Will each load of biosolids delivered to the farm be tested?
In general, the answer to this question is no. Biosolids are delivered in 6-1000 gallon loads when liquid, and 20-30 cubic yards at a time when brought in as dewatered biosolids, compost or advanced alkaline stabilized sludge (AASS). It would be difficult and very expensive to test each load, and the testing takes several days to weeks to complete, so the biosolids would need to be held separately prior to application. Biosolids are tested every four months following the first application by the permitted operator, and these analyses are submitted to the appropriate regulatory agency. The agency issues an approval which states that the biosolids meet heavy metal and organics quality standards, and whether the material meets the minimum requirements for stabilization. The applier or processor of the biosolids makes additional tests of the material during permitting before utilization. As part of the permitting process, the permittee must include 3 chemical analyses of the material from
