Orange County Grand Jury • 2003-2004

Does Anyone Want Orange County Sanitation District’s 230,000 Tons of Biosolids?

Published: May 11, 2004 16 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 5 findings

F1
Public opposition to land application of Class B biosolids is increasing, and long-term viability of the practice is tenuous.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1
Orange County Sanitation District phase out Class B biosolids land-application programs except in remote 13 locations where no nearby residents will be impacted. (Finding 1)
R2
Orange County Sanitation District develop plans to stabilize all biosolids through lime application and/or composting to Class A standards. (Findings 1 and 2)
F2
Continuation of Class A biosolids land-application programs can postpone expenditure of funds to develop other viable alternatives.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Orange County Sanitation District formulate a schedule and costs for implementing a long-range biosolids management plan, and inform the public of anticipated cost increases. (Findings 2 and 3)
F3
Developing alternatives to replace Class B biosolids land- application programs will increase the cost of beneficially using biosolids.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Public tolerance for Class A biosolids land-application projects can be enhanced by demonstrating commitment to protecting public health and addressing nuisance issues.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Orange County Sanitation District explore opportunities to partner with EPA in developing an incident-report data system, conducting a local survey of emerging compounds and pathogens in sewage wastes, and/or implementing a monitoring program at a biosolids land-application site. (Findings 4 and 5) Responses to all recommendations are required from the Board of Directors of the Orange County Sanitation District. REFERENCES CH2M-Hill, December 2003, Long-Range Biosolids Management Plan, Prepared for Orange County Sanitation District Environmental Protection Agency, September 1999, Biosolids Generation, Use, and Disposal in the United States, EPA Report 530-R-99-009 Environmental Protection Agency, March 2000, Biosolids Management and Enforcement, Office of the Inspector General Audit Report Environmental Protection Agency, December 2003, Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge; Final Agency Response to the National Research Council Report on Biosolids Applied to Land and the Results of EPA’s Review of Existing Sewage Sludge Regulations, published in Federal Register Environmental Science Associates, October 1999, Orange County Sanitation District 1999 Strategic Plan, Final Program, Environmental Impact Report 14 National Research Council, 2002, Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices, Report to Environmental Protection Agency Orange County Sanitation District, April 2002, Answers to Questions About Biosolids, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet Orange County Sanitation District, April 2002, Answers to Questions About Biosolids — Monitoring, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet Orange County Sanitation District, April 2002, Answers to Questions About Biosolids — Odors, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet Orange County Sanitation District, April 2002, Answers to Questions About Biosolids — Pathogens and Safety Concerns, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet Orange County Sanitation District, 2003, Biosolids Management Compliance Report, Year 2003, Report to EPA Orange County Sanitation District, February 2003, Environmental Management System for OCSD Biosolids, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet Orange County Sanitation District, October 2003, Environmental Management System for Biosolids, Orange County Sanitation District Manual Orange County Sanitation District, November 2003, Answers to Questions About Orange County Sanitation District, Orange County Sanitation District Fact Sheet 15
F5
Participating in EPA programs to develop a national incident- report data system, conducting surveys of emerging compounds and pathogens in waste streams, and implementing monitoring programs at a land-application site would demonstrate Orange County Sanitation District’s commitment to protecting public health and addressing nuisance issues. Responses to all findings are required from the Board of Directors of the Orange County Sanitation District.
No recommendations for this finding

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.