RSSBiosolids deal called off
Yakima Herald-Republic
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The city of Yakima has pulled the plug on a proposed deal with two local farms that drew public opposition for its use of treated human waste as fertilizer.
The city currently pays a Sunnyside company to get rid of waste and was looking at options to move the matter for free. The savings for the city was projected at about $150,000.
On Wednesday, the city's Planning Department formally withdrew an environmental review of the proposed deal.
The decision was expected.
Representatives of Roy Farms had said they were going to back out even before a public forum designed to allay fears about the deal was held last month at the Yakima Area Arboretum.
But the forum went badly for the city, according to city officials, who concede they have a long way to go in educating the public about biosolids.
"I feel like I got the wind knocked out of me," Tim Cooper, biosolids chief operator for the Yakima Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, said. "If somebody's interested in this material, that would be nice. Give me a call."
Biosolids is the term of art in the wastewater industry for human waste that has been processed through a series of dewatering and cooking into a gel-like state that is considered safe for use as a fertilizer.
The city currently pays Sunnyside-based Natural Selections Farms to dispose of the 8,500 tons of sludge the wastewater plant generates annually. The company then "land-applies" the material to client farms throughout the Lower Valley.
Looking for ways to save money, the city was negotiating with Roy Farms of Moxee and WS Farms of Zillah to take the material for free. Along with reduced fuel costs for delivery, savings were estimated at $150,000 or more a year.
But the plan went awry due to growing opposition from neighbors of the farms. The residents of the Hi Valley View subdivision in Terrace Heights, which sits adjacent to a field owned by Roy Farms, were especially vocal about the potential for odor, dust and truck traffic.
Mike Roy said nothing that happened at the forum changed their minds. Roy added that opposition from breweries was also a factor in the company's decision to nix the deal. One of the company's major products is hops, a key ingredient in beer.
Even so, he voiced his own concerns about growing conflict between suburbanites and the agricultural industry that forms the backbone of the region's economy.
"It's something we as a community need to deal with," he said of biosolids, adding, "The residential pressure is going to keep increasing around here for years to come."
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Well this is interesting because Ted Durfey hauls most of Seattle waste to this valley and Kittitas valley. He has been doing it for years and is getting rich off of it. The department of ecology and the c.a.r.e. group complains about the dairy waste produced here in the valley. But they care not about human waste being spread on crops in this valley! Wycoff Farms is one that uses alot of it. Not sure what crops they put it on. But it may be on hops that are used for human consumption. It makes no sense that these cities are paying an individual to do what they can do. Matter in fact some cities are making pelleted fertilizer out of their waste which is much easier to ahndle and the cities recoup their cost and make alittle profit on the side.
Report ViolationI think "Soilent Green" is next.
Report ViolationThe guy in the picture is on steroids. (Buy this and you will look like this) thats Bull it all comes with hard work.
Report ViolationYakima just doesn't seem to be willing to learn from communities west of the mountains which have figured this out. Biosolids that are closely monitored for heavy metals (much rarer here than over there)are a great resource when correctly heated and treated for use. It is stupid to fail to use them. As long as careful lab results are available to farmers there are no worries. A pellet plant would be better than dried product. Let's get with it! Remember, the burden of contaminants in so called virgin fertilizers can be even worse than on biosolids.
Report ViolationActually, this same product has been used since the 60's. Milwaukee Sewerage Company produced a product called "Milorganite". Maybe they still do. Our company was the distributors in this area for it. It was used primarily on golf courses and other large turf areas. The odor was not the best for about three days, but it has been a perfectly safe product.
I also don't see where the breweries are worried about it,except that I suppose some environmental zealot might have a fit about perceived residues. It probably would cause a marketing problem. However, there are many non-food product uses for the fertilizer.
By the way, in European countries, they spread a nice soupy mixture of whatever they clean from their pig and horse stalls, and their septic tanks, on all kinds of their crops, including hops, hay, and vegetables and other produce. Fortunately, they are still not only alive, but very healthy, for the most part, too.
I would love saying something like..."it fits that Nick is in the s@it business"...but he is right on. Just wait Yakima, until the day not far off, that our drinking water is recycled from sewage effluent.
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