SB 386 (Stuart) would prohibit any person, who holds a valid permit to distribute, or land apply sewage sludge, from distributing or land applying sewage sludge that contains any trace amount of PFAS. Because trace amounts of PFAS are ubiquitous in the global environment, this bill would effectively ban the application of biosolids on land in Virginia.
KEY POINTS
- There are three primary ways biosolids can be disposed of, being used as a fertilizer through land application, landfilling or incineration. Since the bill would ban the practice of land application, biosolids generating facilities (Wastewater plants) would either have to incinerate this material or find a landfill willing to accept it.
- The bill would create logistical challenges in finding landfills willing to accept the large amount of material that would need to be disposed of as well as costs associated with landfilling biosolids, including tipping fees, would rise due to the demand.
- Biosolids incineration in Virginia is difficult because existing capacity is low, and building new facilities is both expensive and time-consuming.
As passive receivers of PFAS chemicals in the waste stream, VACo opposes SB 386 as the consequences of the bill would have a large fiscal impact on localities and their wastewater systems.
VACo Contact: James Hutzler