Evolution and efficiency of the agricultural utilization wastewaters management chain in Bulgaria

Hrabrin Bachev

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: There has been a fundamental modernization of the wastewater management system in Bulgaria during the EU pre-accession and membership periods. The transition toward sustainable management of wastewaters has been associated with the modern disposal of generated sludge from wastewater treatment plants and the increasing agricultural utilization of this material. The agricultural utilization wastewater management chain emerged and gradually extended as the amount of produced sludge increased and its share was effectively utilized in agriculture. This paper analyses the evolution and challenges of agricultural inclusion in sustainable wastewater management in Bulgaria. It is based on the incorporation of the interdisciplinary New Institutional Economics methodology, official data, and numerous in-depth interviews with representatives of the wastewater treatment plants, responsible authorities, farmers participating and not involved in sludge utilization, and other related agents. The study has found that there has been a significant modernization of the formal institutional environment (rules, regulations, standards, agencies) and incentive structure for agricultural sludge production, transportation, and utilization in recent years. Nevertheless, the potential for inclusion of agriculture in water treatment plants’ sludge utilization has not been entirely used, and the policy target in the area has not been effectively reached. The main impediments for the later arethe significant transition and compliance costs for related agents, inadequate public information, training, and support, environmental and health risks, opposition of landowners, businesses, eco-groups and residents, and uncertain directions of policy development. In the future following actions are needed to promote agricultural use of sludge: clearer policies for wastewaters management, waste disposals and agricultural sludge utilization, including development of a national strategy for sludge management; better enforcement of formal regulations and quality standards in agricultural utilization wastewaters management chain; introducing measures to reduce institutionally determined (production and transaction) costs for agents; support specialized training, information and independents assessment on agricultural sludge utilization; use CAP and other EU instruments to support agents’ efforts to adapt to formal requirements and extend sustainable treatment, disposal, transportation, agricultural utilization and commercialization of sludge.

Keywords: wastewaters; sludge; management; agricultural utilisation; Bulgaria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q10 Q12 Q13 Q15 Q16 Q18 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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