No subject

later, the end product can be used to improve soil or form a base for =
athletic fields, and it is safe for people and the environment.

Kilbourn said all pathogens and viruses that could be present in sludge =
are killed when the composting process heats to 140 to160 degrees. All =
odors associated with the system are sealed in composting tunnels and =
filtered, he said.

"There is no scientific evidence there have ever been health-related =
problems with these materials, when properly handled," Kilbourn stated.

"Resources should be recycled," said Kilbourn, who added that landfills =
are not the best places to put sludge, citing the bad smell created as =
one problem.

The sludge will be processed in Dutch-designed tunnels, after it is =
mixed with wood chips.

Kilbourn is proposing 10 tunnels, which are 12-feet high, 20-feet wide =
and 100-feet long.

Kilbourn likens the process to the home compost pile that gardeners =
maintain for top dressing and fertilizer, but on a faster pace and =
larger scale.

Kilbourn said the finished product is sold in bulk under the trade name =
Earthlife, but Middleboro residents would be able to draw on their own =
free pile.

Another boon to the town is the six to eight jobs that will be created =
by the project, which Kilbourn said are "perfect for local people" and =
include operation and plant managers and highly skilled equipment =
operators.

New England Organics' parent company is the trash hauler Casella Waste =
Management Inc.

Selectmen James W. Wiksten said the proposed sludge plant "sounds too =
good to be true."

"I'll listen, but I don't know how well it will go over," Wiksten said. =
"The nature of what they do raises eyebrows. It's not what we want to be =
known for."

Wiksten said the proposal is worth looking at, saying it has been under =
consideration for several years.

However, the project is still in the initial stages, Wiksten said, =
noting permitting through the Zoning Board of Appeals has yet to begin.

Resident Robert L. Lessard said his major concern with the sludge =
proposal is the parent company, Casella Waste Management.

"With the environmental record and problems with Casella, it is =
disturbing to me this is the company backing the project," he said.

Although Kilbourn said Casella is not involved in the management and =
operation of the facility, Lessard said Casella used the sludge plant to =
sweeten the deal when proposing to take over the town landfill last =
year.

In other matters tonight, selectmen will hold a public hearing on the =
June 7 town meeting warrant. The budget, and how it is financed, is a =
major issue, Wiksten said.

Wiksten clarified the budget should not be held contingent on a landfill =
contract and dispels talk that $1.8 million will be freed up to be used =
toward the 2005 operational budget.

At issue is $1.8 million held in reserve for capping the landfill.

Wiksten, who is also a member of the Waste Management Advisory Board =
that is negotiating a contract for landfill management, said the money =
should not be considered part of the budget.

Wiksten said selectmen have recommend departments level-fund their =
budgets.

"We're not putting $1.8 million anywhere in the budget because we don't =
have it. You cannot take that money, it is not the proper way to =
negotiate a contract," he said.

"If any department wants to take the chance that amount will be =
available in September and not lay people off ..." Wiksten said, "It's =
up to them."

Noting the school committee passed a budget on Thursday that is $1.2 =
million more than the town can fund, Wiksten said, "It puts pressure on =
(the advisory board) when negotiating."

Wiksten said if negotiations with Waste Management fall, through the =
school's $1.2 million shortage will have to be made up by taking from =
the $10 million general government's budget.

"We're not rushing into a 20-year deal the town has to live with. It =
could turn into a disaster if not done right."

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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The problem with the sludge compost =
(aside from=20
trucking, odour, and insufficient compost time) is heavy metals and =
toxic=20
chemicals.&nbsp; Here it would appear that residents will be offered =
this high=20
metals compost for home garden use, where the uptake of heavy metals =
into soils=20
and garden vegetables poses the greatest risk.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<P>The Enterprise</P>
<P>60 Main St.</P>
<P>P.O. Box 1450</P>
<P>Brockton, MA 02303-1450</P>
<P>(508) 586-6200</P>
<P>CONTACT US</P>
<P></P>
<P>Sludge plant proposal to be heard</P>
<P>By Alice C. Elwell, Enterprise correspondent</P>
<P>MIDDLEBORO =97 A state-of-the-art sewerage sludge recycling facility =
in South=20
Middleboro will be proposed to selectmen tonight.</P>
<P>Jay Kilbourn of New England Organics, the company proposing the $20 =
million=20
Cranberry Ridge Compost Facility near the SEMASS waste-to-energy plant, =
said=20
there will be no impact on the environment from composting sludge into a =
growing=20
medium.</P>
<P>The 200-acre site is owned by Mount Waldo Land Development Co. LLC, =
whose=20
principals are James F. Gerrity III, Richard Skerry and Wayne Chevy.</P>
<P>Kilbourn said the sludge composting plant would be a joint venture =
between=20
New England Organics and Mount Waldo.</P>
<P>Town Manager John F. Healey said Mount Waldo is proposing to develop =
the site=20
as an industrial complex with the composting facility as one =
component.</P>
<P>Kilbourn said New England Organics will pay the town $200,000 =
annually in=20
taxes and host community royalties and expects to open in 2006, if the =
project=20
goes forward.</P>
<P>Sludge will come into the facility by truck, and be dumped into =
enclosed=20
"tunnels."</P>
<P>From there, Kilbourn said, the composting process begins and two =
weeks later,=20
the end product can be used to improve soil or form a base for athletic =
fields,=20
and it is safe for people and the environment.</P>
<P>Kilbourn said all pathogens and viruses that could be present in =
sludge are=20
killed when the composting process heats to 140 to160 degrees. All odors =

associated with the system are sealed in composting tunnels and =
filtered, he=20
said.</P>
<P>"There is no scientific evidence there have ever been health-related =
problems=20
with these materials, when properly handled," Kilbourn stated.</P>
<P>"Resources should be recycled," said Kilbourn, who added that =
landfills are=20
not the best places to put sludge, citing the bad smell created as one=20
problem.</P>
<P>The sludge will be processed in Dutch-designed tunnels, after it is =
mixed=20
with wood chips.</P>
<P>Kilbourn is proposing 10 tunnels, which are 12-feet high, 20-feet =
wide and=20
100-feet long.</P>
<P>Kilbourn likens the process to the home compost pile that gardeners =
maintain=20
for top dressing and fertilizer, but on a faster pace and larger =
scale.</P>
<P>Kilbourn said the finished product is sold in bulk under the trade =
name=20
Earthlife, but Middleboro residents would be able to draw on their own =
free=20
pile.</P>
<P>Another boon to the town is the six to eight jobs that will be =
created by the=20
project, which Kilbourn said are "perfect for local people" and include=20
operation and plant managers and highly skilled equipment operators.</P>
<P>New England Organics' parent company is the trash hauler Casella =
Waste=20
Management Inc.</P>
<P>Selectmen James W. Wiksten said the proposed sludge plant "sounds too =
good to=20
be true."</P>
<P>"I'll listen, but I don't know how well it will go over," Wiksten =
said. "The=20
nature of what they do raises eyebrows. It's not what we want to be =
known=20
for."</P>
<P>Wiksten said the proposal is worth looking at, saying it has been =
under=20
consideration for several years.</P>
<P>However, the project is still in the initial stages, Wiksten said, =
noting=20
permitting through the Zoning Board of Appeals has yet to begin.</P>
<P>Resident Robert L. Lessard said his major concern with the sludge =
proposal is=20
the parent company, Casella Waste Management.</P>
<P>"With the environmental record and problems with Casella, it is =
disturbing to=20
me this is the company backing the project," he said.</P>
<P>Although Kilbourn said Casella is not involved in the management and=20
operation of the facility, Lessard said Casella used the sludge plant to =
sweeten=20
the deal when proposing to take over the town landfill last year.</P>
<P>In other matters tonight, selectmen will hold a public hearing on the =
June 7=20
town meeting warrant. The budget, and how it is financed, is a major =
issue,=20
Wiksten said.</P>
<P>Wiksten clarified the budget should not be held contingent on a =
landfill=20
contract and dispels talk that $1.8 million will be freed up to be used =
toward=20
the 2005 operational budget.</P>
<P>At issue is $1.8 million held in reserve for capping the =
landfill.</P>
<P>Wiksten, who is also a member of the Waste Management Advisory Board =
that is=20
negotiating a contract for landfill management, said the money should =
not be=20
considered part of the budget.</P>
<P>Wiksten said selectmen have recommend departments level-fund their=20
budgets.</P>
<P>"We're not putting $1.8 million anywhere in the budget because we =
don't have=20
it. You cannot take that money, it is not the proper way to negotiate a=20
contract," he said.</P>
<P>"If any department wants to take the chance that amount will be =
available in=20
September and not lay people off ..." Wiksten said, "It's up to =
them."</P>
<P>Noting the school committee passed a budget on Thursday that is $1.2 =
million=20
more than the town can fund, Wiksten said, "It puts pressure on (the =
advisory=20
board) when negotiating."</P>
<P>Wiksten said if negotiations with Waste Management fall, through the =
school's=20
$1.2 million shortage will have to be made up by taking from the $10 =
million=20
general government's budget.</P>
<P>"We're not rushing into a 20-year deal the town has to live with. It =
could=20
turn into a disaster if not done right."</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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