The Quebec government announced Thursday the imposition of a temporary moratorium on the agricultural application of biosolids imported from the United States.
The Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, Benoit Charette, specified in a press release that the moratorium will remain in effect until a control mechanism for certain substances is established.
Quebec wants to ensure that fertilizing residual materials generated outside of Canada, but imported into Quebec, are safe.
Quebec authorities say they are currently working on establishing an acceptable threshold for Quebec.
Municipal biosolids represent the material that results from the treatment of municipal wastewater. They are largely made up of organic matter and contain nutrients needed by different crops.
Last week, Minister Charette tabled draft regulations to prevent the land application of municipal biosolids from outside Canada.
The state of Maine banned the practice after contaminated fields were discovered.
Several weeks ago, the Order of Chemists of Quebec, the Order of Agronomists of Quebec as well as the Order of Veterinary Physicians of Quebec published a press release urging the population and the government to exercise the greatest caution.
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