The information from suspect screening / non-target screening in CIP4 will enable the disparity between the chemicals that the Environment Agency monitors in the environment and those detected in wastewater treatment processes and the receiving environment to be elucidated. It will be used to steer future CIP investigations, select chemicals for more targeted analysis and prioritise chemicals for screening via the Environment Agency’s Priority and Early Warning System (PEWS). This will provide valuable information about the fate, transport and distribution of chemicals in the environment.

1. To increase knowledge and understanding of the fate, behaviour and risks of contaminants within the sludge treatment process and final sludge product when applied to agricultural land. 

2. To evaluate the effectiveness of new and revised management practices and technologies for sludge management to optimise for quality of biosolids and reduced carbon emissions.

The aims of the project are:

⦁ To quantify treatment/removal capabilities of ICWs (continuous and intermittent) for emerging substances across three environmental matrices (water, sediments, and plants)

⦁ To collect an initial baseline of chemical concentrations in water, plant and sediment of ICWs to help inform understanding of fate and behaviour of emerging substances within ICWs (continuous and intermittent). This will help to inform future maintenance and waste disposal protocols.

1. To understand the presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from WwTWs at 20 sites across England and Wales

2. To understand the impact of EDCs from these 20 sites on the roach (Rutilis rutulis) population in the receiving watercourse

3. Using previous CIP data, consider if any wastewater treatment technologies remove EDCs from final effluent discharges.

What do we want to achieve through this research?

The objective of this project is to assess the die off rates of suitable faecal indicator organisms within British and Irish rivers. This will ultimately enable a more accurate assessment of the extent to which sewage treatment works upstream of bathing areas are likely to pose a threat to human health.