Options for Biosolids Management California Research Bureau
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Golden Gate University School of Law GGU Law Digital Commons California Agencies California Documents 8-2007 A Brief on Biosolids: Options for Biosolids Management California Research Bureau Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/caldocs_agencies Part of the Environmental Law Commons Recommended Citation California Research Bureau, "A Brief on Biosolids: Options for Biosolids Management" (2007). California Agencies. Paper 308. http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/caldocs_agencies/308 This Cal State Document is brought to you for free and open access by the California Documents at GGU Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in California Agencies by an authorized administrator of GGU Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Brief on Biosolids Options for Biosolids Management CALIFORNIA By Rosa Maria Moller, Ph.D. STATE LIBRARY FOUNDED 1850 California Research Bureau 900 N Street, Suite 300 Prepared at the Request of P.O. Box 942837 Former Senator Richard Alarcon Sacramento, CA 94237-0001 (916) 653-7843 phone (916) 654-5829 fax STATE DEPOS\TORY LAW UBRARY OC1 2 t 2007 GO L~ EN GATE UNNERS\TY August2007 NON-CIRCULATING CRB07-007 KFC 610 .AS I F 0 R N I A R E E A R C H B R E A U M65 2007 A Brief on Biosolids Options for Biosolids Management By Rosa Maria Moller, Ph.D. ISBN 1-58703-224-4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to thank Mr. Ronald Lew of the California Integrated Waste Management Board for reviewing this paper, and Mrs. Kim Johnston-Dodds, Policy Analyst of the California Research Bureau for her thorough review of this paper and valuable advice. The author would like to express her appreciation to the following persons who also committed valuable time and/or gave valuable advice for the development of this paper: the Director of the California Research Bureau, Mr. Dean Misczynski, his Assistant Mr. Chris Marxen, and Dr. Ken Umbach, Policy Consultant. Thank you also to Patricia Kinnard and Katie Sarber for their assistance in the publication of this report. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........•................................................................................... ! INTRODUCTION .....................................................•.....................................................•. 5 SECTION 1. BIOSOLIDS PRODUCTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 I. DEFINITION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 II. BIOSOLIDS PRODUCTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 III. CLASSIFICATION OF BIOSOLIDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 11 IV. AMOUNT OF BIOSOLIDS PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12 SECTION 2. BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT .............................................................. 15 I. LAND APPLICATION OF BIOSOLIDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 15 I. Biosolids Application in Agricultural Land. ......................................................... I6 2. Compostingfor Agricultural, Horticultural and Land Reclamation .................... Il 3. Controversial Issues Associated with the Land Application ofBiosolids ............ I9 a. Public Concerns about Public Health Effects from Biosolids Use ................... 19 b. Health Risks Due to Biosolids High Trace Metals Content ............................. 20 c. Health Risks Due to Biosolids High Nitrogen Content .................................... 20 d. Health Risks Due to Biosolids Synthetic Organic Compounds Content.. ........ 21 e. Health Risks Due to Biosolids Pathogens Content.. ......................................... 23 f. Health Risks from Potential Radioactive Materials Contained in Biosolids ..... 25 g. Public Concerns about the Ability of Regulators to Protect the Public ............ 26 1) Concerns about How the Standards of Protection Are Determined ............. 26 2) Concerns about Implementation and Enforcement ...................................... 26 3) Regulators' Position ..................................................................................... 27 h. Other Concerns Related to the Land Use ofBiosolids ..................................... 28 1) Effects on Fish and Wildlife ......................................................................... 28 2) Deterioration ofthe Quality of Life in the Communities Where Biosolids Are Used ............................................................................................................ 28 3) Decrease in Farm Land Values .................................................................... 28 II. BIOSOLIDS EXPORTED TO OTHER STATES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 29 III. STORAGE OF BIOSOLIDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 30 IV. TRANSFERS TO LANDFILLS AND DISPOSAL SURFACE IMPOUNDMENTS ••••••••••••••• 30 I. Final Surface Disposal ......................................................................................... 3 0 2. Landfill Disposa/. .................................................................................................. 30 3. Alternative Daily Cover (ADC) ............................................................................ 3I v. INCINERATION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 31 VI. INNOVATIVE USES OF BIOSOLIDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 32 I. As a Fertilizer ofEnergy-Dedicated Crops .......................................................... 32 2. In Cement Industries ............................................................................................. 32 3. In Construction Materials ..................................................................................... 32 a. For Bricks .......................................................................................................... 32 California State Library, California Research Bureau b. For Glass and Other Materials .......................................................................... 33 c. As a Source of Energy ...................................................................................... 33 SECTION 3. USE OF BIOSOLIDS AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY ..........................35 I. THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS ....................................................................35 II. THERMAL DRYING •....••••••..••••.••....••••....••••..•.....•••......•••••.....•••••.....•.•••.......••......•••.. 37 III. PYROLYSIS ............•.................•.•.....................................•...................................... 38 1. Low-Temperature Pyrolysis .................................................................................. 39 2. Mid-Temperature Pyrolysis .................................................................................. 40 3. High-Temperature Pyrolysis................................................................................. 41 IV. SUPERCRITICAL WATER OXIDATION (SCWO) ....................................................42 v. GASIFICATION ...............................................................•......•................................... 44 VI. DEEP WELL INJECTION AND ENERGY RECOVERY ...............................................45 VII. VITRIFICATION •.•••.....••••..••..••••....•••••....•••.•....••.•......•••.•......••.••......•..•.....•••••....••••• 46 VIII. USE OF BIOSOLIDS AS FEEDSTOCK TO PRODUCE ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL ... 47 1. Ethanol .................................................................................................................. 47 a. Hydrolysis Processes ........................................................................................ 47 b. Gasification Process .......................................................................................... 48 2. Biodiesel. ............................................................................................................... 51 IX. REMARKS ON THE EFFECTS OF BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT ON GLOBAL W ARMING •••••••......•••••...•..••......•••••...•.•.•.......••.......•••.•.....•••.•.•..•••••...•..••.•......•..•.....••••.... 51 X. PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR BIOSOLIDS ENERGY CONVERSION ..... 54 1. Federal Policies Supporting the Conversion ofBiosolids to Alternative Fuels ... 54 a. The Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 .................................... 54 b. Executive Order 13134 ..................................................................................... 55 c. The Renewable Energy Production Incentive (REPI) ...................................... 55 d. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 ........................................................................ 56 e. American Jobs Creation Act of2004 ................................................................ 57 2. State Policies Supporting the Use ofBiosolids as a Source ofEnergy ................ 58 a. Renewable Portfolio Standard .......................................................................... 58 b. The Renewable Energy Program ...................................................................... 58 1) Existing Renewable Facilities Program (ERFP) .......................................... 59 2) New Renewables Facilities Program ...........................................................