The Ontario County Board of Supervisors Planning & Environmental Quality Committee was educated about biosolids, commonly referred to as sludge, during their recent meeting by Carla Jordan, the leader of the county’s Department of Sustainability and Solid Waste Management.
The Finger Lakes Times detailed the report this week, centered around The Ontario County Landfill.
The landfill is situated in Seneca and managed by Casella Waste Services, processes a portion of the sludge from the county’s nine wastewater treatment plants.
After wastewater separation, the residual solids undergo treatment to form two categories of biosolids: Class A and Class B. While Class A is treated to be pathogen-free and can be utilized as fertilizer, Class B, not as extensively treated, comes with land application limitations.
Jordan highlighted the benefits of biosolids for agriculture due to their nutrient-rich composition, soil enhancement capabilities, and ability to reduce landfill methane emissions. Furthermore, she raised concerns regarding the probable presence of PFAS and PFOS chemicals, known as “forever” chemicals.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].