October 2, 2017 (Richmond, VA)
This past winter the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required most biosolids management programs to submit their annual biosolids reports electronically. Annual biosolids reports are required by 40 CFR Part 503 and must be completed by February 19, 2017, with data from the prior year.
The 2016 data collected this year are being provided online for public consumption through the standard EPA ECHO database system. A total of 1,955 reports are included. The system allows for searches using a variety of options, including by geography, by type of biosolids processing, or by classification. It includes data submitted in the Part 503 reports and links to already-existing facility and permitting data. It also includes records of violations and enforcement actions. The system does not currently provide Part 503 reports submitted on paper for 2016.
According to EPA, the data, “provides access to biosolids-specific permit, inspection, violation, enforcement, and penalty related data to users for the first time in an easy-to-use search tool. Also, all of the Biosolids Annual Report data submitted to EPA electronically can be downloaded in one file from ECHO’s Data Downloads page.”
The Data download page can be found here: https://echo.epa.gov/tools/data-downloads.
The data online will assist biosolids management profession better understand trends, while providing the public with further information about this important national recycling and management program.