Lüneburg's sewage sludge phase-out: Revolutionary plans by 2028!

Lüneburg's sewage sludge phase-out: Revolutionary plans by 2028!

A comprehensive change in wastewater management is pending in the Lüneburg district. AGL (Abwasser, Grün & Lüneburger Service GmbH) plans to phase out the agricultural use of sewage sludge by 2028. This is done in accordance with the amended sewage sludge ordinance (AbfKlärV) from 2017, which in its new version stipulates that sewage sludge may no longer be used in agriculture. AGL, which supplies over 150,000 residents with clean water and produces around 12,000 tons of sewage sludge annually, must therefore find new ways to dispose of the resulting sewage sludge in an environmentally friendly manner.

The sewage treatment plants, which are designed for more than 100,000 inhabitants, will be obliged to recover phosphorus from the sewage sludge from 2029. Sewage sludge represents a valuable domestic source of phosphorus that could cover around 50% of agricultural needs. The AGL is therefore planning to thermally dispose of the sewage sludge in a mono-incineration plant in order to recover phosphorus from the ash.

Investments and plans

In order to meet the new challenges, a sewage sludge storage facility with a capacity of up to 2,000 tons is currently being built in Lüneburg. Construction work has already begun and commissioning is expected in 2026. Around 5 million euros are being invested in this project. In addition, AGL plans to participate in Kommunale Nutrient Recovery Niedersachsen GmbH (KNRN). This collaboration with other wastewater companies and municipalities in Lower Saxony does not pursue a commercial goal and is intended to improve disposal safety in the long term.

The mono-sewage sludge plant in Hildesheim, which was approved for 140,000 tons of sewage sludge annually, will also feed local heat into the local heating network. The planned investment volume for the new buildings in Hildesheim and Hameln amounts to around 116 million euros. AGL sees its participation in KNRN as a decisive step in ensuring sustainable transport logistics and long-term disposal security. The Council of the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg will discuss the participation on August 20, 2025.

Health and safety in focus

While the district wants to set environmental standards when it comes to wastewater disposal, it also pays attention to safety in other areas. An example of this is West Virginia's House Bill 2269, which regulates early defibrillation programs. It supports cooperation between different agencies, and the medical community emphasizes the dramatic importance of such measures: up to 250,000 Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospitals every year, and 95% of them are fatal. Early defibrillation could save lives.

These developments clearly demonstrate the importance of taking proactive measures in different areas such as wastewater management and healthcare to ensure a safe and sustainable future.