Septage Bioreactor Landfill A St. Clair County RDDP Proposal St. Clair County CTI & Associates, Inc.

Septage Disposal Need Together, Macomb / St. Clair counties have approximately 50,000 septic tanks that generate 9.5 M gallons of septage annually By 2030, the septage generation is expected to exceed 14 M gallons per year Septage is currently disposed of at wastewater treatment plants or at licensed sites (i.e., “land application”) St. Clair Co. has no WWTP that accepts septage

UNCONTROLLED SURFACE APPLICATION

UNCONTROLLED SURFACE RUNOFF TO WATERWAYS

SURFACE APPLY ON FROZEN GROUND

ALTERNATIVE SEPTAGE DISPOSAL METHODS ARE NEEDED

The Advisory Group concurred with the proposal and identified Smiths Creek Landfill as one of the four potential disposal sites

Project Background Meanwhile, Smiths Creek Landfill was exploring various options of extending service life beyond the estimated 20 years One promising and environmentally-sound option is the “bioreactor landfill” The project team decided to use the bioreactor project to solve the septage disposal problem

Traditional Landfills vs. Bioreactor Landfills

Traditional Landfills Often times referenced as “dry tombs” Waste remains “dry” therefore suppresses decomposition

Fall 1990 Fall 1998 8 years in a “dry” landfill

Landfill Gas Production Containment Failure (Passing the liability to the next generation) ? Gas Production Traditional Landfills (“Dry Tombs”)

Bioreactor Landfills Inject the collected leachate back into waste mass to increase moisture content Add other liquids (e.g., septage) to further enhance decomposition Drastically accelerate landfill gas production (renewable energy) Aim achieving waste “bio-stabilization” in years (vs. decades or centuries in “dry tombs”)

Landfill Gas Production Bioreactor Landfill Renewable Energy Gas Production Containment Failure? Traditional Landfills (“Dry Tombs”)

Septage Bioreactor Landfill Septage Bioreactor Landfill

Solid waste needs moisture pH-control nutrients microorganisms to decompose…

Septage provides all those needs, but needs a home…

Rapid refuse decomposition, Landfill space recovery, Renewable energy source Alt. septage treatment method etc., etc.

Smiths Creek Landfill RDDP Proposal

Smiths Creek Landfill RDDP Proposal Septage treatment capacity (100,000 homes) Recover energy to heat 800 homes for 10 years Costs of expanding wastewater treatment capacity for septage is avoided Potential energy recovery (> $3,000,000) Potential space recovery (> $2,000,000)

Septage Receiving Unit Lift Station Septage Receiving Unit Septage Truck N

Septage Routing Septage liquid Discharge Lines Storage Tanks Receiving Facility Distribution System

Project Status Septage bioreactor cells are constructed and have been certified and licensed by MDEQ Landfill operators began to add Municipal Solid Waste to bioreactor cells in Nov. 2006 RDDP permit application was approved by MDEQ on February 23, 2007 Septage introduction to begin in approximately 6 months after completion of receiving facility, storage tanks and distribution system

Conclusion Disposal of septage in landfills is an environmentally sound practice Septage addition will accelerate waste decomposition therefore extend landfill service life Septage bioreactor is also a viable source of renewable energy Brings us one step closer to the vision of “perpetual” landfill Septage bioreactor is consistent with goals and objectives of Solid Waste Management Plan

Background on Part 115 Import/Export Authorizations Chapter 3 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, P.A. 451 of 1994, section 11538(6) states: In order for a disposal area to serve the needs of another county, state, or country, the service, including the disposal of municipal solid waste incinerator ash, must be explicitly authorized in the approved solid waste management plan of the receiving county. With regard to intercounty service within Michigan, the service must also be explicitly authorized in the exporting county’s solid waste management plan.

Reason for proposed amendment to Solid Waste Plan St. Clair County has a long-standing policy of self-sufficiency with regards to the disposal of solid waste No waste allowed into or out of county Manage our resource for the long-term benefits of County citizens Septage Bioreactor will help us manage our resource in a responsible manner by expanding the service life of the landfill

Thank You! For additional information, please contact Dr. Te-Yang Soong CTI & Associates (248)486-5100