As the recent News Center Maine report reveals, time is running out to find solutions for managing Maine’s biosolids. Speaking on behalf of water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), NEBRA Board Member Scott Firmin talked of growing concerns about the impacts the current ban on biosolids-based soil products is having on WRRF operations and budgets.

Back in March of 2023, the combined impacts from two new laws passed by the Maine State legislature in 2022 finally hit home. LD1911 was the bill that banned the “sale or distribution and use” of biosolids-based products on land and LD1639 prohibited the import of oversized bulky wastes (OBW) from out of state. Despite behind the scenes efforts to avert the impacts on biosolids disposal, an unsafe situation at the main state landfill, Juniper Ridge and caused a pause in disposal of Maine’s biosolids. Landfilling is currently the only in-state option for Maine WRRFs. The situation forced the Maine legislature to put a pause on LD1639 for two years. A subsequent evaluation of biosolids management done for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection warns that Juniper Ridge will run out of space by 2028 if not expanded.   

Firmin and fellow NEBRA Board member Philip Tucker, have started to sound the warning and talk to the media about Maine’s biosolids problem. And they may be starting to get some traction — see Report shows Maine could face new biosolid capacity crisis by 2028 if action isn't taken (ampproject.org) and Maine's clean water sector warns of impending landfill capacity crisis (wgme.com). Nonetheless, WRRFs and biosolids managers in Maine are not waiting around for legislators to take action. They are actively seeking solutions for their customers. Portland Water has joined the York Sewer District in litigation against the manufacturers of PFAS. Portland Water and York Sewer are also proactively planning and looking at new technologies for biosolids processing, specifically for PFAS destruction.

NEBRA Member WM (formerly Waste Management) is poised to start construction of a Biosolids Processing Facility (BPF) this summer at its Crossroads Landfill in Norridgewock.  Once it’s up and running, WRRFs will transport biosolids to the BPF, which is a unique “closed loop” solution.

At the BPF, first the materials are dried, and then the dried biosolids are disposed at the landfill. Crossroads Landfill already collects the biogas generated by waste disposed at the landfill, by piping those gases to a 3.2 MW landfill-gas-to-renewable energy plant on site. Approximately two-thirds of the renewable energy generated by the landfill-gas-to-energy plant is expected to be used to power the heat pump driers at the BPF.  The drying equipment operates at a low temperature, uses a third of the energy of conventional biosolids driers, and importantly -- because the air is recirculated within the drier -- air emissions are virtually eliminated.

This unique BPF project is expected to be able to handle approximately 200 tons per day of biosolids. Of that 200 tons per day, approximately 50 tons of dried biosolids would be produced and sent to the onsite landfill for secure disposal. The remaining volume is water that is separated from the biosolids, processed and sent to a local permitted wastewater treatment plant. According to WM’s Lindsay D’Anna, the BPF is permitted by Maine Department of Environmental Protection (solid waste and air) and has obtained local planning board approval. 

NEBRA member Casella Organics, which operates the Juniper Ridge landfill under contract with the State of Maine, is looking for other options for biosolids management. Casella has partnered with Viridis Energy to bring an anaerobic digester back to life in Brunswick Landing. According to news reports, Casella will supply as much of that market capacity (about 233 tons per day) as possible from its current customer base that is using the landfill.  Casella and Viridis expect the biosolids facility to be up and running in 2026. The project is expected to supply heat and power to the surrounding developments.