ONTARIO BIOSOLIDS COUNCIL
Position Papers and Research Documents
The Ontario Biosolids Councils has been gathering all the relevant, published information about biosolids, land applications, and emerging contaminants. Going forward, we will share whatever new documents and findings as they are published.
Research by Ali Can Ozelcaglayan, Wayne Parker, and Anh Le-Tuan Pham - on PFAS in biolsolids and options for clean-up, December 2022
This presentation outlines the options of how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for beneficial use of biosolids, as well lesser value options of incineration and landfilling.
A 2020 study evaluated evaluated
the behavior of13 PFAS in 9 Canadian sludge treatment systems including pelletization, alkaline stabilization,
aerobic and anaerobic digestion processes. The results of this study on PFAS fate through sludge processing
can inform future global PFAS risk management activities as well as sludge treatment considerations.
I’m writing this letter in order to raise awareness of the importance of reusing organic waste on
farmlands. I’ve been an environmental activist all my life, I sat on the board of the Quebec Chapter
of the Sierra Club Foundation.
Land applying biosolids is the natural way to complete the food cycle.
A June 2022 whitepaper on PFAS management options in wastewater and biosolids from the US's National Association of Clean Water Agencies.
This modeling framework can be used to identify adequate management strategies that balance the mass loading rate of PFAS in land applied residuals with soil and drinking water levels of concern. After providing information on how to obtain PRZM and its documentation, a general overview of the model is presented. Model input descriptions and how to run PRZM simulations are followed by a step- by-step example of model implementation and results analysis for land applied biosolids containing PFOA and PFOS. Finally, an example of comparing model simulation results to available field data is presented.
The modeling approach presented in this guidance document is appropriate for simulating leaching of a single PFAS chemical at a time; the results from one PFAS chemical (e.g., PFOA) are not broadly applicable to all PFAS chemicals as a class.
Results presented in this peer-reviewed study show that PFAS mass flux to underlying
groundwater is likely being reduced by 1.5- to 4-times for PFOS, PFHxS,
and PFOA due to accumulation at the air water interface.
ONEIA members believe that a fair and balanced approach to managing PFAS is needed in order to: reduce exposure to PFAS compounds and protect the health of Ontarians and the ecosystem; identify and eliminate new sources of PFAS in waste streams; manage PFAS pollution when prevention is not feasible or pollution has already occurred; remediate contaminated sites; and, ensure the framework can be applied and implemented across all environment industry sectors.