be great to see you, the meetings don't take long, and are more interesting than you might think!
PLUS… to encourage you away from the telly on an October night, the Co-operative Group are supplying a £15 voucher to the first 8 people to register for and come along to the meetings, so a massive thanks to them for being the only supermarket who are brave enough to help us out with this project!!

If you would like to come to a meeting you must let me know beforehand to be in the "first eight" to get the vouchers, - either e-mail me at matt@sas.org.uk or 'phone on 0845 458 3001. Whichever you do please leave your name and 'phone number. You don't have to an SAS member to come along, so if you have friends, family or colleagues who are interested, please invite them along as well. (They must also register to be eligible for the £15).
The dates for the groups are:

Monday, 20th October. 7.30pm, Seaton Town Hall, Fore Street, SEATON EX12 2UU.

Tuesday, 21st October. 7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, South Street, BRIDPORT.

Wednesday, 22nd October. 7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Wharncliffe Road, (off Christchurch Road), BOSCOMBE, BH5 1AH

Monday, 27th October. 7.30pm. The Lantern Youth and Community Centre, High Street, ILFRACOMBE. (between Somerfield and the Co-op)

Tuesday, 28th October. 7.30pm, Exeter Community Centre, 17 St Davids Hill, EXETER, EX4 3RG

Need a map? - www.multimap.com

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