Background In Morocco there are currently 72 registered wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These are mainly located in municipalities, communities and rural centres, with only four located in cities of over 100 000 inhabitants. The current annual generation of sludge is 430 000 tons and is expected to rise as households are connected to the sewage system. Sewage sludge is mainly stored near the WWTPs, applied to land without any prior treatment or discharged into uncontrolled landfills. Sludge management is therefore a crucial problem in Morocco and the adoption of appropriate sludge treatment technologies is necessary in order to protect human health and the environment. Objectives The project aimed to develop and establish an innovative composting system for the treatment of sludge generated by Urban Waste Water Treatment Plants (UWWTPs) and drinking water refineries and other biodegradable organic waste (BOW) in Morocco. This would enable the operators and national authorities to treat, control and use the sludge and other BOW effectively and in compliance with European environmental policy. The project implementation would protect the water-bodies and soil from untreated and uncontrolled sludge disposal in order to promote the protection of public health and the environment. At the same time, the use of treated sludge and other BOW as soil improver would prevent the use of chemical fertilizers and subsequently protect arable land from degradation and the surface and groundwater from contamination. The composting system would be used as a pilot demonstration unit for further applications in large-scale plants in Morocco and in the European geographical areas facing similar problems. Results The project achieved all its technical objectives. Among several noteworthy deliverables, the project published a set of studies on the existing situation in Morocco regarding sewage sludge management incorporating: the production of sludge from WWTPs; the production of biodegradable organic waste (BOW) generated by the food industry; an examination of the residues of timber processing and slaughterhouse waste; and an evaluation of the production of agricultural residues. Other reports: Another report regarding the management of sludge in Europe and on an international level has also been produced. This assesses the existing situation and the related legislation in the EC in connection with BOW management. A third report compiles best practices and success stories of composting of sludge and other BOW in the EU and internationally. Site visits: Two sites visits were also carried out by the Moroccan project partners. These were to Germany and Switzerland in order to visit facilities focusing on waste treatment and innovative technologies. Designing a composting system: The project designed an innovative aerobic sludge composting system, taking into account local characteristics, proven technologies, environmental impacts, minimal risk to public health, compliance with EU legislation, sustainable market for the end product, flexibility and use of materials of the region. The system ensures minimisation of odours and process time. The system was designed, constructed and installed at the Zemamra site, at the premises of the beneficiary, located 70 km from the town of El Jadida. (The site is visited largely by farmers, students and farmers associations.) Optimising the system: The operation of the composting unit was optimised. This part of the project was lengthy, as several experiments were carried out in order to achieve a good quality compost taking into account the efficiency of the process, the time required, the characterisation of the raw materials etc. These materials included primary sewage sludge from the plant of the city of El Jadida, secondary sludge from the food industry (sugar beets leaves, straw residues, sheep and cow manures in various ratios). Secondary sludge from sewage treatment was not used due to the prohibitive cost of transport. Evaluating the compost: Several sets of compost were produced and evaluated as soil improvers. Several phytotoxicity tests were therefore implemented to evaluate their effects of compost on seed germination and plant growth, in laboratory conditions. As well, open fields’ experiments carried out to examine the effects of compost applications to the quantity and quality on the yield of the selected cultivations and the effects of compost on the physicochemical characteristics of the soil. The results were positive: no phytotoxic compounds were found, and the yield was increased by the application of compost, even more than by the use of the fertilizer. Market possibilities: The market possibilities of the composting unit were also explored, firstly to assess the alternative uses of compost products and also to evaluate the market characteristics. It has been estimated that the need for organic matter such as the one produced by the pilot station amounts to approximately 6.25 millions of tons annually. This shows the potential market opportunity (although at present, the pilot station cannot produce sufficient material). Guidelines and specifications have also been developed concerning quality requirements. Dissemination: Finally, dissemination activities were developed during the project life-time, and all the documentation provided has been of high quality. Three training sessions were also organised for the relevant authorities, farmers, private companies and industry sectors. A final international conference was also organised by the project. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).