With land application bans already enacted in places like Maine and Connecticut, and new PFAS thresholds proposed in many other states, the options for biosolids disposal are rapidly narrowing.
Utilities are being forced to shift biosolids to incineration or landfilling, both of which are under their own regulatory and capacity pressures. This tightening of disposal routes has already led to significant increases in biosolids management costs, with some regions reporting spikes of over 70% in just a few years.
In a recent webinar on “PFAS in Wastewater and Biosolids: How Water Utilities Can Start Breaking the Cycle,” water expert Eric Spargimino detailed how Water Reclamation Facilities (WRFs) can respond to new regulations and scrutiny. According to Spargimino, a three-tiered approach to PFAS mitigation is beginning to emerge.