AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF USING VEGETABLE TANNERY BIOSOLIDS AS A SOIL CONDITIONER/PLANT GROWTH SUPPLEMENT

摘要

A continuing four year research project started in 1992, is sponsored by three cooperating vegetable tanneries based in Pennsylvania with support from the Ben Franklin Partnership. This project has assessed the environmental impact of land application of wastewater biosolids on soil chemistry, surface water runoff, groundwater recharge and plant tissue composition. The biosolids have proven to be an environmentally clean, low impacting source of plant nutrients and an effective soil conditioner/plant growth supplement. The results of this project convinced and satisfied Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Resources (DER) and Department of Agriculture (DA), that the biosolids are not a waste product but rather a valuble and useful "coproduct" of the manufacturing process. The DER issued each tannery a coproduct "letter of concurrence" stating that the biosolids are no longer a regulated waste. The biosolids are now licensed conditioners (DA) that are bought and sold like any other market commodity.