| Happy Canada Day!
Happy 4th of July!
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| EVENTS...
2019 Mid Atlantic Biosolids Association Summer Symposium: Getting Down and Dirty: Finding Solutions to Biosolids Challenges
July 17-18, 2019 Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, Iselin, New Jersey
Water Environment Federation (WEF) Webcast: "Sharing the Biosolids Story with the Public"
July 23, 2019, at 2:00 PM
CHECK IT OUT...
Professor Sally Brown (Univ. of WA) has summarized the risk comparison analysis completed last year in the Northwest. It includes comparison of how many years of biosolids exposure a person would need to received a “dose” equivalent to every day exposure. It’s a useful article; see BioCycle's open access version online.
Water Environment Association’s Words On Water Podcast #89: Saul Kinter, Business Development Manager at DC Water, on Developing Validators for Biosolids. DC Water has had much success building support for its “Bloom” soil amendment by building community understanding and getting third-party product endorsements from soil scientists, farmers, homeowners, and construction companies.
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SPONSORS of www.nebiosolids.org
THANK YOU!
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| NEWS from NEBRA
Past news stories are available on the NEBRA website "News" page.
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UMass Amherst Researchers Studying Microbes in Anaerobic Digesters
At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professors Caitlyn Butler and Nick Tooker along with PhD student Sally Cordero have been busy traveling around New England collecting samples, data, and information from anaerobic digesters. They are working with a team of researchers from throughout the world to collect as many samples as possible and ship them to Aalborg University in Denmark. There, researchers will use advanced DNA sequencing techniques to determine which bugs are in the sludge. More...
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A PFAS and Biosolids Update
In the past few months, awareness and discussion has grown across the nation regarding contamination of water with PFAS. PFAS are perfluorinated compounds that have been in use for decades but are now of concern because of associations to negative health effects. Contamination of drinking water is the focus of concern, and several New England states, along with Minnesota, New Jersey, Michigan, and North Carolina, have been out ahead in investigating and regulating PFAS. For more than two years, NEBRA has been tracking the PFAS issue as it relates to wastewater, biosolids, and residuals. Search the News Archives and see our PFAS page. Additional PFAS information is available to members.
Here are a few recent developments related to PFAS conveyed in wastewater and biosolids. Managers of wastewater and biosolids are paying attention, more and more, to this developing regulatory issue, which has the potential to significantly impact local municipal and utility costs going forward.
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A Postcard from the Annual W3170 Research Meeting
The W3170 group of land grant university researchers focus on soils and soil amendments and biosolids. In October, they will become the 4170 group, as their 5-year project renewal by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was recently approved. This research group’s history is long and important, playing a key role in the 1980s and ‘90s on collaborative multi-state science that was part of the basis for the federal Part 503 biosolids rule. Meeting annually, W170 then W1170 then W1270 and W1370, these scientists have addressed metals, pathogens, emerging contaminants, odors, best management practices, and the benefits to soils and cropping systems of biosolids and residuals additions – including carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
This June 25 & 26, 2019, W3170 met at USDA headquarters in Beltsville, MD. More. . .
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| In Brief / en bref...
EPA Updates PFAS Testing Method EPA’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) recently released SW-846 Update VII, Phase II – Method 8327: Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Using External Standard Calibration and Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for public comment. Method 8327, an executive summary, an in-depth statistical report, and a validation summary report can be found on the SW-846 website. The comment period for this method will end on July 22, 2019. Comments can be submitted through the EPA docket at www.regulations.gov, ID# EPA-HQ-OLEM-2018-0846.
What Can We Do As Consumers About Climate Change?
The New England Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) and the North East Recycling Council (NERC) have created a great fact sheet promoting individual actions that can be taken to combat climate change. According to Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director of NERC, “Bringing the concept of personal action beyond energy conservation into the conversation of climate change is a critical step in making the connection between sustainable materials management and the environment.” Also, check out the associated blog.
CASA Taking the Lead on Science-Based Response to OIG Report on Biosolids
As a result of a meeting with EPA several months ago, the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) has generated some positive conversations in response to the Office of Inspector General report issued in November criticizing the federal biosolids program. Greg Kester, CASA’s Director of Renewable Resource Programs, sent a letter out to CASA members discussing the work CASA has been collaborating on to develop a response to the OIG report that is based on science. CASA is working with several universities; a full-time research assistant working with Professor Nick Basta at The Ohio State University is reviewing literature on trace chemical contaminants identified in the OIG report. Dr. Ian Pepper at University of Arizona is addressing the pathogen concerns raised in the OIG report. NEBRA contributed $2,000 to these efforts. The OIG report, response letters from CASA and other documents are available on NEBRA’s website: https://www.nebiosolids.org/epa-oig-biosolids-report.
Northeast States Urge Action on PFAS
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that it joined Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York environmental agencies in signing a letter to Congress urging swift federal action on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. The seven states make up the Northeast Committee on the Environment. To read the letters, go to MEDEP’s PFOA and PFOS web page.
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