Sludge Watch ==> Honolulu - Synagro sludge pellets ordered into landfill by Health Dept

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

The Health Department is right to have concerns about these sludge pellets.
I doubt they would pass the test for fertilizer in Canada.

Why?  Because sludge pellets deliver a great deal of heavy metals, not much 
nitrogen,
too much phosphorus, and they they tend to vary in toxins and nutrients so 
much that there can be no one accurate label and instruction for use.

Most of the sludge pellets are headed to landfill...so watch the landfill 
for smoldering fires from spontaneous combustion. (The sludge plant there 
has already had one fire).
The pellets in the landfill will get wetter and wetter..and start to 
decompose. Sewage sludge  pellets generally have the very low  combustion 
point and are prone to self heating and spontaneous combustion.

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Health Concerns Stall Recycled Waste Plan

Updated: Nov 16, 2007 06:13 AM EST

Pellets Dumped at Landfill


By Beth Hillyer

HONOLULU (KHNL) -- Controversy surrounds Honolulu's new solid waste 
processing plant at Sand Island.

Sludge is what's left after waste goes through sewage treatment. It used to 
be trucked to Oahu's landfill, but now it can be made into fertilizer 
pellets for golf courses and farms.

The problem, just like sludge, the pellets are also going to the landfill.

This nearly $40 million dome-shaped plant is called a digester. Sludge is 
pumped in, 20 days later tiny pellets come out. Less sludge is now dumped at 
the landfill.

"In terms of weight we decreased it by about 66 percent. This rolloff bin is 
about 10 tons and before pelletizing you would send 15 per week to the 
landfill," said Plant Manager, Kenny Huy.

Five containers of pellets go to the dump each week.

But that wasn't what the city bargained for. Synagro, the plant operator was 
supposed to sell the pellets as fertizlier and the city would share in the 
profit. But so far the Health Department has said no.

"The city would benefit from the free fertilizer. 20-thousand tons a year 
would make the entire island green. The issue was one of health, whether 
these pellets can't be completely sterilized otherwise it's useless as 
fertilizer, " explained Sand Island Business Association Director, Rodney 
Kim.

Plant managers believe the fertilizer will be popular once they are allowed 
to sell it.

But for now it's nearly all going to the dump.


"It's interesting now that they are in operation and the Department of 
Health says wait we are not going to let you distribute this so where are 
the pellets going? To the landfill," concluded Kim.

The Health Department is allowing customers to use the pellets on a trial 
basis. The rest go to the landfilll.

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=7369069