May 22, 2008

Overview of Biosolids Management Planning: Opportunities for New Directions

Overview of Biosolids Management Planning: Opportunities for New Directions

Key themes: A review of items and issues that should be considered, but that traditionally are NOT part of the biosolids planning process. Included will be issues such as: how to define beneficial use, moving beyond least cost planning to also including social and environmental benefits, sustainability, carbon sequestration, considering the nexus between energy and biosolids (energy uses and generation potential), reverse engineering (starting with the desired end product) and including public involvement as part of the planning, capital and operating budget.

Thinking outside the fence…

Traditionally, a Biosolids Management Plan starts out by looking at other studies that have been done and describing the existing situation. This is followed by developing a long list of all the possible alternatives and comparing these alternatives to a baseline scenario. Usually the alternatives fall into the categories of;

•
• Land application •
• Landfill disposal •
• Incineration •
• Creating and marketing a Class A product by:
1. Composting 2. Heat drying 3. Alkaline stabilization 4. Other thermal processes

These are the general categories of alternatives that have been widely implemented. There are innovative processing technologies and disposal/end use alternatives and the criteria used to evaluate these alternatives are listed in Attachment 1.

This comparison usually looks at factors that effect life inside the wastewater treatment plant fence. The plan would attempt to answer management and staff questions like: How difficult is it to operate? What are the worker safety and health considerations? Is it reliable? How much land is needed for the processing and storage equipment? Is it noisy, dusty or cause odors in the plant? How soon can we implement the alternative? What are the permitting requirements? What are the recordkeeping and reporting requirements? What are the capital, operating and maintenance costs?

Once the long list of alternatives has been whittled down to just a few options a financial analysis is conducted. This considers only direct costs to the agency. What will be our cash outlay and what will we have to charge the sewer users? However, if we are considering the full cost benefits of biosolids management alternatives we would perform an economic analysis.

There is an important distinction between a financial analysis and an economic analysis . An economic analysis takes into account a wider range of benefits and costs of a project from all perspectives including the customer and society as a whole. These can include direct benefits such as avoided cost of landfill disposal as well as non market benefits and costs such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon.

Why is economic analysis appropriate for biosolids management projects? Biosolids disposal or reuse typically produces a wide range of direct and indirect benefits to society. Many of these benefits may not be fully appreciated in part because the benefits are applied to groups or resources outside the wastewater treatment plant fence.

Look outside the fence…… The following table provides some examples of indirect or external benefits –

Alternative Beneficiary External Benefit Landfill Disposal Landfill owner Enhanced methane recovery Improved leachate quality Increased revenues Agricultural use Farmer Free nutrients and organic matter Ag use and reclamation Downstream Water Consumers Improved water quality due to erosion control, Nutrient management planning, maintaining riparian buffers, and reduced acid mine drainage. Reclamation Wildlife Improved wildlife habitat, stream water quality and fishery value Land owner Returns land to productive use Regional population Carbon sequestration, reduced greenhouse gas emissions Local Industry Carbon equivalents, tradable credits? Economic development Incineration Neighbors Minimize numbers of trucks on the road Incineration with energy recovery Electric/gas providers Supplement energy generating capability, reduce peak demand Meet the need for renewable energy credits Incineration/drying with heat recovery Regional population Complete stabilization process destroying all volatile solids and pathogens. Reduced demand for fossil fuels. Low potential for onsite or offsite odors.

Go outside the fence…..

Another innovative approach for biosolids management planning relates to creating marketable products. So often we hear about a new process to make a Class A product that can be sold or given away. It may be true that the process destroys pathogens, odors, reduces the weight and volume and changes the appearance. But what is the most needy, most lucrative market locally? If we are thinking outside the fence, we would be doing reverse engineering. Start with the market demand, identify desirable characteristics of the marketable product, and then develop or identify the processing required to meet that demand. This may require you to leave the comfort of the wastewater treatment plant, go outside the fence, and meet with local businesses. Rising concerns about the US reliance on imported oil makes it almost un-American not to consider using biosolids as a source of fuel. The increasing prices of oil and natural gas have sparked interest in using biosolids as a fuel or using biosolids to produce biomass, a source of renewable energy. Government initiatives such as the Renewable or Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard create new opportunities for beneficial use of biosolids. A renewable portfolio standard ("RPS") specifies a percentage of energy that must be provided by certain renewable energy sources. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have established a RPS. Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard , one of the most progressive in the nation, ensures that 18 percent of all retail energy generated by the year 2020 comes from clean, efficient and advanced resources. Biosolids could be used to grow corn or sweet sorghum to make ethanol, replacing gasoline in utility vehicles. Biosolids could be used to fertilize trees or switch grass which could be processed to make wood pellets for fuel. Or it could be heat dried and used as fuel.

Live outside the fence…..

Finally, the planning process should involve a wide variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders should include not only rate payers and neighbors outside the fence, but community and environmental groups who will share in the benefits. Watershed associations are often very interested in opportunities to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. Trout Unlimited and Pheasants Forever are also often supporters of biosolids recycling. County Conservation Districts and state environmental regulatory agencies can be a wealth of information on market needs and locally available resources. These stakeholders should be involved early in the planning process. In the past, it was common practice to hold a public meeting; however, the result was usually that nobody shows up. We can’t expect them to come to our party if they don’t know us. An alternate and often successful approach is to attend their meetings or participate in their activities so that each can identify common goals. It may be time consuming but is necessary in identifying the full range of costs and benefits.

The problem with fences is, once built; you don't know if you're inside or outside.

The first goal of public outreach should be to really listen. Collect information not only with your intellect but with your heart. If someone is upset about biosolids recycling, walk a mile in their shoes. I guarantee, if you do this consistently, your outlook will change and you will become a more effective communicator.

What side of the fence are you on?

A Cost Benefit analysis that takes into consideration all the internal as well as external costs and benefits will serve the utility as well as those impacted by the biosolids management plan. Once the plan is implemented, it will be the best combination of processing and utilization; it will maximize the benefits and minimize the costs. Such a biosolids management program would be fully integrated with the needs of the customers, the neighbors and the end use community.

Never mind thinking outside the fence, rip down the fence…Metaphorically speaking that is. Utilizing the WERF sponsored "Economic Framework for Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of Biosolids Management Options" takes into account a wider range of benefits and costs of a project from all perspectives including the customer and society as a whole.

Attachment 1

Evaluating Innovative Technologies for Wastewater Residuals Processing, End Use, and Disposal

Innovative technologies may have a limited operating history in this country or no full scale operating history at all. If there is an operating facility, it is important to gather all the information possible from the facility including a site inspection. This information can be used to verify the vendor’s or manufacturers claims. Even before packing for the field trip there should be significant perceived advantages over other feasible alternatives. The following is a checklist of factors to consider in comparison to a baseline alternative.

Reliability Long term Utility- sustainability Self sufficiency Public Support Tolerance to changes in residuals characteristics- Metals concentration Volatile solids Total solids Health and safety Employees and contractors Contiguous community End use or disposal Community Space requirements On site foot print Off site acreage required for beneficial use Raw Materials required Energy Bulking agents Chemicals Lime Other materials By-products and their need for treatment, use or disposal Gaseous emissions (including green house gases) Liquid waste streams Solids, residuals Recovery of resources Heating value Nutrient content Organic matter Carbon sequestration Market Demand Seasonal fluctuations Distance to customers Competition Market development & Sales effort Value of product Diversity of end uses and customer base Quality control requirements Operational Complexity High speed, pressure, temperature Multiple processing steps, conveyance mechanisms Sensitivity to changes in feed characteristics Operator skill level and training requirements Water Quality impacts Liquid waste streams requiring treatment Potential for pollution at end use or disposal sites Air quality impacts – local emissions standards Odor potential On site Off site- Noise – trucks, fans, RTOs, high speed equip, pumps Truck traffic Dust – both onsite and offsite Permitting Effort Required Regulatory feasibility Level of R&D needed for approval Unknown obstacles Time line Research and Development Bench testing/pilot projects/full scale demo Public outreach Market research Design Permitting Construction & Start up

Embarking on an innovative technology should be done one step at a time. Gathering additional information through research and development and re-evaluating the benefits compared to the baseline.

Yet, utilities have a responsibility for continuous improvement and for identifying the best combination of processing and utilization or disposal. Innovative technologies can potentially achieve this goal and broaden utilities’ range of alternatives.