Should Biosolids Be in Compost?

Recycling is a choice. Some people do it and others choose not to. Recycling waste from urban populations is one solution to the growing problem of urban pollution. We are not here to convince you to use compost containing biosolids. Companies are not forced to tell you if there compost contains biosolids or not. They are not supposed to lie but they don't have to reveal it on their bags or in the information they provide. 

Viragrow takes a different stand. Some of our composts contain biosolids. It is your choice whether you decide to use that compost or not. We do support recycling.

Three types of waste come from residential communities: municipal solid waste (trash or garbage), green waste (plant waste from landscape and food industries) and wastewater (sewage). Some waste is recyclable while others currently are not. There is a growing effort to recycle more and more of our waste reducing the growing environmental problems in our landfills. 

Sunrise Landfill in Las Vegas

Biosolids are manufactured from community wastewater. Biosolids are as different from “poop” or “sewage” as compost is from “manure”. In fact, biosolids are more closely monitored and regulated than manure compost, yard waste compost and organic fertilizers.  To meet Federal regulations, biosolids are submitted to sophisticated treatments developed by scientists and engineers using very sophisticated technologies.  Technologies that manufacture Class A biosolids result in a product that reduces human pathogen levels below laboratory detection.

People concerned about biosolids in compost are usually apprehensive about the levels of human pathogens (like Salmonella and E. coli), heavy metals (such as lead and arsenic) and pharmaceutical and personal care products. Pathogens and heavy metals are relatively easy to detect and should be in any compost report. Pharmaceuticals, whether they are contained in animal composts or composts with biosolids, are much more difficult to quantify and the significance of their presence is not yet well understood.

The EPA on Using Biosolids for Gardening

Human Pathogens and Biosolids. Class A biosolids, or Exceptional Quality biosolids (EQ), contain no detectable levels of human pathogens. Make sure composts for gardens and landscapes contain Class A biosolids. Class B biosolids are not acceptable for home gardens.

Heavy Metals and Biosolids. Heavy metal levels monitored include Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Molybedenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni) Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn). These should all be within limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pharmaceuticals and Biosolids. Research is very limited concerning pharmaceuticals and their presence, or their byproducts, in manure and biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are not limited to just biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are also present in animal manures and compost made from animal manures. In some cases, pharmaceuticals are used with less discretion when treating animals than those used to treat human diseases.

Personal Care Products and Biosolids. Personal care products, or PPC’s, are used for personal hygiene and beautification. These include soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, lotions, makeup among hundreds of others. Contributions of these products to compost made from biosolids is currently very poorly understood. For this reason it has given the industry a measure of concern but not alarm. Follow Viragrow’s blog and website for updates in this important field of research.

At ViraGrow we follow compost research very closely. We believe all of our composts and soil amendments are safe for humans and all food crops as well as turfgrass and ornamentals. Using our soil amendments, if done at appropriate rates and timing, will give you a bountiful harvest of fresh fruits and vegetables and improve your landscape aesthetics. At the same time you have made the choice to recycle.

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Municipalities Making Compost for Gardens from Biosolids

The following are just some of the municipalities that are processing biosolids into compost and marketing this compost for gardens and home landscapes. Check it out!

‘Milorganite’ Milwaukee, Wisconsin

http://www.mmsd.com/NewsDetails.aspx

‘Dillo Dirt’ Austin, Texas

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Water/DilloDirt/hornsbybendbro.pdf

‘GroCo’ King County, Washington

http://www.mmsd.com/NewsDetails.aspx

‘OrGro’ Baltimore, Maryland

http://www.orgro.cc/product/useProduct.html

‘Com-Til’ Columbus, Ohio

http://utilities.columbus.gov/content.aspx?id=38184

‘Earthmate’ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

http://www.phila.gov/water/EQ.html

‘earthlife’ Unity, Maine

http://casellaorganics.com/sites/default/files/file/2013/jun/hawk_ridge_compost_4_23_13.pdf

‘Oceangro’ New Jersey

http://www.ocua.com/OceanGro/SitePages/Home.aspx

‘Metrogro’ Madison, Wisconsin

http://www.madsewer.org/Portals/0/ProgramInitiatives/MetroGro/MetrogroBrochure.pdf

‘WeCare Compost’ ‘WeCare Vermicompost’ East Coast ‘

http://www.wecareorganics.com/products_compost.htm

‘Bay State Fertilizer’ Boston, Massachusetts

http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/03sewer/html/baystate.htm

‘SilviGrow’ Seattle, Washington

‘TAGRO’ Tacoma, Washington

http://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_departments/environmentalservices/tagro/

‘SoundGro’ Pierce County, Washington

http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/index.aspx?NID=1663

‘EKO Compost’ Missoula, Montana

http://www.ekocompost.com/

‘TopGro’ Los Angeles, California

http://www.lacitysan.org/srpcd/MC_griffithPark.htm

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Some Frequently Asked Questions about Biosolids

What are biosolids?

Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials processed and refined from domestic sewage in a wastewater treatment facility. When treated and processed, biosolids can be safely recycled and applied to landscapes and garden soils where they supply plant nutrients and improve the soil. Biosolids are closely regulated by state and federal laws. Biosolids used in composts must, by law, be free of human pathogens.

Is there a difference between biosolids and sludge?

Yes. Sludge is as different from biosolids, as manure is from compost. Wastewater is a combination of solid waste and liquid waste. In the wastewater treatment process, solids are separated from liquids. The solids, after further treatment, are then called sludge. The remaining liquid is called effluent. 

In southern Nevada tertiary treated effluent (the highest level of treatment) is used for irrigating golf courses, schools playgrounds, parks and right of ways. When treated water is put to beneficial use it is called recycled water. Recycled water accounts for 40 percent of our water used in Southern Nevada. In a similar fashion, sludge from wastewater is processed and refined to make biosolids. When treated and processed, biosolids can be recycled and safely applied as fertilizer to sustainably improve desert soils and stimulate plant growth.

The treatment process of wastewater in Las Vegas

What can we do with biosolids?

Biosolids are a solid waste from wastewater. Early in Las Vegas history wastewater was piped directly into the desert to get rid of solid waste. Thirty years ago, thousands of American cities dumped raw sewage directly into rivers, lakes, and bays. Environmental regulations no longer permit this type of disposal. We now have wastewater treatment plants and state and federal regulations that give direction for the safe disposal of solid waste and effluent. Local governments operating wastewater treatment plants currently have three options available for disposing of their solid waste from wastewater; recycle it as fertilizer, incinerate it or bury it in a landfill. In southern Nevada we currently bury our solid waste in landfills.

Are biosolids safe?

The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed current practices, public health concerns and regulator standards and has concluded that "the use of these materials in the production of crops for human consumption, when practiced in accordance with existing federal guidelines and regulations, presents negligible risk to the consumer, to crop production and to the environment." Here is what two major Universities say about the safety of biosolids and food crops.

“The use of high quality biosolids, coupled with proper management, should safeguard the consumer from contaminated crops and minimize any potential adverse effect on the environment.”

Michigan State University. Utilizing Biosolids on Agricultural Land, December, 2001.

https://www.msu.edu/~warncke/E2781%20Utilizing%20Biosolids%20on%20Agricultural%20Land.pdf

“The use of manure and municipal biosolids as crop fertilizer is both safe and effective when properly administered.”

University of Florida. Food Safety on the Farm: Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices—Manure and Municipal Biosolids, Reviewed Feb 2013.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs150

Are there differences in biosolids?

Yes. There are three classes of biosolids. Class A biosolids (sometimes called EQ or Exceptional Quality biosolids) contain no detectible levels of pathogens and very low levels of metals. Class B biosolids contain detectible levels of pathogens and should not be used in home landscapes and gardens. Make sure composted biosolids for home or garden were certified as Class A.

Can biosolids be used in my garden?

Yes. Biosolids are used to fertilize agricultural crops. Composted biosolids have been shown to produce significant improvements in crop growth and yield in numerous studies. Nutrients found in biosolids, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and trace elements such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur and zinc, are necessary for crop production and growth. The organic nitrogen and phosphorous found in biosolids are used very efficiently by crops because they are released slowly throughout the growing season. This enables the crop to absorb these nutrients as the crop grows. The use of biosolids reduces the need to apply fertilizers and improves soil organic matter. The organic matter improves soil structure by increasing the soil's ability to absorb and store moisture.

How much composted biosolids can I apply to my garden?

Much of that depends on how much soil organic matter is already present and the nutrient content of your soil. Raw desert soils require much more than a productive vegetable garden. Most productive gardens will require somewhere between one to two inches of compost applied to the surface and cultivated into the soil each growing season. A new garden area which never had compost before may need twice this amount the first season. Consult your ViraGrow representative for recommendations.

Are there regulations governing the safe use of biosolids?

The Federal EPA biosolids rule is contained in 40 CFR Part 503. A copy is on file at ViraGrow for public inspection. Otherwise you can read obtain a copy online at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/biosolids/503pe_index.cfm

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