Notes

Outline

National Biosolids Partnership EMS Program Rebecca West Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority Greenville, South Carolina View as PowerPoint Presentation

Overview History of the need for Biosolids EMS Status of EMS for Biosolids Future Outlook for EMS

More Overview Now there was the need to interact with neighbors and the public Public perception became the number one priority

History

History Storm clouds on biosolids public acceptance were starting to gather in the late 1980’s – Ocean Dispersal no long allowed Public Environmental Awareness

History con’t Sludge “Disposal” was no longer an “arrow” to no where Wastewater Industry caught by surprise Industry had been recycling solids for years

More History Need for better performance-more than regulatory minimum Public agency staff didn’t have credibility Producers of a product, Perceived of as trying to get rid of Biosolids the cheapest way possible

National Challenge Many Controversies around the United States

National Biosolids Partnership Goal: Advance Environmentally Sound and Accepted Biosolids Management Practices-Gain Public Acceptance Non-Profit Alliance Formed in 1997

Environmental Management System (EMS) Major NBP Objective Wastewater Professionals asked to “Raise the Bar” Regulations are Baseline—EMS is Commitment to go Beyond Includes Pretreatment, Treatment and Use/Disposal

NBP Strategy NBP believes the EMS with its third party verification will help us gain public trust. We also have a new communications program that has been developed at the national level-the first step is our new NBP Web Site (www.biosolids.org)

EMS Blueprint- Five Components Code of Good Practice EMS Elements Guidance Document National Manual of Good Practice Independent,Third-Party Verification Program

EMS Blueprint- Code of Good Practice Commitment to EMS Commitment to Third Party Audit Commitment to Good Practices Commitment to Communications

EMS Blueprint- EMS Common Elements 17 Elements Required for an EMS Identifies critical control points in the biosolids value train Major emphasis on public participation and communications

EMS Blueprint- EMS Guidance Manual A how to manual, self implementing Meet the requirements of the Common Elements Prepare for the Audit

EMS Blueprint- National Manual of Good Practice Compendium of all the manuals in the country Identifies best management practices at critical control point Participant chooses best practices

EMS Blueprint- Third Party Program Audit-use an existing organization Audit reports readily available to the public More detailed work needs to be done in preparation for launching audit program 2002

Demonstration Program

Demonstration Projects

Southeast Charter Demonstration Projects Montgomery, Alabama Columbus, Georgia Greenville, South Carolina

Looking to the   Future-2002 January 2002-Third Party Certification Program in place 27 Demonstration Projects have established EMS and have initiated operations consistent with EMS 13 Additional smaller organizations included in the Demo Program

Looking to the   Future-2003 Year 2003-100 wastewater organizations in the Code of Good Practice Club 40 Demonstration organizations completed the certification process 60 New Organizations preparing EMS

Conclusions EMS Program has moved from Planning to the implementation phase Learn from Demonstration Program Continue to refine Blueprint to be sure it is practical and cost effective

Conclusions NBP ready to assist Biosolids organizations prepare a Biosolids EMS Looking for more organizations to participate in the Demonstration Program

"National Biosolids Partnership" National Biosolids Partnership Peter Machno Ph.D EMS Program Manager Telephone 800-613-4502 pmachno@biosolids.org