TerraNova Energy GmbH
TNE
As a pioneer in upgrading of organic waste, we improve the ecological footprint of environmental projects.
ID: 384990245854-08
Lobbying Activity
Response to Recommendation for strengthened actions against antimicrobial resistance
17 Mar 2022
TerraNova Energy GmbH supports action to address inappropriate use of antibiotics and underlines that contamination of manure and sewage by pharmaceuticals and by ARG (antibiotic resistance genes) is a potential obstacle to recycling of nutrients and return of organic carbon to soil.
Antibiotics, antibiotic resistant micro-organisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) are significantly present in livestock manures, because of use of antibiotics, and also in municipal sewage.
This is a potential obstacle to the nutrient Circular Economy and to the return to soil of organic carbon in manure and sewage sludge.
Scientific studies show that recycling of manure or sewage sludges to land can increase levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR aka. antibacterial resistance ABR) in soil and in soil organisms, and if manure is applied to soil during crop growth then also in some plants (e.g. during lettuce growth, Zhang 2019 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.104912 ).
Thermal pre-treatment above 140°C of such manure or sewage sludge has been proven to reliably sterilise the feedstock. Furthermore recent studies of USDA (DOI 10.1007/s11783-017-0930-x) have confirmed the following:
• Thermal treatment between 150°C and 200°C eliminates
pathogens and microbial DNA.
• The pre-treatment worked in both bovine bone and tissue.
• 30 minute treatment was sufficient for pathogen kill and complete DNA degradation.
Therefore we recommend that the EU's AMR policy should include:
• Threshold limits for antibiotic release incl. surviving DNA structure in recycled materials
• Thermal treatment as option to ensure complete DNA degradation
• Definition of mandatory process conditions for such thermal treatment
Read full response