Styria Agricultural Soil Protection Law.

The purpose of the present Law is to conserve and protect the soil against harmful effects, in particular against erosion, densification of the soil and hazardous substances, and to improve and restore the health of the soil. To reach this aim everyone shall behave in such a way as to reduce damage to the soil to the unavoidable minimum – in particular accumulation of hazardous substances in the soil and deterioration of the soil structure – in view of ensuring an effective soil protection. The use of sludge shall be affected in such a way that the needs of nutrients of the plants are satisfied and that the quality of the soil, the surface water and groundwater shall not be affected. The text consists of 17 articles divided into 3 Parts as follows: General provisions (I); Transfer of sewage sludge and (II); Competent authorities and penalties (III).