Public Comment Sought on New Biosolids Guidelines

ENVIRONMENT/LABOUR--Public Comment Sought on New Biosolids Guidelines

The health and safety of Nova Scotians are the focus of proposed new rules for applying biosolids to land. The Department of Environment and Labour is now seeking public comment on the new rules.

"We need a safe, stable, long-term solution to the disposal of materials left over from sewage treatment," said Kerry Morash, Minister of Environment and Labour. "These guidelines will give us that."

The draft guidelines will allow only treated sludges that meet specific biological and chemical criteria to be applied to the land. No untreated septage or sewage sludges can be used.

Septage sludge is the solid material that remains after water is removed from the sediments pumped from a septic tank. Sewage sludge is the residue generated during the treatment of sewage in a treatment plant. Once they are treated to meet biological and chemical standards, they are called biosolids.

"Land application of biosolids is the best alternative for disposal of these materials," Mr. Morash said. "Sending it to a landfill is expensive and not consistent with our waste management strategy. Incineration is the only other option and that's expensive and not environmentally responsible."

The draft guidelines result from a department review of approval practices that began in the fall of 2003. In January, government directed the department to suspend current land-application approvals and to stop issuing new approvals for land application of sewage and septic sludges.

The guidelines, when finalized and approved by government, will become part of any approval issued by the department for land applications.

The public comment period ends on Friday, April 16. The draft guidelines are available on the department's website at www.gov.ns.ca/enla ; at any Environment and Labour office; or by calling 1-800-567-7544.