County Concerns

Growing crops need nutrients. Many farmers are turning to biosolids for fertilizer

Miranda Neville, Ag Resource Specialist, BCCD
In recent months, we’ve had quite a few calls concerning Biosolids. The location, the smell, but mainly the fear of the unknown. Though biosolids aren’t new to our county, it is still a relatively new discussion for a lot of areas. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much when I received our first call, so that led me down a rabbit hole of videos, articles, and emails. The only fact I knew was that farmers use biosolids as an affordable source of Nitrogen for their growing crops. There are several articles that were written by staff here at the BCCD in January 2025 that are a good starting point that discusses the fertilizer concepts and Nitrogen. Here are a few non-technical, common Q&A’s to add to those. I spoke with representatives of “Clean & Green” regarding “Slow-Release N-Fertilizer” and the Class A-EQ Biosolids they market, which are popular in our county.

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1. Q: What is Class A-EQ? A: EQ stands for Exceptional Quality. This type of biosolids is the most tested and treated type of biosolids that our county receives. The original material is heated to over 185°F for a minimum of 30 minutes, creating a product that is 90% solids. With limited moisture, this ensures bacterial and biological material reduction. This is also done to reduce “vector attraction”-flies, rodents, pests.
2. Q: What’s that smell and when will it go away? A: It is an abrasive smell to those that may be used to typical things that are spread on our fields (i.e. cow manure), but after land application, the smell should dissipate relatively quickly. You may see a pile of dark brown/black material that is made up of pellet sized particles. The piles may be unsightly, however, legally they can be stacked for up to one year. This gives the farmer or land applicator time to spread during optimum conditions. This specific type of biosolids is also treated with food-grade mineral oil to aid in dust reduction.
3. Q: What regulations do they have to follow? A: Class A-EQ biosolids require a permit from PA DEP and are treated as a fertilizer. Since this product is NOT manure, which is heavily regulated in Pennsylvania, Class A-EQ biosolids do not have to follow the same rules. The company brochure does however state for application to not apply near water, storm drains, or drainage ditches. Not to apply in Exceptional Value Watersheds, when the ground is frozen or snow-covered, and not to apply if heavy rain is expected. Clean & Green analyzes samples 12 times per year and compares those to Penn State’s acceptable concentration tables for Heavy Metals, and other items of concern. With Class A-EQ, neighboring landowners are not required to be notified, due to the rigorous testing of the product and its composition.
4. Q: Who do I contact if I have concerns? A: The Department of Environmental Protection regulates Biosolids and holds a lot of related information that can be searched on their website. We, at the conservation district, do not have regulatory authority over biosolid application, however we are happy to help answer questions and facilitate discussions and learning opportunities regarding this in our county. This article is specifically talking about Class A-EQ biosolids (as it is the most common in the county, at this time). For any other type, different rules and regulations apply.

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The Bradford County Conservation District is committed to helping people manage resources wisely. You can visit the Bradford County Conservation District at 200 Lake Rd in Wysox across from the Wysox Fire Hall. Contact us at (570) 485-3144 or visit our web page at www.bccdpa.com.