Fertilizing Outside the Box: Marketing EQ Biosolids beyond the Agricultural Industry

Beneficial use of exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids by agricultural land application is a widely used practice across the nation. But why take a Rolls Royce to demolition derby? Numerous other beneficial use industries exist outside of the agricultural box that realize the value in EQ biosolids. Utilizing effective marketing to develop end user demand has the potential to expand beneficial use programs and generate revenues for wastewater treatment facilities.Biosolids are more than an “end product” that must be “disposed of”; biosolids are a valuable residual product worthy of introduction into a variety of specialty use markets. Beneficial use of biosolids is not only cost-effective for the community; it is also a sustainable way to enhance soils by providing nutrients and organic matter. Exceptional quality biosolids are a versatile residual product that can be beneficially used beyond agriculture as an organic-based fertilizer with a high micronutrient and organic matter content for sod production and turf maintenance, a bulking agent for compost, and an organic material additive for manufactured topsoil.The key to finding and utilizing these end use markets is focused product marketing, performance demonstrations, and permitting. This paper outlines findings from recent marketing and demonstration studies, including utilizing thermally dried biosolids for soil blending and sod establishment.