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Treated Septage

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Information for companies that deal with treated septage.

Construction of septage treatment facilities with discharge to surface or groundwater 

If your company is involved in septage treatment facility construction designed to discharge effluent to surface or groundwater (e.g. septage treatment lagoon), you…


…are subject to…

approval requirements for sewage works under Section 53 of the Ontario Water Resources Act

…and require a…

Sewage Works Certificate of Approval

…which is issued by…

the Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch

For more information, the following resources are available in our Publications section:

Construction of septage treatment facilities without discharge to surface or groundwater 

If your company is involved in the construction or operation of a septage treatment system that does not discharge to groundwater or surface water, it will be regulated as a Waste Disposal Site (note this does not apply to in-truck or in-transit treatment) and you…


…are subject to…

Part V of the Environmental Protection Act and O. Reg. 347

…and require a…

Waste Disposal Site of Approval

…which is issued by…

the Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch

For more information, the following resources are available in our Publications section:

Land application of treated septage to agricultural land 

If your company is involved in applying treated septage to agricultural land, you…


…are subject to…

Requirements under Section 15.1 of the Nutrient Management Act

…and require a…

NASM Plan prepared by a certified person

…which must be approved by…

the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)

The requirements above are current as of January 1, 2011. If you’d like to see what changed as of that date, please see the “Regulation changes for treated septage as a nutrient on agricultural land” section.

Land application of treated septage to non-agricultural land 

If your company is involved in applying treated septage to non-agricultural land, you…


…are subject to…

Part V of the Environmental Protection Act

…and require an…

Organic Soil Conditioning Site Certificate of Approval

…which is issued by…

your local Ministry of the Environment district office

For more information, the following resources are available in our Publications section:

Temporary storage of treated septage on agricultural land 

If your company is involved in temporarily storing treated septage on agricultural land, you…


…are subject to…

Sections 82 to 86 of the Nutrient Management Regulation, O. Reg. 267/03

…and require a…

NASM Plan for land application of treated septage to agricultural land prepared by a certified person

…which is approved by…

the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Transportation/haulage or temporary storage of treated septage on non-agricultural land 

If your company is involved in transporting/hauling or temporarily storing treated septage on non-agricultural land, you…


…are subject to…

Part V of the Environmental Protection Act
and O. Reg. 347

…and require a…

Waste Management System Certificate of Approval

…which is issued by…

the Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch

For more information, these documents are available in our Publications section:

Additional Information