Sludge Watch ==> Virginia Board of Health - tougher sludge rules

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Sewage sludge is often not land applied in compliance with even the very lax 
standards provided by the EPA or the provincial governments in Canada.  Why 
is this?  It is spread in rural communities and the sludge rules are made 
deliberately confusing and hard for people to understand.  This way when the 
regulations are not followed, very few people know enough to effectively 
challenge the illegal spreading.

After the Walkerton incident where 7 people died from drinking water 
contaminated with Ecoli O157 the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (who 
had failed to enforce the environemental requirements in Walkerton's water 
supply and in Walkerton's sludge spreading) then started to be a little more 
stringent about land application. Suddenly there had to be farmer sign off, 
suddenly there were compliance audits.  Suddenly there wasn't enough land in 
Southern Ontario to spread all the industrial and municipal sludge from 
urban communities.  Much of Southern Ontario sludge is now trucked long 
distances to New York state landfills or to Quebec.

...........................................



Sludge rules get tougher


By Sarah Watson
swatson at newsadvance.com
April 24, 2007


Stronger environmental standards are among several new biosolids regulations 
recently adopted by the state Board of Health.

One measure requires biosolids companies to file a plan to manage nutrients 
flowing into nearby waterways and groundwater. Another mandates that the 
companies have someone certified by the state on staff and on site whenever 
treated sewage sludge is spread. The certification would need to be renewed 
annually.

The code amendments were approved by the Board of Health during its meeting 
Friday in Richmond. The regulations, under consideration for several years 
by the state Department of Health, follow a General Assembly session that 
included debate over several measures taking aim at biosolids application 
and regulation.

“It used to be easier to amend a regulation,” Hicks said. “Now it’s easier 
to change the law.”

Though using nutrient management plans is normally voluntary and relatively 
common for farmers, this is the first time they will be required for using a 
specific fertilizer - in this case, biosolids, said Gary Waugh, spokesperson 
for the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

“This is a big step forward because very few sites have nutrient management 
plans that both the farmer and land applier have to follow,” Bob Hicks, 
director for VDH’s department of environmental health services, told the 
board.

For example, if the management plan determined that the crops wouldn’t 
absorb the nutrients at certain times of the year, the plan would have to 
say biosolids couldn’t be applied during that time, Hicks said.

Three amendments also were proposed, including establishing a field storage 
designation that would permit sites similar to one off Otterville Road in 
Bedford County. Previously field sites were approved through a special 
variance, Hicks said. Recent signed legislation gives counties the option to 
require local approval or special-use permits for biosolids storage 
facilities.

The passed amendments will go into effect as soon as the administration 
reviews them, Hicks said.

Other amendments to the code that were approved include:

- If there is a violation dispute between biosolids land appliers and 
counties with monitoring ordinances similar to one recently passed in 
Campbell County, then anything relating to the alleged violation must be 
stopped until a decision is made by the state health commissioner.

- Buffer zones would be increased by at least 400 feet if the spread site is 
near someone sensitive to odors. Additionally, the commissioner could impose 
more stringent requirements if needed to protect public health, the 
environment or to prevent nuisances.