Before we tackle about the pros and cons of "Biosolids," we must know the meaning of biosolids. If indeed you may ask what Biosolids is, according to Virginia Biosolids Council - Biosolids are mostly organic solids resulting from the treatment of wastewater that have undergone additional treatment to kill pathogens and that have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for land application as a fertilizer and soil amendment.
Biosolids are rich in such nutrients as nitrogen and phosphorus and contain other supplementary nutrients, including potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc.
Biosolids are rich in such nutrients as nitrogen and phosphorus and contain other supplementary nutrients, including potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc.
This may sound so simple with it having a lot of different mineral and all, but biosolids are classified into two different kinds Class B and Class A. The federal Clean Water Act Part 503 regulations identify two classes of pathogen reduction for biosolids:
Class B biosolids undergo a "Process to Significantly Reduce Pathogens" (PSRP). Digesters and other forms of treatment kill from 90 to 99.5 percent of the pathogens originally found in wastewater solids. This means that pathogens are reduced to levels that are well below those found in animal manures. As a added layer of public protection, additional best management practices (BMPs) are required at the site where biosolids are applied, such as buffers and restrictions on access immediately after application. The natural environment of sunlight and existing organisms in the soil break down remaining pathogens.
In Virginia, Class B biosolids are used in bulk as fertilizers in agriculture and forestry and to reclaim barren lands. Site permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are required for Class B biosolids use.
Class A biosolids undergo a "Process to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP)." Pathogens are reduced to basically non-detectable levels. Class A biosolids products can be used on home lawns and gardens, parks and golf courses, and other place where public contact is likely without further regulation or site permits. Class A biosolids products include composted biosolids, lime pasteurized biosolids and fertilizer pellets. Class A biosolids products are sometimes ingredients in soil amendments, potting soils, and slow-release fertilizers available at lawn and garden centers.
The questions we now pose are: What are the pros and cons of Biosolids? Who are the potential stakeholders in this issue? Are we influenced by the western view of human waste as an unsanitary and disgusting nuisance?
PROS
- Creates jobs
- It is a cost effective method of disposal
- Recycles versus filling landfills
- Promotes farming
- Reduces emissions from transportation to landfills
- Good free fertilizer
- Land reclamation
- It is regulated according to EPA law 503
CONS
- Potential health hazard
- Effects irreversible
- Contamination resulting from accumulation of industrial waste
- Its true composition is unknown
- May contain hazardous chemicals
- Possibly transferable to crops
- Decreases property value
- Not sufficiently regulated
- Odor
Although the list of cons are sure to be looked after, according to Virginia Biosolids Council most of these on the list have been compiled on the Internet, but the validity of these is highly questionable.
The potential stakeholders in this issue are regulated under both the Environment Protection Act (EPA) and the Nutrient Management Act (NMA). The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) must approve the application of biosolids to land. In order to apply biosolids to be land, a certificate of approval to establish or operate a waste management system or waste disposal site under the EPA must be obtained. In addition, Regulation 347 under the EPA provideds details on the regulation of organic soil conditioning sites and the standards applied, such as distance from watercourses, points of access to water, and distance from residences. Many waste management projects are also regulated under the Environmental Assessment Act. The application of biosolids to land is permitted as long as these regulatory requirements are met.
Biosolids may be viewed as unsanitary and disgusting nuisance by the westerners and some of us may also be influenced by the fact that it is all sorts of wastes, but we must not directly criticize upon hearing the word we must go beyond its uses and capability to sustainable agricultural practices, we have to consider the benefit we get from human waste. If we weight-in the pros and cons of using biosolids as a sustainable agricultural practice, it is clear that it is indeed worth the use although it may pose hazardous risk on behalf of our health, the list of cons acts only as a caution and not what the media or collecting sources from the internet prove otherwise. According to the Virginia Biosolids Council Facts - Substantial evidence from years of research and the widespread use of biosolids on farms supports the conclusion that humans do not get sick from the land application of biosolids. The National Academy of sciences, in its 2002 review of current practices, public health concerns and regulatory standards, concluded that the use of biosolids in the production of crops presents "negligible risk" to humans, crop production and the environment.
Aside form the issue circulating the risks involve on our health, another dilemma arises as to whether biosolids use poses harm to the environment compared to the use of chemical fertilizers. And according to the research, biosolids are not harmful as long as they are used in accordance with nutrient management requirements, that there are pros and cons as well to all forms of plant nutrients used by farmers; and the key is how each of these forms is managed. Farmers can take advantage of the slow-release of biosolids nutrients during the growing season - in step with crop requirements. Additionally, the land application of biosolids is subject to more regulatory oversight than the use of commercial fertilizer.
As a conclusion biosolids (human wastes) used as a sustainable agricultural fertilizer can be a n alternative to our current agricultural practices provided good management and requirements are met by both the producers and the users. Biosolids is one way to make our environment enrich with added essential nutrients and needed organic matter to the soil; and not destroyed by some harsh commercialized chemical fertilizers. Although for a fact that biosolids is readily available I still prefer the traditional way of sustainable agricultural practices and not by bio-research process of producing enhanced fertilizers.
This is a 6 minute 45 seconds film about wastewater treatment processes and its distribution:
Sources:
Pictures
http://www.waterandwastewater.com/news/176_biosolids.jpg
http://www.biosolids.com.au/images/biosolids-treatment-process.jpg
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bjbW1-lXaU&feature=related
Web
http://www.virginabiosolids.com/faq/index.htm
http://www.sencer.net/Outreach/pdfs/DCSymposium08/Posters/LUbiosolids.pdf
http://www.cielap.org/pdf/Brief_Biosolids.pdf
http://www.aces.edu/crd/publications/ANR-721.html
http://www.hinkleycenter.com/publications/Biosolids%20Report%20Year-3%20with%20BMP.pdf
