OFFICIAL GAZZETTE

NO: 24609
DATE: 10.12.2001

From the Ministry of Environment

Soil Pollution Control Regulation

SECTION ONE

Objective, Scope Legal Stands and Definitions

Purpose

Article 1- The objective of this Regulation is to set out the principles of taking required
measures in harmony with the sustainable development targets, for the prevention of the soil
pollution as receptor media.

Scope

Article 2- The purpose of this Regulation comprises the technical, administrational

principles and legal sanctions regarding the use of treatment sludge and compost arising as a
result of the activities causing soil pollution, discharge, disposal and leakage of the
dangerous substances to the soil and purification of the household waste and industrial waste
having household waste qualities.

Legal Foundation

Article 3- This Regulation was prepared as required by the Environment Law, date 9/8/1983
and no 2872, Article 8 and Decree in Law no 433 regarding the Establishment and Duties of
the Ministry of Environment, Articles 2 and 9.

Definitions

Article 4- The terms used in this Regulation are defined as fallows:

Ministry : Ministry of Environment ,

Law : Environment Law no 2872, date 9/8/1983,

Waste:

a) All the substances confined to the Waste, Wastewater, Industrial Wastewater, Household
Wastewater, Fecal Waste and Organic Waste, definitions included to the 2 nd Article of the
Water Pollution Control Regulation published in the Official Gazzette, date 14 March 1988
and number 19919,

b) All the substances confined to the Solid Waste, Grain Solid Waste, Household Solid Waste
(trash) and Harmful and Dangerous Waste included to the Solid Waste Control Regulation
definitions 3 rd Article, published in the Official Gazzette, date 14 March 1991 and number
20814,
c) All the substances confined to the Medical Waste, Wastes having Household Waste
qualities, Pathogenic Waste and Pathological Waste definitions included to the Medical
Wastes Control Regulation published in the Official Gazzette, date 20 May 1993 and
number 21586,

d) All the substances confined to the Dangerous Waste definition included to the 4 th Article
of the Dangerous Waste Control Regulation published in the Official Gazzette, date 27
August 1995 and number 22387, determined by the regulations prepared depending on the
Environment

Treatment Sludge : All the substances confined to the 3rd Article of the Solid Waste
Control Regulation based on the Environment Law no 2872 and published in the Official
Gazzette date 14 March 1991 and number 20814,

Processed Treatment Sludge : The treatment sludge stabilized and disinfected by methods
such as biological, heat treatment, drying, composting or prolonged storage for the purpose
of alleviating the possible impacts on the environment and human health,

Sludge : The sludge remaining from the household or urban wastewater treatment plants and
treatment plants treating the household wastewater and industrial wastewater having the
characteristics of household wastewater and sludge arising from septic tanks and similar
plants,

Oven-Dry Soil : The soil mass fixed to constant weight after being dried up at 105 ºC in the
oven,

Fertilizer : The mineral and organic nutrients added to the soil for the purpose of increasing
the productivity of cultivated soils, rehabilitating the soil structure and increasing the quality
and quantity of crops,

Compost : The soil rehabilitating material produced by segregation of the organic based
solid wastes in aerobic an anaerobic environments

Dry Material : The quantity of solid material remaining from the drying up of the treatment
sludge or compost at 103 ºC in the oven for approximately 24 hours until it reaches a
constant weight.

Soil : An easily destroyable, irreproducible living and nature source covering the earth as a
thin layer and formed as a result of the decomposition and segregation of rocks and organic
residues,

Soil Pollution : Following the contamination of the soil by certain components formed
especially as a result of human activities, abnormal functioning at a level to toxically affect
and harm the plants grown on the living things living in the soil or living things fed on these
plants, excessing of the chemical material added to the soil over the assimilation capacity of
the soil, decline of the productivity capacity of the soil,

Dangerous Material: All the substances confined to the harmful substance definitions
included to the Dangerous Substances Regulation Article 4 published in the Official
Gazzette date 11 July 1993 and number 21634 and Water Pollution Control Regulation
Article 2 published in the Official Gazzette date 04 September 1988 and number 19919,
prepared depending on the Environment Law no 2872,

Burning Loss : The amount of burned or lost material as a result of burning of the treatment
sludge or compost in the ash oven at 775  C for 3 hours after they are dried up

SECTION TWO

Obligations Regarding the Prevention of Soil Pollution

General Obligations

Article 5 - It is a requirement to obey the limit values and obligations stipulated by this
Regulation from the point of view of soil pollution.

The ministry locates the areas where soil pollution exists, determines the measures to be
taken and get them applied.

Soil Polluters Limit Values

Article 6 - Soil polluters limit values have been given in ANNEX I-A and ANNEX I-B.

Obligations Regarding the Prevention of Soil Pollution

Article 7 - The obligations regarding the prevention of soil pollution are indicated below;

a) Storage and discharge of every kind of waste and dangerous material to the soil in
contradiction with the limit values provided in ANNEX I-A and ANNEX I-B.

b) Polluted land is cleaned by the people who cause this pollution and the analyses of the
parameters requested by the Ministry that have been provided by ANNEX I-A and ANNEX
I-B and this situation is authenticated by a report.

c) It is required to perform the processed treatment sludge, compost and soil sampling
methods and parameter analyses in accordance with the Turkish Standards Institute
Sampling and Analysis Methods or internationally accepted standard sampling analysis
methods.

d) Addition and use of the agricultural medicines that have not been licensed by the Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and cancerogen substances to the soil, is forbidden.

e) Those who produce, import and market the agricultural inputs and use the land as raw
material are in charge of selecting technologies and processes that will not cause soil
pollution.

f) Principles and bans regarding the land usage and their supervision are coordinated by the
Turkish General Staff and also determined by the Ministry and Ministry of National
Defense.
 SECTION THREE

Use of Unprocessed Sludge, Processed Treatment Sludge and Compost on Soil.

Use of Unprocessed Treatment Sludge on Soil

Article 8 - In order that the processed treatment sludge produced in consequence of the
treatment of the household waste water and industrial waste water having the characteristics
of the household waste water and not exceeding the limit values provided by ANNEX II, can
be used on the soil ;

a) From the private and official institutions operating the treatment plant, it is a requirement
for those that have daily up to 50 tons of dry sludge amount, to certify the analyses of the
parameters for the processed treatment sludge to be used in the land provided in the
Treatment Sludge Analysis Certificate included to ANNEX V, once every 6 months and for
those that have dry sludge more than 50 tons, to certify once every 3 months.

b) The use of processed treatment sludges on soil is subject to the permit to be issued by the
Ministry. The processed treatment sludge producers makes a request to the Ministry for a
Treatment Sludge Use Permit for the treatment sludge they will launch, by certifying the
analysis of the said treatment sludge with ANNEX V and the analyses of the soil to be
applied with ANNEX IV. The application is evaluated by the Ministry and the permit
(ANNEX VI) is issued for one year. Approvals of the related organizations and institutions
are requested for the applications made for the use of processed treatment sludges in
agricultural and forestry areas.

c) It is a requirement for the private and official institutions that operate the treatment plant
to certify the analyses of the parameters for the processed treatment sludge included to the
Soil Analysis Certificate in ANNEX IV, once every 6 months.

d) The private and official institutions operating the treatment plant, are obliged to prepare
the instructions books for the processed treatment sludge to be used on the soil and provide
the users with these books.

Use Limits and Bans of the Unprocessed Sludge and Processed Treatment Sludge

Article 9 - It is required to obey the below specified restrictions and bans in the use of
unprocessed treatment sludge and processed treatment sludge.

a) Use of unprocessed sludge for vegetable and fruit agriculture, field, forestry, rangelands
and grazing lands is forbidden.

b) Use of processed treatment sludge for the production of fruits and vegetables touching
soil and consumed as raw is forbidden.

c) In order that the processed treatment sludge can be used in the soil, it should not exceed
the values provided in ANNEX II.

d) The heavy metal content in the soil that processed treatment sludge will be applied to,
should not exceed the values provided in ANNEX I-A.
e) If the processed treatment sludge is applied to the soil every year within a 10 year time
period, the maximum heavy metal amounts that can be added to the soil should not exceed
the values provided in ANNEX III.

f) Application of the processed treatment sludge to areas at least 10 meters close to the
surface waters and irrigated lands is forbidden.

g) Application of the processed treatment sludge in flooded, frosted and snow covered areas
is forbidden.

Use of Compost on Soil

Article 10 - In order that the compost can be used for the soil;

a) Compost needs to be hygienically perfect, and should not threaten the human and all
living things’ health,

b) If the C/N proportion is bigger than 35, application of nitrogen feeding on the compost
should be performed in the reactor in order that the compost reaction could occur at
optimum conditions.

c) The organic matter content of the compost to be used for soil improvement should be at
least 35 % of the dry matter.

d) The water content proportion of the compost to be marketed should not exceed 50 %.

e) The selectible matters such as glass, cinder, metal, plastic, rubber and leather in the
compost to be marketed should not exceed 2 % in total weight.

f) The heavy metal content of the produced compost should be analyzed with at last 3 month
intervals from the aspect of the lead, cadmium, chrome, nickel, mercury and zinc it contains.

g) In the land where the compost is to be used the pH value of the soil should be analyzed
from the aspect of the lead, cadmium, chrome, nickel, mercury and zinc it contains.

h) Samples should be taken in conformity with appropriate methods and techniques and they
should represent the whole mass.

ı) In case the heavy metal contents in soil exceed the values provided in ANNEX I-A, in the
result of soil analyses, the compost should not be used in the subject matter land.

j) In case the compost is used in the land every year within a 10 year time period, the load to
be incurred on the land should not exceed the values to be provided in ANNEX III.

SECTION FOUR

Principles and Sanctions Regarding Encouragement, Training and Supervision

Encouragement and Principles Regarding Training

Article 11- Under the coordination of the Ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs, General Directorate of Rural Services, the Ministry of Forestry, the highest local
authority and municipalities, engage in encouraging activities such as;

a) Initiation of biological struggle, genetical struggle, biotechnological struggle, cultural

measures, enduring species, physical and mechanical struggles from the alternative struggle
methods for chemical struggle within the integrated struggle principles;

b) Utilization of the livestock manure for fertilization;

c) Based on soil analysis, utilization of the most appropriate fertilizer and agricultural
medicine for the subject matter soil;

d) Utilization of the most effective medicine, considering the land structure, formulation of
the effective medicine and similar features, in cases when agricultural struggle is inevitable;

e) Use of microbial fertilizers.

f) Prevention of soil pollution and training of farmers and stakeholders regarding the use of
soil.

Supervision

Article 12 - In compliance with this article any usage of the treatment sludge on the soil and
soil pollution supervision is performed by the articles of the related law.

The institution, organization, administration, land owners and administrators are in charge
of;
a) Issuing permits for real assets (property) to the authorized persons,
b) Issuing permits for sample taking and on-site measurements to the authorized persons,
c) Providing the authorized persons with the information they request.

The costs of the experiments performed with regard to the supervision procedures and
measurements are covered by the supervised institution, administration and land owners and
administrators. The information and documents considered to be commercial secret,
obtained during the inspections cannot be used for other purposes.

Sanctions

Article 13 - For those who do not fulfill the obligations specified by the Article 7, Clause (b)
of this Regulation; Article 20, Clause (a) provisions are applied as required by the second
paragraph of the Article 8 of the related Law and for those who do not fulfill the obligations
specified by the other articles of the Regulation, Article 20, Clause (a) provisions are applied
as required by the first paragraph of the Article 8 of the related Law.

SECTION FIVE

Final Provisions

Temporary Article 1 - The real and judicial persons who use treatment sludge on soil are
obliged to perform these analyses requested in article 8, within the 6 month transition period,
or hire employees to perform these analyses and obtain necessary permissions from the
Ministry, within the framework of the provisions foreseen by this Regulation.

Effectiveness

Article 14 - This Regulation will take effect on the date it is issued.

Enforcement

Article 15 - The provisions of this Regulation are executed by the Minister of Environment.
 ANNEX-I

LIMIT VALUES OF SOIL POLLUTANTS

A) Heavy Metal Limit Values

PH≤ 6 PH≥ 6
Heavy Metal mg/kg oven dry soil mg/kg oven dry soil

Lead 50** 300 **

Cadmium 1** 3 **

Chrome 100** 100 **

Copper 50 ** 140 **

Nickel 30 ** 75 **

Zinc 150 ** 300 **

Mercury 1 ** 1,5 **

 If the pH value is bigger than 7, the Ministry can increase the limit values up
to 50 %.

● In areas where feed plants are grown, in case it is proven by scientific reports
that it does not cause any damage to the environment and human health, those limit
values may be allowed to be exceeded.

B) Other Pollutant Parameters in Soil.

Pollutant Matters Limit Values

Chloride Ion (mg Cl/l) (Total) 25
Sodium (mg Na/l) " 125
Cobalt (Co) (mg/kg oven dry soil) 20
Arsenic (As) " 20
Molibden (Mo) " 10
Tin (Sn) " 20
Barium (Ba) " 200
Floride " 200
Free cyanide (CN) " 1
Complex cyanide (CN) " 5
Sulphite (S) " 2
Brome (Br) " 20
Benzene " 0.05
Butyl benzene " 0.05
Toliol " 0.05
Xylol " 0.05
Phenol " 0.05
Selenium (Se) " 5
 Talium (Tl) " 1
Uranium (U) " 5
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components " 5
Organo Chlorynated compounds " 0.5
Agricultural Struggle Medicines-Individual " 0.5
Agricultural Struggle Medicines-Total " 2
PCB Polichlorated biphenils " 0.5
Hexachloro benzol " 0.1
Pentachloro benzol " 0.1
Ψ - HCH (lindan) " 0.1

ANNEX - II

MAXIMUM HEAVY METAL CONTENTS TO BE ALLOWED IN THE

TREATMENT SLUDGE TO BE USED IN AGRICULTURAL LAND

Heavy Metal Contents LimitValues

(mg/kg oven dry soil)
Lead 1200
Cadmium 40
Chrome 1200
Copper 1750
Nickel 400
Zinc 4000
Mercury 25

ANNEX-III

HEAVY METAL LOADS WHICH MAY BE ADDED TO THE AGRICULTURAL

LAND ANNUALLY, BASED ON A 10 YEAR AVERAGE

Heavy Metal Limit Load Value (gr/da/year)

Lead * 1500
Cadmium 15
Chrome * 1500
Copper * 1200
Nickel * 300
Zinc * 3000
Mercury 10

* If there is at least a 3 month period between the use of treatment sludge on agricultural
land and harvesting time, these values may be increased by up to 5 %, excluding mercury
and cadmium, through discussions with related institutions.
**These limit values may be allowed to be exceeded in cases when it is scientifically proven
that they are not harmful to the environment and human health in the areas where feed plants
are grown.

ANNEX- IV

SOIL ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE

Province
Origin of Soil Samples County
Village
Activities Lead by (First, Last Name)
Depth Soil Samples are taken from in the
agricultural land
Activity Type
Date Sample Taken
Name of the Person Who Takes Samples

Fertilizers Type
Applied to the Amount
Agricultural Application Method
Land Application Time
Origin of the Irrigation Water
Irrigating Method
Amount of Water Added to the
Agricultural Land in one irrigation
Parcel No
Parcel Size
Address

Soil Analyses Results Analysis Method

Lead (Pb) (mg/kg Oven Dry Soil)
Cadmium ( Cd ) "
Chrome (Cr+3) "
Copper (Cu) "
Nickel (Ni ) "
Mercury (Hg) "
Zinc (Zn) "
Nitrogen (N) "
Phosphorus (P) "
PH
Electrical Conductivity (EC) (ms/mc)

Explanation:
Analyzed by Analyzed by Checked by

Approved by
ANNEX-V
 TREATMENT SLUDGE ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE

Heavy Metals Treatment Sludge Analysis

Lead (Pb) (mg/kg Oven Dry Soil)
Cadmium (Cd) "
Chrome (Cr) "
Copper (Cu) "
Nickel (Ni) "
Mercury (Hg) "
Zinc (Zn) "
Nitrogen (N) "
Phosphorus (P) "
PH
Electrical Conductivity (EC) ms/cm
C/N
Dry Matter
Combustion Losses

Explanation :
Analyzed by Analyzed by Checked by

Approved by

ANNEX- VI

TREATMENT SLUDGE USE PERMIT

Use Permit Date :...../..../..... No:..........

Application Date :..../..../...... No:..........
Treatment First Name, Last
Sludge Name
Manufacturer’s Commercial Title
The agricultural Address
land to be used Block No
Parcel No
Area
Treatment Sludge Amount Allowed to be
used (ton(s))

This permit has been issued to the applicant whose first name/last name and commercial title
is written above, with reference to the Soil Pollution Control Regulation, Article 8, published
in the Official Gazette dated 10/12/2001, with No: 24609.