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.
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