Financial Value: Biosolids have several inherent benefits that can provide economic value to end users. Three core benefit areas are:
- Soil improvement: Biosolids have been used across the country to help build healthy soils, improve soil tilth and restore damaged soils to productivity.
- Nutrients: Biosolids are used in agriculture, where they provide a valuable source of nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Energy: Dried biosolids have been used as a fuel source in biomass power plants, thermal conversion units and cement kilns. In addition, emerging technologies hold promise for extracting the maximum energy value from biosolids. Click to learn how biosolids have proven value as a biogenic substitute for fossil fuels.
Environmental Value: Beneficial use of biosolids gives back to the environment by recycling nutrients, sequestering carbon, improving water retention of soils and drought resistance in plants, and providing a biogenic (low carbon footprint) source of energy.
Social Value: Biosolids treatment and beneficial use is a job creator, providing social benefits in communities across the county. In particular, there is a long tradition of using biosolids in agriculture; in many communities, biosolids provide a low-cost soil amendment that supports family farming. Click to learn more.