Land Application or Land Filling Competing Interest or Complimenting Management Practices

Biosolids management represents approximately one half of the cost, both capital and operation, of water reclamation. It is also, for many agencies, the most challenging aspect of their operation.For years there has been a debate between land application, as beneficial use, and landfilling, as disposal. Land Application of biosolids is clearly a beneficial use, providing nutrients and organic matter to soil. A number of individuals have made compelling cases that biosolids use in the management of a landfill should also be considered a beneficial practice. The proponents cite the beneficial use of biosolids as cover material, either daily or final, and the use of biosolids to enhance the degradation of solid waste and increase the generation of methane. Seldom are the two management practices considered to compliment each other.This paper summarizes the state of practice of both land application and landfilling of biosolids. It also presents a case for considering the two practices as part of a single biosolids management program. The paper compares the regulatory, and management requirements for the practices when implemented individually and or as part of a combined program.