Viewpoint on the Future of Biosolids ― a Decade Later

摘要

Many of us speculate on the chal-lenges facing future generations. But generally speaking, wastewater industry professionals consider the future of the earth and, more specifically, biosolids management considerations. For many years, we simply dumped our biosolids in the oceans and buried them in landfills. Ten years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the "Standards for the Use and Disposal of Sewage Sludge" at 40 CFR Part 503. This rule: 1. Occurred as ocean dumping was banned, landfill space was decreasing, and landfill costs were increasing, thus causing a shift to biosolids reuse. 2. Created two levels of biosolids treatment with pathogen destruction. Both Class A and Class B allowed for land application, with more restrictions placed on Class B.