Alternate: Benefits of a Land Application Program in Ohio

This session will focus on biosolids reuse, the benefits of using them in agriculture, as well as advantages of a land application program for the municipality. The first question that needs to be answered is if a land application program is right for you. To do this, you must seek to understand the different avenues available in the marketplace. Ohio is blessed with multiple disposal options aside from landfilling. These options include land application, composting, further digestion, incineration, and trenching (I just changed the order from most advantageous to least) When land applying biosolids, in-field procedures need to be developed with land application regulations in mind. There are safeguards that can be put in place to help mitigate non-compliance issues; although, these won't be the only concerns that need taken into consideration. Farmers rely on having healthy soils to make a living, and they are very aware of what may be in biosolids. Even though all biosolids aren't created equal, the elements that are required to be tested are the same. The nutrient and metal content should be considered regarding plant uptake and growth. To better understand these numbers, a land application scenario will be provided to discuss pollutant loading rates, typical agricultural fertilizing rates, and nutritional value among other items. Promoting the agricultural benefits when biosolids are used as a fertilizer should be an integral part of a good land application program. Understanding your clients, their farming practices, and the local climate are all important aspects of marketing biosolids. Speaking of marketing biosolids, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the regulations when speaking with the farmer clients. For example, 'Do your biosolids meet VAR and what are the options if not? Is your VAR high or low, and how does this pertain to odors?' The 'Odors' topic is a conversation in itself; accordingly, having options to mitigate them are also important. Ultimately, this session should leave you with a better understating of what a good land application program should entail, and a better look at how biosolids are marketed in the agricultural community.