Should Biosolids Be in Compost?

Recycling is a choice. Some people do it and others choose not to. Recycling waste from urban populations is one solution to the growing problem of urban pollution. We are not here to convince you to use compost containing biosolids. Companies are not forced to tell you if there compost contains biosolids or not. They are not supposed to lie but they don't have to reveal it on their bags or in the information they provide. 

Viragrow takes a different stand. Some of our composts contain biosolids. It is your choice whether you decide to use that compost or not. We do support recycling.

Three types of waste come from residential communities: municipal solid waste (trash or garbage), green waste (plant waste from landscape and food industries) and wastewater (sewage). Some waste is recyclable while others currently are not. There is a growing effort to recycle more and more of our waste reducing the growing environmental problems in our landfills. 

Sunrise Landfill in Las Vegas

Biosolids are manufactured from community wastewater. Biosolids are as different from “poop” or “sewage” as compost is from “manure”. In fact, biosolids are more closely monitored and regulated than manure compost, yard waste compost and organic fertilizers.  To meet Federal regulations, biosolids are submitted to sophisticated treatments developed by scientists and engineers using very sophisticated technologies.  Technologies that manufacture Class A biosolids result in a product that reduces human pathogen levels below laboratory detection.

People concerned about biosolids in compost are usually apprehensive about the levels of human pathogens (like Salmonella and E. coli), heavy metals (such as lead and arsenic) and pharmaceutical and personal care products. Pathogens and heavy metals are relatively easy to detect and should be in any compost report. Pharmaceuticals, whether they are contained in animal composts or composts with biosolids, are much more difficult to quantify and the significance of their presence is not yet well understood.

The EPA on Using Biosolids for Gardening

Human Pathogens and Biosolids. Class A biosolids, or Exceptional Quality biosolids (EQ), contain no detectable levels of human pathogens. Make sure composts for gardens and landscapes contain Class A biosolids. Class B biosolids are not acceptable for home gardens.

Heavy Metals and Biosolids. Heavy metal levels monitored include Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Molybedenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni) Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn). These should all be within limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pharmaceuticals and Biosolids. Research is very limited concerning pharmaceuticals and their presence, or their byproducts, in manure and biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are not limited to just biosolids. Pharmaceuticals are also present in animal manures and compost made from animal manures. In some cases, pharmaceuticals are used with less discretion when treating animals than those used to treat human diseases.

Personal Care Products and Biosolids. Personal care products, or PPC’s, are used for personal hygiene and beautification. These include soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, lotions, makeup among hundreds of others. Contributions of these products to compost made from biosolids is currently very poorly understood. For this reason it has given the industry a measure of concern but not alarm. Follow Viragrow’s blog and website for updates in this important field of research.

At ViraGrow we follow compost research very closely. We believe all of our composts and soil amendments are safe for humans and all food crops as well as turfgrass and ornamentals. Using our soil amendments, if done at appropriate rates and timing, will give you a bountiful harvest of fresh fruits and vegetables and improve your landscape aesthetics. At the same time you have made the choice to recycle.

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