Planned Biosolids Facility Forms Nucleus for Eco-Complex

Catawba County owns and operates the Blackburn Landfill, a sanitary landfill for the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). Methane generated within the landfill is collected and utilized to generate electricity which is sold to Duke Power. In the process of combusting methane to generate electricity a significant amount of heat energy is produced, which is not currently utilized.Catawba County, along with the cities of Hickory and Conover, currently owns an in-vessel composting facility that processes sludge from these municipalities. Liquid sludge is transported by tanker trucks to this facility where it is dewatered and composted. Most of the compost product is marketed for reuse. While the process is sound, the operating cost is relatively high, with unit processing cost exceeding 400 per dry ton of solids. An alternative approach to biosolids management has been proposed, based on utilizing the waste heat energy from the power generators at the landfill site. In considering this regional biosolids facility, the concept of an eco-complex at the county sanitary landfill site is formed.