On July 11, 2024, Supreme Decree No. 30 of 2021 from the Ministry of the Environment, which approves the regulation for the management of sludge generated in effluent treatment plants of fish farms, was published in the Official Gazette. Its purpose is to establish sanitary, agricultural, aquaculture, and environmental requirements for managing sludge generated in effluent treatment plants of fish farms, including the utilization of these resources through their application to the soil.

The regulated aspects include, among others, the following:

1. Sanitary Management of Fish Farm Sludge: Sludge Management Facilities

• Must have a sludge management facility project approved by the respective Seremi de Salud, which must include, among other requirements, an operation, control, and contingency plan.
• Must be designed and operated in a manner that ensures they do not pose risks to health, the well-being of people, or the environment. They must control the generation of unpleasant odors, the infiltration of liquids into groundwater, and runoff into surface waters, and take all measures to control the proliferation of vectors of sanitary interest.
• The final disposal of sludge is only permitted in industrial waste facilities that have sanitary authorization to dispose of sludge.

2. Application of Sludge to Soil

• Fish farm sludge must be discharged and received in the application area, preventing runoff outside the area or into surface watercourses and groundwater outcrops, controlling the generation of unpleasant odors and the proliferation of vectors of sanitary interest.
• Before applying sludge to the soil, the generator must develop an Application Plan, which cannot last more than three years. This Plan must be submitted to the Regional Directorate of SAG at least one month before the first application. The generator is responsible for complying with the Plan's requirements and technical conditions.
• The characteristics that soils must not have to apply sludge, as well as the requirements that the application area must meet, are expressly established.
• Application is only permitted for sludge free of antibiotics.

3. Environmental Monitoring

• All waste generators must annually submit specific information about the generated sludge, measurements, and abnormal situations to the Ministry of the Environment.

4. Inspection

• Compliance inspection will be carried out by the Seremis de Salud, Regional Directorates of SAG, and Regional Directorates of Sernapesca.

En caso de que requiera información adicional sobre esta materia, pueden contactar a: Javier Naranjo, jnaranjo@jdf.cl; Martín Esser, messer@jdf.cl; María Paz Valenzuela, mpvalenzuela@jdf.cl.