TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Two bills that would restrict the use of treated sewage sludge passed the Florida Senate on Tuesday, part of a wider move from the Legislature to curb the impact of biosolids on the environment.
Details: State senators voted unanimously to pass the House’s version of the bill, which seeks to prevent biosolid dumping in favor of “beneficial reuse.” The bill would require that land application of Class AA biosolids fertilizer or compost meet a set agronomic rate set by the University of Florida’s agriculture institute and protect water quality.
State Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) said the legislation addresses “a gap in current management” of Class AA biosolids.
Treated sewage sludge is applied as fertilizer or soil conditioner everywhere from agricultural land and forests to golf courses and home gardens. Yet biosolids, which are high in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus and often contain PFAS, have been known to contaminate soil and groundwater.
