ASSESSMENT OF VIABLE PRODUCT MARKETS IN ORANGE COUNTY AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

In recent years, associated with the development of biosolids processing technologies, significant effort has been placed on the marketability of products that move up the value chain from Class B dewatered biosolids cake to various forms of Class A- Exceptional Quality (EQ) products. The Orange County Sanitation District (District) evaluated the viability of various Class A-EQ products based on four management and marketing principles:Maximizing the use, demand, and value for biosolids based products is “benefits or problem solving” drive. This means customer based.Growing reliable and sustained product markets in the face of expanding competition requires “long-term commitments and investments”.Experience dictates that “a range of strong partnerships” throughout product processing, distribution channels, and consumption stages are critical to sustainable and growing markets.Experience dictates that “one or more failsafe backup markets” are important to long-term reliable biosolids management.This research included an assessment of the current and anticipated drivers for product marketing options available to the District, the biosolids management goals targeted by the District, a brief overview of the identified markets, followed by a detailed description and analysis of the markets.Based on this evaluation, the most viable products and markets for the District biosolids are:Compost – Utilization of compost over a wide range of horticultural, biomass to ethanol and erosion control applications.Dry Pellets & Granules – Utilization of dry pellets and granules, either in fortified of unfortified state, over a wide range of horticultural, biomass to ethanol and erosion control applications.Construction Materials – Utilization of dry, soil-like material in the construction industry.Fuel Energy Product – Utilize a fuel char in the energy production or recovery sector.Landfilling & Alternative Cover Products – Utilize composted or dried products in landfills (as a failsafe backup option) or in the landfill operation as an alternate source of MSW cover.