After visiting with the DC Water’s Bloom Biosolids team Sustainability of your earsinvited Crispeat, director of resource recovery. bloomexplains the existence of producing safe biosolids for agriculture.
Reduced farm yields, nutrient-deprived soil, increased energy and fertilizer costs, reduced soil carbon storage, increased drought. What if some of the solutions to these problems just flow down?
Biosolids are nutrient-rich wastewater treatment residues, a process designed to prevent carbon and nutrients from shaking the delicate balance of American waterways. However, carbon is energy and nutrients are fertilizers. Recovering these resources reduces the environmental and economic costs of the utility. With more than ever sustainable solutions for waste management and agricultural productivity, biosolids offer countless environmental and economic benefits.
What is Biosolid?
Biosolids are by-products of the wastewater treatment process. After the wastewater is treated to remove contaminants, the remaining solids are further treated to reduce pathogens and odors, and converted into fertilizers rich in carbon and micronutrients. Depending on the level of treatment, biosolids are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency into either Class A Exceptional Quality, Class A, or Class A. Exceptional quality biosolids such as Class A DC Water Bloom products meet strict standards for pathogen reduction and can be used. Grow everything from food to flowers.
Recycling wastewater to improve soil fertility is nothing new. As Lena Zeldovich wrote in her book Other dark matterthe refined market of “Night Soil” dates back to the empire of Japan and other parts of the world. Miloganite, a Milwaukee bagged biosolid product, has been on the market for over a century. This product is a very favorite among lawn enthusiasts. This is often sold out in garden shops across the country.
Bloom, DC Water bulk soil correctionIt also developed a local supporter who has been selling an average of 60,000 tonnes a year since 2022. Class A EQ designations allow the public to purchase Bloom directly from DC Water or Landscape Supplies or Garden Centers. Research conducted at Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland in collaboration with partners such as the Maryland Highways Department has established lawns, crops and more in a variety of environments, from soil conditions along roads to newly established wetlands. We have demonstrated the use of blooms in terms of soil and efficacy in the treatment of the plant. .
Improve soil health and fertility
One of the superpowers of Biosolids is its ability to improve soil health. Rich in essential nutrients such as nitrogen, biosolids act as natural fertilizers to replenish depleted soil. Unlike synthetic fertilizers, biosolids slowly release nutrients, providing a stable supply over time, reducing the risk of nutrient efflux. Biosolid organic matter (carbon) also has myriad benefits. Improved soil nutrition and aqueous capacity, increased drought resistance, supply of beneficial microorganisms, and reduced erosion.
By using biosolids, farmers and other growers can reduce their dependence on expensive, non-renewable fertilizers while closing the nutritional loop, instead of disposing them in landfills or incinerators. Natural materials can be recycled into the soil.
Addressing contaminant concerns
Naturally, there are some general concerns about potential contaminants in biosolids, the earliest of which is the PFA. This ubiquitous group of over 3,000 artificial chemicals is fire, oil, grease, water, and resistant to infectious diseases, and includes a wide range of products including non-stick cooking utensils, paper, stain repellents, dental floss, and cleaning products. It can be found in consumers and industrial products. Food packaging and cosmetics.
PFA is ubiquitous in our society, resulting in small concentrations of sewer and biosolid products. In communities with industries related to the use of PFA, wastewater residuals can have much higher concentrations. Because our metro DC area does not have such an industry, PFA levels during flowering are not higher than background levels It is found in the rainwater itself, and is much less dust in our own homes and the everyday products we use. We share concerns about the existence of these chemicals in our society, and as a sustainable solution, national efforts must focus on source control or removal from purchased products. I strongly believe in it.
Reduce waste and environmental impact
Employing biosolids as a resource significantly reduces the amount of organic waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Wastewater treatment plants produce millions of tons of biosolid each year, and by diverting this material from traditional disposal methods, it saves valuable landfills. Furthermore, landfill organic materials can produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. In DC Water, a process called anaerobic digestion captures the methane released in the process, generates 8 megawatts of electricity, producing about a third of the energy needed to operate the facility, and the plants are then used to create a country. It will be the largest green energy project in the capital. DC Water’s carbon dioxide emissions also fell 40% after the introduction of thermal hydrolysis. This kills all pathogens, while reducing the enormous amount of drainage soil in half, reducing the need for energy-intensive trucking, while also serving as a huge pressure cooker.
DC Water System Upgrade Not only did it bring quality biosolid products, reduced carbon footprint and a step towards a net-zero future, but it also reduced utility costs, eased future water bills, and maintain resources This has raised aging infrastructure and other priorities. Many wastewater treatment plants generate energy through anaerobic digestion of biosolids, producing biogas that can be used for electricity and heating. This process reduces dependence on fossil fuels and supports the transition to renewable energy.
Biosolids are a prominent example of the ability to regain waste for valuable containment resources, and in the process help to promote a more sustainable circular economy.
Editor’s Note: January 2025, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Draft risk assessment released We assess potential human health risks associated with passfluoroorkylation substances (PFAs), particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in biosolids.
