BIOSOLIDS AS A PRODUCT RATHER THAN WASTE ILLUSTRATES IMPORTANCE OF EMS

The Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) owns and operates the 120 MGD Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant (MFWTP). From the mid 1970's to late 2002, residuals were dewatered and disposed of in a landfill. In 1999, MSD initiated a design/build project to replace the entire solids handling system. MSD subsequently awarded a 65 million contract to design and construct a new solids handling system including anaerobic digestion of primary solids, centrifuge dewatering, and solids drying in rotary kiln dryers. The dryers produce a pelletized biosolids product that meets all criteria for Class A exceptional quality (EQ), and therefore has the potential for reuse in a wide variety of applicationsAs MSD explored the potential outlets for this new product, it became obvious that a significant cultural change would be required in the MSD organization to move from a “disposal mentality” to a “product marketing mentality”. To assist in implementing the necessary marketing approach, MSD developed a biosolids Environmental Management System (EMS), in cooperation with the National Biosolids Partnership. This paper will discuss the steps taken by MSD to achieve this cultural change throughout the entire organization, and the role the EMS played in organizing and facilitating MSD's new approach to biosolids management.