TNANOWTR- II

Kevin Brown, Ag Resource Specialist, BCCD
We all love our acronyms in this day and age so I will use one for part II of the biosolids article (The News Article No One Wants To Read).  Last week I focused on biosolids just being nutrients.  The same nutrients that make up our bodies, our food, our clothing, etc.  To my knowledge, we don’t ever really gain or lose nutrients.  They just move from form to form. 
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Biosolids can be controversial, as with a lot of things, but if we can just get them put back on the ground for use in their next form, that is probably the best place for them.  The Penn State Extension newsletter* referred to at the end of this article says it best, “Three viable options now exist for disposal or use of this sludge: landfill placement; incineration; and recycling through application to farm, forest, or mine land. Although each of these options has its place, recycling efforts have increased in recent years because of growing recognition that our society cannot afford to throw away the valuable resources in sewage sludge (biosolids).”  

These products are heavily regulated.  They are watched, tracked, permitted, and documented very thoroughly- when, where, how much, what levels of nutrients, etc.  If applied according to the rules, there should be no problems.  Also, I would say that if we had the technology to put a man on the moon 60 years ago, we ought to have the technology to make this product both dust free and (reasonably) odor free.  They are typically the complaints.  In my opinion, if the biosolids company really wants to keep their name clean, and keep the person that is applying it clean, all they have to do is make it dust and (relatively) odor free and they would achieve their goal.  Cow manure smells, as well as hog and chicken.  Our own septic system smells.  Total elimination is probably not possible.  If you are seeing something that is concerning, a phone call may be worth it.  Call us.  Call DEP.   Just remember, it is already highly regulated so whomever you call may not be able to do much.  However, I would think the company producing it and the person applying it would care so that they can continue to get rid of the product the easiest and best way they can.

Also know, there are different levels of biosolids.  There are, at a minimum, EQ (Exception Quality), Non-EQ (Non-Exceptional Quality), and Residential Septage.  Then there are different means of treating it for pathogen reduction.  Class A is the gold standard and has thoroughly been treated for pathogens.  As time goes by, more and more products are coming out that are EQ and Class A.   Essentially, these are treated to the highest standards and they have very few regulations on them.  It can basically be treated just like fertilizer.

Next is Non-EQ.  Non-EQ is a product that has not been treated nearly to that extent.  It is still deemed “safe” and has to be within tolerances for a number of things.  However, because it is not treated as much, it is much more regulated in the field.  This product will have a number of restrictions on it, as well as setbacks from any kind of groundwater. 

The last classification is Residential Septage.  This product typically is treated by adding lots and lots of lime to it.  Raising the pH of a product destroys a very large portion of the pathogens.  It won’t do much for other things like odor and such, but it does” clean” it up as far as pathogens and such go.  The end product can be used to increase pH on fields as it is so high in pH. 

*- This is a very general overview, at best.  An extremely good document, for those wanting more is “Sewer Sludge- A Plain English Tour of the Regulations” by Penn State Extension.  Google it.  They really do a good job explaining it in-depth. 
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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.