Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Two New Agencies Named Certified Biosolids
Environmental Management Systems
Oct 26, 2004 WaterWorld
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Oct. 21, 2004 -- The National Biosolids Partnership (NBP), an
alliance of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and Association of
Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA), with advisory support from the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recognizes the Madison Metropolitan
Sewerage District's Metrogro Program and the District of Columbia Water and
Sewer Authority (DCWASA), for successfully achieving independent, third-party
verification of the Partnership's environmental management system (EMS) for
biosolids program.
The two agencies are the fourth and fifth, respectively, of 70 demonstration
agencies participating in the NBP EMS for biosolids program to achieve the "Seal
of Approval".
With certification and admission into the NBP EMS program, this achievement
recognizes that Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and DCWASA have been
independently verified as having effective biosolids environmental management
systems. "WEF is pleased to recognize two more agencies that have successfully
completed certification into the NBP EMS program," said WEF Executive Director
Bill Bertera. "The Federation believes that instituting an EMS for utility
management is vital to enhancing environmental excellence in local communities.
"
Madison's Metrgro Program has been recycling biosolids to agricultural land as a
fertilizer and soil conditioner for almost thirty years. The program works
closely with participating Wisconsin farmers in Dane County and portions of
Columbia, Green and Rock counties. It enables them to reduce their reliance on
commercial fertilizer and increase profitability. DCWASA has a 1,200 ton per day
biosolids program that recycles biosolids onto farms, forest land, mine
reclamation projects and tree farms. In addition, the agency supports extensive
research projects within Washington, DC-area universities ($250,000/year) on
biosolids issues and has a robust outreach program to interested parties.
The EMS certification signifies that the two agencies support excellence in
biosolids management, exceed regulatory compliance obligations and provide
meaningful opportunities for public participation. For more information about
the NBP's EMS program, visit: www. biosolids. org.