Background

Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials produced through wastewater treatment. When properly managed, they are a renewable resource that supports soil health, resource recovery, environmental sustainability, and circular water economy goals.

Water Resource Recovery Facilities recover organic matter, nutrients, and energy from wastewater, including renewable energy from biogas and biofuels. Biosolids management requires flexible options—such as beneficial use, incineration, landfilling, and emerging technologies—that reflect local conditions, infrastructure, regulations, and costs.

Beneficial use, including land application and reclamation, is a preferred pathway when protective of health and the environment. Key benefits include:

Providing cost-effective organic fertilizer that sequesters carbon and enriches soils;
Reducing reliance on synthetic or mined fertilizers while supporting crop production;
Improving soil water retention, reducing runoff, erosion, and irrigation needs;
Conserving landfill capacity and reducing methane emissions;
Recovering phosphorus, nitrogen, and other valuable resources;
Restoring fire-ravaged, mined, and other degraded lands.

Concerns about contaminants of emerging concern, especially PFAS, are driving new policy and regulatory responses. The water sector has shown that pretreatment and source control, reinforced by ongoing research and innovation, can reduce contaminants in biosolids.

Biosolids management operates in a complex regulatory, technical, and social environment where public confidence is essential. Restrictions on management options can disrupt operations, raise costs, limit resource recovery, strain landfill capacity, and create affordability challenges.

Position

WEF recognizes biosolids as a valuable wastewater treatment byproduct and resource that should be managed to maximize environmental, economic, and societal benefits while minimizing risks through science-based, protective, and adaptive approaches. WEF supports circular water economy principles that reduce waste, recover nutrients and energy, regenerate nature, maximize beneficial use, and preserve local management flexibility. WEF supports:

Beneficial Use of Biosolids
- Beneficial use of biosolids that protects human health and the environment as the preferred management approach;
- Land application practices that return water, nutrients, and carbon to soils and support restoration;
- A flexible, tiered approach to PFAS and other CECs that maximizes practicable beneficial use while minimizing risk; and
- Site-specific management decisions supported by a range of end-use or disposal options.
Science-Based and Consistent Regulatory Frameworks
- Continued regulation of biosolids under the Clean Water Act in the United States, and comparable international frameworks;
- Consistent, risk-based, science-driven regulatory approaches; and
- Regularly updated risk assessments reflecting current science, management options, and CECs.
Source Control and Pretreatment
- Pretreatment and source control as proven tools for managing contaminants in wastewater and biosolids;
- Reducing contaminant inputs at the source, including industrial discharges and consumer products; and
- Investment in pretreatment programs to protect biosolids quality and public health.
Advancement of Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- Broader adoption of defined biosolids BMPs, including advanced treatment and stabilization where appropriate;
- Technologies that reduce pathogens and odors and better address CECs;
- Continuous improvement through research, monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management; and
- Research to improve biosolids management across varying conditions.
Addressing Contaminants of Emerging Concern¹
- Research on CEC monitoring, treatment, and risk characterization across the wastewater continuum;Source reduction strategies should be the primary means of addressing CECs in biosolids;Treatment technologies and management approaches that reduce, transform, or destroy contaminants; and
- Transparent communication of scientific findings and uncertainties.
Innovation and Circular Water Economy Integration²
- Policies and investments that advance nutrient recovery and renewable energy production;Systems approaches integrating biosolids into circular water and resource recovery strategies; and
- Innovation in treatment, beneficial use, and markets for biosolids-derived products.
Infrastructure Funding³
- Funding and financing for biosolids infrastructure, research, and program implementation;Consideration of lifecycle costs and environmental trade-offs among biosolids treatment and management options; and
- Cost-effective solutions that protect health while maintaining ratepayer affordability.
Public Engagement and Transparency
- Proactive, transparent, science-based communication to build public trust;
- Education and outreach for communities, policymakers, industry, and land managers; and
- Resources supporting risk communication, policy-making, and informed decisions.

Alignment With the Water Environment Federation’s Strategic Goals

Since 1928, WEF and its members have created products and services for water and wastewater professionals. As a global water sector leader, our mission is to inspire the water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being to create a life free of water challenges. The Biosolids Management position statement aligns with WEF’s mission and WEF’s Strategic Goal:

Leading the transformation to a Circular Water Economy.
Attract and develop a diverse and passionate water workforce.
Cultivate a purpose-driven community to sustainably solve water challenges for all.

1 See also, WEF’s Position Statement on Contaminants of Emerging Concern, and WEF’s Position Statement on PFAS.

2 See also, WEF’s Position Statement on Circular Water Economy.

3 See also, WEF’s Position Statement on Water Infrastructure Funding.