May 18, 2005                         

WATER ENVIRNOMENT FEDERATION ANNOUNCES INNOVATIVE USES OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMAL MANURE, BIOSOLIDS AND PAPER MILL RESIDUALS

Recycling of Non-Hazardous Organic Residuals to Products and Energy – A Regional Symposium

     Alexandria, VA – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Center of Excellence for Sustainable Residuals Management will present Innovative Uses of Agricultural Animal Manure, Biosolids and Paper Mill: Recycling of Non-Hazardous Organic Residuals to Products and Energy. The regional symposium is scheduled for June 29 – July 1, 2005 at the Omni Chicago Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

     A variety of factors have influenced the increased generation of municipal, agricultural and industrial residues and the overwhelming need to reduce, recycle and reuse. Advancements in municipal wastewater treatment technologies combined with the increase in the U.S. population and the population served by municipal sewers have contributed to an increase in the volume of biosolids produced since 1972 to more than 7 million dry tons per year; animal residuals are estimated to be as much as 100 times greater than municipal solids and the U.S. paper and pulp industry produces approximately 5.5 million dry tons on an annual basis.

     The symposia’s technical program will focus on the production and composition of municipal solids, animal manure and paper mill residuals, on-site management as it relates to value-added products and innovative uses both on and off-site. Other topics include societal impacts (technical and institutional challenges) on product use, economical and research needs and policy guidance, among others. In addition, the Great Lakes By-Product Management Association developed a portion of the technical program to further expand the broad stakeholder approach used to enhance beneficial use practices.

    The opening keynote address on June 30 will feature Tom Dunne, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. EPA’s Office of Solid Waste, who will discuss sustainable management and reuse of residuals from agriculture, industry and municipalities.

          Those encouraged to attend include farmers, agronomist, agriculturalists, consultants, engineers, extension service professionals, municipal water and wastewater treatment system managers, residuals and biosolids generators and appliers, manufacturers of useful products from municipal and agricultural wastes, local and state regulatory agency personnel, nutrient managers, industrial plant owners and operators, and organic and inorganic residuals managers.

     For more information about the technical program, registration, and conference fees visit http://www.wef.org/conferences/animal05.jhtml. 

About WEF

Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 76 Member Associations in 30 countries. www.wef.org

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