Biosolids in Virginia
"About 5.6 million tons of sewage sludge are used or disposed of each year in the United States, and 60 percent of that is used for land application."1
According to the Administrative Code of Virginia, 12 VAC 5-585-470: Sludge quality and composition
- C. A sludge that receives Class I or II treatment for adequate pathogen
control and is treated or managed to properly reduce vector attraction
and pollutants within acceptable levels (Table 8-A) is referred to
as "biosolids." ...
- For land application, Class B pathogen, or better, shall be achieved.
Such Class I or II treatment may involve either: anaerobic or aerobic
digestion, high or low temperature composting, heat treatment, air
drying, or chemical treatment processes utilizing alkaline additives or
chlorine. For use of treated sludge or sludge products involving a high
potential for public contact, it may be necessary to achieve further
pathogen reduction (Class A) beyond that attained by the above
processes. Such Class I treatment may be accomplished by (i) heat
treatment and drying, (ii) thermophilic composting, (iii) alkaline
treatment.
Links
References
1. "Sewage Sludge Standards Need New Scientific Basis", National Academies news release, July 2, 2002
Sewage Treatment in Virginia
Agriculture in Virginia
Geography of Virginia