The lowdown on biosolids

WEF offers a new question-and-answer fact sheet to ease concerns about land application and composting

Seldom has something so beneficial caused such controversy. Land application of biosolids has the sanction of the U.S. EPA as a beneficial way to recycle a resource. Yet in many areas of the country, especially heavily urbanized and suburban areas, the public raises concerns about a host of issues: odors, heavy metals, pathogens, water contamination, and more.

Although clean-water agencies have been land-applying biosolids for years, concerns persist. Now, the Water Environment Federation has released a fact sheet in question-answer format that deals with the concerns most often raised, not only about land application but also about composting, a growing practice.

The fact sheet tells the basics of what biosolids are, the various options for managing the material, the advantages of beneficial use, the federal and state regulations affecting land application and composting, the science behind the practices, and the reasearch studies that have addressed them directly. It also deals one by one with the concerns people raise.

If your clean-water agency is facing controversy over beneficial use of biosolids, a fact sheet won't solve all your problems. But this new publication does give you a useful handout for the public from an authoritative source, and a quick ready-reference for staff members who may need to answer questions from citizens and customers. You can download the fact aheet at www.wef.org.

WEF says the fact sheet is part of a new clearinghouse of communications materials that will help municipalities and utilities respond to issues related to biosolids recycling.



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