Biosolids Management

Biosolids are stabilized solids from municipal wastewater treatment that meet federal criteria for land application. They are a good source of plant nutrients (particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc). We have done research on nutrient availability from biosolids in dryland wheat rotations in eastern Washington and irrigated forage grasses in western Washington. We also have a biosolids and compost demonstration garden at WSU Puyallup. We have been partners in a national biosolids study designed to develop simple methods to predict the availability of nitrogen from different types of biosolids in different environments, and in a study assessing the fate of flame retardants in biosolids.

Photo produce grown with biosolids

Worksheet for calculating biosolids application in agriculture:

Complete publication (pdf). Cogger, C.G. and D.M. Sullivan. 2007. PNW0511-E. Washington State University Cooperative Extension.
Worksheet in Compact Form (Excel xls file).

Links:

Oregon State University Department of Crop & Soil Science, biosolids resources.
Northwest Biosolids Management Association, information, events, message board.
Washington State Department of Ecology, Biosolids Program, information, regulations, permitting, reports, FAQs.
US Environment Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, FAQs, regulations, publications

Slideshows:

Soils and Biosolids Nutrient Management (pdf, 74 slides), presented at Clackamas short course.
Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential in Urban Soils (pdf, 19 slides)

Publications - Extension and Management Bulletins:

Biosolids management guidelines for Washington State. (online pdf, or Request hard copy). Cogger, C.G., D.M. Sullivan, C.L. Henry, and K. P. Dorsey. 2000. Washington State Dept. Ecology Pub. #93-80.

Worksheet for calculating biosolids application in agriculture. (online pdf). Cogger, C.G. and D.M. Sullivan. 2007. PNW0511-E. Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

Fertilizing with Biosolids. (online pdf). Sullivan, D.M. 2007. PNW 508-E. Oregon State University Extension Service.

Publications - Peer-reviewed Journals:

Biosolids recycling: Nitrogen management and soil ecology. (request pdf e-copy). Cogger, C.G., T.A. Forge, and G.H. Neilsen, 2006. Can. J. Soil Sci. 86:613-620.

Biosolids processing effects on first and second year available N. (request pdf e-copy). Cogger, C.G., Bary, A.I., D.M. Sullivan, and E.A. Myhre. 2004. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 68:162-167.

Decomposition and plant-available nitrogen in biosolids: Laboratory studies, field studies, and computer simulation. (request pdf e-copy). Gilmour, J.T., C.G. Cogger, L.W. Jacobs, G.K. Evanylo, and D.M. Sullivan. 2003. J. Environ. Qual. 32:1498-1507.

Seven years of biosolids vs. inorganic nitrogen applications to tall fescue. (request pdf e-copy). Cogger, C.G., A.I Bary, S.C. Fransen, and D.M. Sullivan. 2001. J. Environ. Qual. 30:2188-2194.

Nitrogen recovery from heat-dried and dewatered biosolids applied to forage grasses. (request pdf e-copy). Cogger, C.G., D.M. Sullivan, A.I. Bary, and S.C. Fransen. 1999. J. Environ. Qual. 28:754-759.

Matching plant-available nitrogen from biosolids with dryland wheat needs. (online pdf). Cogger, C.G., D.M. Sullivan, A.I. Bary, and J.A. Kropf. 1998. J. Prod. Agric. 11:41-47.

Chrysanthemum production in composted and noncomposted organic waste substrates fertilized with nitrogen at two rates using surface and subirrigation. (request pdf e-copy). Krucker, M., R.L. Hummel, and C. Cogger. HortSci. 45:1695-1701.

Predicting biosolids application rates for dryland wheat across a range of Northwest climate zones. (request pdf e-copy). Sullivan, D., Bary, A., Cogger, C. and Shearin, T. 2009. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 40:1770-1789.

Biosolids and dairy manure as nitrogen sources for prairiegrass on a poorly drained soil. (request pdf e-copy). Sullivan, D.M., S.C. Fransen, C.G. Cogger, and A.I. Bary. 1997. J. Prod. Agric. 10:589-596.

Publications - Other Reports:

Creating High Value Potting Media from Composts Made with Biosolids and Carbon-Rich Organic Wastes (online - pdf). Hummel, R., C. Cogger, A. Bary, and B. Riley. 2009. WSU

Estimating nitrogen availability from biosolids. (online - pdf). Cogger, C.G., A.I. Bary, D.M. Sullivan, and E.A. Myhre. 2003. NW Biosolids Management Assoc. Seattle, WA. Short research note.

Using Biosolids as Growing Media in Greenhouse Production of Chrysanthemums. (online - html). Hummel, R., Krucker, M., and Cogger, C. 2003. , WSU.

Agronomic biosolids application rates for dryland wheat across a range of Northwest climate zones. (online - pdf). Sullivan, D.M., Bary, A.I., and Cogger, C.G. 2007. Proc. Western Nutrient Mgmt. Conf, 7: 188-193. Salt Lake City, UT.

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Dept Crops and Soils, Washington State University Puyallup Research Center, 2606 W Pioneer, Puyallup, WA, 98371 Website Comments