11/30/18
In Brief / en bref…
Words on Water covers biosolids: WEF podcasts & videos include biosolids experts explaining benefits & safety (podcast #37), biogas & renewable energy (podcast #42), and biosolids & climate change (podcast #45). These podcasts are the fine work of Travis Loop at WEF. Listen….
How is anaerobic digestion (AD) doing in New England? The most recent Northeast Digestion Roundtable webinar addressed this question. See notes from that latest regional update.
Congratulations LAWPCA for EPA Honorable Mention! This Maine WRRF anaerobic digestion & cogeneration project was singled out as a leading project in the PISCES award competition.
Meanwhile, AD is increasingly recognized as one part of the solution for addressing climate change. American Biogas Council provided this response to the recent IPCC and U. S. reports on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Synagro took over operations of the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District heat drying operations in early October, which were originally created and operated by NEFCO over most of the past two decades.
The operators of the Manchester, NH sewage sludge incinerator (SSI) have reached an agreement with U. S. EPA regarding reducing mercury emissions under the new MACT standards imposed by the EPA air program. See news release.
Grow Greenly Biosolids Plant Pots - High school students in Virginia have created a biodegradable plant pot product that won $10,000 in incubator funding. Lori Stone, formerly a biosolids lead at Black & Veatch, mentored the students. See the video. Check out their website.
VA Tech research shows marked increase in growth & vigor in plants grown with Bloom (l) & Tagro (center).
Virginia Tech provided another fine biosolids webinar, this time focused on evaluating biosolids soil blends for urban gardening. Students of Dr. Greg Evanylo clearly reported their findings. You can watch the webinar here.
Microplastics is an issue of growing public interest. How are wastewater and biosolids management involved? Is this a significant issue for biosolids? A session at WEFTEC addressed the issue. Recent news reported on finding microplastics in rivers, shellfish, and human excrement. But a Danish study of biosolids' role found more microplastics from ordinary agricultural practices than from biosolids. And Dr. Sally Brown, Univ. of Washington, addressed microplastics in a recent abstracts review available to members of NEBRA. Contact the NEBRA office for more details.
PFAS & Wastewater / Residuals Conference: NEWEA’s Residuals and Microconstituents (Contaminants of Emerging Concern) Committees produced a PFAS conference October 15th at the University of MA, Lowell. NEBRA participated, with Ned Beecher facilitating an update on PFAS regulatory policies and actions around the Northeast states. Shelagh Connelly (of NEBRA member Resource Management, Inc.) described how the uncertainty around PFAS and biosolids land application by NH DES and others are negatively impacting a couple of biosolids programs. See the NEWEA PFAS Conference archives to download copies of the presentations.
Natalie Sierra (Brown and Caldwell), Chair of the NEWEA Residuals Committee, welcomes delegates to the conference on October 15, 2018, at UMass Lowell.
