Hostname: page-component-788cddb947-wgjn4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-14T17:19:33.397Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Economic Issues in the Composting of Sewage Sludges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

Victor Kasper Jr.  and
Donn Derr
Victor Kasper Jr.
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Marketing, Cook College, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Donn Derr
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Marketing, Cook College, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Get access

Extract

In the northeast, communities have been faced with a variety of waste management problems brought about by population concentrations and higher consumption levels. One waste that has been receiving increased attention is sewage sludge generated by municipal waste treatment plants. Although alternative sludge treatment technologies are available, a number of municipalities have been ocean dumping. For example, in New Jersey it has been estimated that of the 230,000 dry tons of sludge produced annually, nearly two-thirds is being ocean dumped (Bolan et al.). Although ocean dumping is a relatively inexpensive method from the viewpoint of the municipality, it has become costly in terms of ocean and coastal resources (Colacicco et al., U.S. Department of Commerce). As a result of contaminated beaches, algae blooms, and fish kills (1976 and 1977) legislation was passed in 1977 to stop the ocean dumping of sludge by December 31, 1981 (U.S. Congress, 1977).

Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Journal of the Northeastern Agricultural Economics Council , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , October 1979 , pp. 249 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

The work was performed as a part of NJAES Project No. 895, supported by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and EPA. Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

References

Blobaum, Roger, Fast, Sarah, Holcomb, Larry, and Swanson, Larry. “An Assessment of the Potential for Applying Urban Wastes to Agricultural Lands.” Mimeographed. West Des Moines, Iowa, 1979.Google Scholar
Bolan, Michael P., Nieswand, George H. and Singley, Mark. “Toward a Statewide Composting Program in New Jersey.” Compost Science, 19 (1978): 30–35.Google Scholar
Born, Gerald L. Product Development Research Division, Scotts Seed Company. Personal communications, August 1978.Google Scholar
Colacicco, D., Epstein, E., Wilson, G.B., Pane, J.F., and Christensen, L.A. Costs of Composting Sewage Sludge. USDA, ARS, NE-79, February 1979.Google Scholar
Crombie, George. “Mechanized Forced Aeration Composting for Durham, New Hampshire.” National Conference on Design of Municipal Sludge Composting Facilities. Chicago, Illinois, August 29–31, 1978.Google Scholar
DiLalo, Gregory. “The Market Potential of Dehydrated Animal Waste: A Study of Awareness and Use Patterns of Home Gardners.” M.S. paper, Rutgers University, 1979.Google Scholar
Goldstein, Jerome. Sensible Sludge – A New Look at a Wasted Natural Resource. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press, 1977.Google Scholar
Goluke, Clarence G. Composting – A Study of the Process and Its Principles. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press, 1972.Google Scholar
Higgins, Andrew J., Callahan, Kenneth and Nocitra, Nancy. “In Place Composting of Raw Sewage Sludge.” Paper presented at the Annual American Society of Agricultural Engineers, North Atlantic Region Meeting. Amherst, Mass., August 1978.Google Scholar
Ignatowski, J. Lenard and Donnelly, Kenneth L. “Blue Plains Compost Costs.” National Conference on Design of Municipal Sludge Composting Facilities. Chicago, Illinois, August 29–31, 1978.Google Scholar
Lue-Hing, Cecil. Transmittal letter for board meeting to Bart T. Lyman. Unpublished letter. November 8, 1977.Google Scholar
Kaercher, R.L. “Sludge Incineration in Use Today that Meets the Requirements of State and Federal Regulations.” Pretreatment and Ultimate Disposal of Wastewater Solids. Proceedings, USEPA, Rep. 902/9-74-002, May 1974.Google Scholar
Kasper, Victor and Derr, Donn A. Cost Estimates for the Camden Composting Operation. New Jersey Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. Forthcoming. 1979.Google Scholar
Kellogg, H. Clay. “Marketing Los Angeles’ Sewage Compost.” National Conference on Design of Municipal Sludge Compost Facilities. Chicago, Illinois, August 29–31, 1978.Google Scholar
Killey, George T. “Summary Report on Phase I (Model Development) Composting Program, The Metropolitan District of Greater Chicago.” Mimeographed. Chicago, 1977.Google Scholar
Marshall, Harold E. and Ruegg, Rosalie T. Analysis of Cost Sharing Programs for Pollution Allotment of Municipal Wastewater USEPA, N.B. 74–479, 1974.Google Scholar
Marshall, Harold E. and Ruegg, Rosalie T. “Cost Sharing to Induce Efficient Techniques of Abating Wastewater Pollution.” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2 (1975): 107–119.Google Scholar
McNulty, Hecter and Sharpe, Lois. “Municipal Sludge – What Shall We Do With It?” League of Women Voters Education Fund – Current Focus. 1975.Google Scholar
Mosher, Dale and Kent Anderson, R. Composting Sewage Sludge by High Suction Aeration Techniques – The Process as Conducted at Bangor, Maine and Some Guidelines of General Acceptability. EPA, 1977.Google Scholar
Nieswand, George and Pizor, Peter J. Current Planning Capacity – A Potential Carrying Capacity Approach to Land Use Planning. New Jersey Agr. Exp. Sta. Ext. Bull. 413, 1979.Google Scholar
Romano, Louis S. P.E. and Faust, John. “Composting Sewage Sludge by Means of Forced Aeration at Windsor, Ontario.” National Conference on Design of Municipal Sludge Composting Facilities. Chicago, Illinois, August 29–31, 1978.Google Scholar
Sevan, Raymond. “Indianapolis Project: From Lagoons to Landspreading in Three Not so Easy Lessons.” Sludge Magazine, 1 (1978): 16–25.Google Scholar
Smith, J.L. and McWhorter, D.B., and Houck, Carl P. “Land Application of Sludge Using Continuous Subsurface Injection.” Proceedings of the Third National Conference on Sludge Management, Disposal and Utilization. Miami Beach, Florida, December 14–16, 1976.Google Scholar
P.R.C. Toups Corporation. Analysis of Alternative Composting Technologies and Test Site Evaluation for a WSSC Composting Facility, Montgomery County, Maryland. Mimeographed. Rockville, Maryland, 1979.Google Scholar
U.S. Congress. Amendments to the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (PL 92–532), 1977.Google Scholar
U.S. Congress. The Clean Air Act as Amended, June (PL 91–604). 1974.Google Scholar
U.S. Department of Commerce. National Ocanic and Atmospheric Administration. Report to Congress on Ocean Pollution, Overfishing and Offshore Development. Washington, 1977.Google Scholar
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Construction Grants, Proposed Rules.” Federal Register, Vol. 43 No. 80, 1978.Google Scholar