National Waste Reporting 2013
FACTSHEET – BIOSOLIDS PROFILE
Note: The National Waste Report 2010 did not cover biosolids, although data presented for
some jurisdictions included disposal figures for biosolids.
What are biosolids?
Biosolids are the treated organic solids produced by waste water treatment processes which
may be used for beneficial uses. The extent of dewatering and/or drying of biosolids varies
from facility to facility. This in turn affects the amount of liquid in biosolids. State and territory
definitions of biosolids may vary.
Treatment of data in reporting
The Liquid Waste Assessment1 concluded that the liquid waste content in biosolids represents
a potentially substantial interface of liquid and solid waste data sets which may result in
potential ‘double counting’ between solid and liquid waste data accounting. The Liquid Waste
Assessment recommended that where liquid waste reporting occurs in parallel to solid waste
reporting, biosolids be excluded from the scope of solid waste reporting and be included in
liquid waste reporting (regardless of their physical state, wet or dry). Biosolids represent a
recovered volume of waste from the sewerage waste system. However, if liquid waste is not
reported then biosolids data inclusion in solid waste data is appropriate.
Management of biosolids
The treatment and use of biosolids is regulated by states and territories. The final
management options for biosolids may be split into two main categories: beneficial use or
disposal. Figure 1 below illustrates a number of typical pathways in the production and
treatment of biosolids from wastewater to beneficial use or disposal, although there are many
alternatives to these processes.
Figure 1 Typical pathways in the production and handling of biosolids2.
1
2
Hyder. Liquid waste assessment (2012)
Australian Water Association (AWA), unpublished material, 2013.
1
Biosolids may contain pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants such as synthetic organic
compounds and toxic metals. However, with appropriate management of the human and
environmental health risks, biosolids may be used for beneficial uses as they contain valuable
constituent components including:

macronutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur.

micronutrients, such as copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, boron, molybdenum
and manganese.

organic matter.

inorganic matter3.
These components mean that biosolids can be used effectively as a fertiliser, soil conditioner
or soil replacement product. A reduced reliance on inorganic fertilisers has an additional
environmental benefit as the production of these fertilisers also results in carbon emissions.
Every tonne of biosolids used in agriculture to replace inorganic fertilisers is estimated to avoid
up to six tonnes of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted in the production process4.
The Australian water industry and its regulators are working to effectively identify, assess and
sustainably manage biosolid issues, including through the Australian and New Zealand
Biosolids Partnership (ANZBP) which consists of utilities, consultants, academics and
government representatives managed by the industry body, the Australian Water Association5.
Sustainably managing biosolids is important because of:

the increasing cost of biosolids management.

community expectation that there will be improved utilisation of biosolids as a resource.

the changing and increasingly stringent regulation of products such as biosolids.

the larger quantities and differing properties of biosolids being produced due to
improvements in sewage treatment processes.
Biosolids management challenges include:

increasing transport costs due to increased fuel prices and increasing volumes of
biosolids production .

identifying viable land application sites that are both appropriate and within cost
effective transport distances. These sites are becoming less available due to urban
development.

managing the odour concerns that the community has about biosolids remains a
challenge for the beneficial use of biosolids.

stockpiling and landfilling can result in the production of greenhouse gases, including
methane6 7. The extended storage of biosolids in stockpiles may also result in the loss
of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus8.
The ANZBP commissioned national surveys on biosolids in 2009–10 and 2012–13 to collect
information on the production and final management of biosolids in Australia. Both surveys
included a total of 322 sites, representing approximately 80 per cent of Australia’s population9.
3
AWA ibid.
Pollution Solutions & Designs for DSEWPaC 2012, Biosolids snapshot.
5
ANZBP http://www.biosolids.com.au/ accessed 27 November 2013.
6
Pollution Solutions & Designs for the Department of the Environment 2012, Biosolids snapshot.
7
Australian Water Association (AWA), unpublished material, 2013.
8
Duncan, D, Deighton M, Fleming, V and Smith, C 2009. Final evaluation report on the Smart Water Fund Project ‘Pathogen risk
and nutrient status of air-dried and stored biosolids’ unpublished.
4
2
Total biosolid production in Australia was approximately 330000 tonnes of dry solids in
2012-13 compared with 300 000 tonnes in 2009–10. The increase reflects incremental change
over the period and some changes in the survey design between the two surveys. Figure 2
presents a breakdown of the biosolid production by state and territory.
Figure 2 Biosolids production by state and territory in 2012–1310.
Biosolids Production in Australia 2012-13
330 000 tonnes (dry basis)
WA, 8%
ACT, 4%
NSW, 25%
VIC, 29%
NT, 1%
TAS, 2%
SA, 9%
QLD, 21%
–
The amount of biosolids produced is dependent on a range of factors, including the physical
wastewater/sludge treatment process and where the waste water is collected from i.e.
domestic and industry sources. Thus figure 2 is not a direct reflection of state or territory
population.
The ANZBP 2012–13 biosolids survey applied the following broad classifications to categorise
the end use or treatment of biosolids:
a. Agriculture: for biosolids applied as a fertiliser without value added processing.
b. Forestry: for biosolids applied as a fertiliser to plantation forests.
c. Land rehabilitation: for biosolid use for rehabilitation such as of mine sites (a new
category that was not used in the 2010 survey).
d. Landscaping (compost): for biosolids processed in a composting facility and then used
for landscaping or another horticultural use.
e. Stockpile: where biosolids were stored, awaiting further processing, use or disposal.
f.
Landfill: for biosolids disposed of to landfill.
g. Ocean discharge: for biosolids disposed of into the ocean.
h. Other uses: to those set out above.
i.
Unspecified: where sewage treatment plants did not respond or where the end
treatment or use could not be identified.
9
The survey covered all sewage treatment plants that serviced a population of over 25,000 people or with a flow rate of five
megalitres per day. Many water utilities also provided information for smaller plants and this additional information was
incorporated in the survey results. AWA, unpublished material, 2013.
10
Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnership (ANZBP) 2013, Biosolids production in Australia: the Australian and New
Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.
3
The breakdown of biosolids production and use or treatment by jurisdiction, is provided in
Table 1.
Table 1 Biosolids use/treatment by jurisdiction in dry tonnes in 2012–13 (tonnes per annum) 11.
Agriculture
NSW &
ACT
49 132.0
QLD
62 556.0
SA
30 477.5
Landscaping
(compost)
157 245.0
Landfill
8577.5
1499.5
2263.0
2961.5
Ocean
discharge
Stockpile
Unspecified
3 942.0
238.5
4 416.5
Other
TOTAL
14 600.0
98 130.5
2391.5
70 172.0
30 477.5
TAS
2993.0
473.0
VIC
29 617.0
2690.0
WA &
NT
20 440.0
2007.5
195 215.5
20 895.5
TOTAL
Land
Rehabilitation
3359.5
6825.5
962.0
62 051.0
2874.5
11 802.5
10 695.0
317.0
95 638.0
2935.0
3942.0
65 224.5
28 256.5
6808.0
14 917.0
329 500.0
Nationally in 2012–13, 59 per cent of biosolids produced were applied to agricultural land
(195 215.5 dry tonnes of biosolids). Stockpiling treatment made up the second highest
proportion of total biosolids, 65 224.5 dry tonnes of biosolids or 20 per cent. The stockpiling
national figure is strongly influenced by the quantity of biosolids that Victoria stockpiled, which
represented 73 per cent of its biosolids production and 95 per cent of the national figure in
2012–13.
Biosolids in Victoria
“Until recently, many of the biosolids in Victoria have not met or been able to pass all of the
Environment Protection Authority Victoria’s (2004) Guidelines for Environmental Management
- Biosolids Land Application reuse quality requirements. Biosolids were therefore unable to be
beneficially used. Unlike many other treatment plants, due to the scale of the plants in
Melbourne, stockpiling of biosolids has been an option whilst landfilling has not. This has
meant financial drivers to reuse are not as strong. Research has been conducted on a range
of beneficial uses to suit the different profiles of inputs to biosolids and their regulatory
requirements. It is anticipated that this work will be a foundation to increase the beneficial use
of biosolids in Victoria in the future”12.
The third greatest quantity of biosolids, 20 895.5 dry tonnes or six per cent of total biosolids
production, were used in composted products in the ‘landscaping’ category. These categories
also had the same ranking in the 2010 survey. A breakdown of the final management of
biosolids on a national level is provided in Figure 3, and Figure 4 illustrates the breakdown of
final management by state and territory.
11
Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnership (ANZBP) 2013, Biosolids production in Australia: the Australian and New
Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.
12
Australian Water Association (AWA), unpublished material, 2013.
4
Figure 3 Biosolid end use or treatment by category in 2012–1313.
Unspecified, 2%
Stockpile, 20%
Other, 5%
Ocean discharge,
1%
Landscaping
(compost), 6%
Agriculture, 59%
Landfill, 3%
Land
rehabilitation, 4%
Biosolids Tonnes/Year
Figure 4 Biosolids production and use or treatment by jurisdiction and category in dry tonnes in
2012–1314.
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
WA & NT
VIC
TAS
SA
QLD
NSW & ACT
Biosolids Use Method
In 2012–13, 69 per cent of total biosolids produced were beneficially used, four per cent were
disposed of and 26 per cent went to other uses15. These figures are not significantly different
from those for 2009–10 (see table 2)16 17.
13
AWA ibid.
Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnership (ANZBP) 2013, Biosolids production in Australia: the Australian and New
Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.
15
Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding
16
ANZBP 2013 ibid.
17
ANZBP 2010, Biosolids production in Australia: the Australian and New Zealand Biosolids Partnership national survey of
biosolids production and end use, Australian Water Association, Sydney.
14
5
Table 2 Biosolids by aggregated end use or disposal category in 2012–13.
Measurement
Beneficial
use18
Disposal19
Other20
Dry tonnes
(2012–13)
227 914
14 637
86 950
Dry tonnes
(2009–10)
198 783
16 597
88 426
Percentage of
total (2012–13)
69
4
26
Percentage of
total (2009–10)
65
6
29
The annual ROU surveys of the organics processing and recycling industry present additional
information to understand the beneficial use of biosolids. The surveys are conducted using a
survey questionnaire and agreed standard reporting categories that were developed in
consultation with state and territory agencies and industry. However, although the survey
design was intended to enable consistent reporting, direct comparisons may not be possible
between years and between jurisdictions due to variation in survey participation21 and
reporting e.g. reported quantities of biosolids may vary substantially depending on the
moisture content (which may be between 20-90 per cent depending on the plant and the
weather) and jurisdictions may have diverged from the survey methodology to better suit their
own reporting needs.
The only identified category in the ROU survey for biosolids use is “other direct land
application (biosolids)”. Table 3 presents the reported amounts of biosolids in kilotonnes from
2005–06 to 2011–12. The ANZBP information reflects a greater diversity of end uses because
this information is from the facilities and agencies that manage biosolids at the source,
whereas the ROU survey information reflects the processing for end use of biosolids by one
industry. The ANZBP figures are lower than the ROU figures for reasons including differences
in definitions, survey design, ANZBP reporting on a dry weight basis, while the ROU figures
are predominantly reported on a fresh weight basis and include grit and screenings.
Table 3 Reported quantities of biosolids, grit and screenings recovered for beneficial use in
land application22 23.
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
682
1150
917
629
PRIMARY PRODUCTION WASTES/BIOMASS (kt)
Biosolids / grit /
screenings
492
620
626
18
Categories include agriculture, forestry, landscaping (compost), land rehabilitation (new in 2013 survey)
Categories include landfill and ocean discharge
20
Categories include stockpiling, other uses and unspecified uses
21
Tasmania and the Northern Territory were not included in the survey over this period. In the 2006–7 survey, data for the ACT
and Victoria was not available for that financial year and so 2005–6 data was used instead. In 2007–8, Victoria and the ACT did
not participate, with the ACT also not participating in the 2009–10, 2010–11 or 2011–12 surveys.
22
Recycled Organics Unit 2006-2010. Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2006-2010 available at
http://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/#survey
23
Recycled Organics Unit for the Department of the Environment 2013 Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2011
and Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2012.
19
6
Queensland and NSW both recover relatively high levels of biosolids, grit and screenings (as
seen in Table 4) and together represent the major contribution to the total amount of biosolids
recovered. This is due to these jurisdictions being both high producers of biosolids and having
policy positions which actively support the use of biosolids as a resource. Queensland
“promotes higher resource recovery and recycling rates and aims to transform the perception
of waste from being seen as ‘waste’ to being valued as a ‘resource’” under the Waste
Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 and will provide ‘specific approval’ for the use of biosolids
under this Act’s regulations24. In NSW, the “government's biosolids management policy is to
encourage the beneficial use of biosolids where it is safe and practicable and where it provides
the best environmental outcome”25.
Both Queensland and NSW recorded an overall trend for the increasing reported use of
biosolids, grit and screenings in direct land application category, although there was a
decrease for NSW in 2008–09 and 2009–10 and then a return to increased use. It was noted
that there were variations in the way biosolids, grit and screenings were reported for
Queensland in 2009–10, which would have influenced the total amount for all reporting
jurisdictions in 2009–10, given Queensland’s contribution26. In 2011–12, Queensland reported
biosolids, grit and screenings on a dry weight basis which had a major reduction on the
reported quantity for Queensland and it is likely that this also had a strong influence on the
total amount for 2011–12 i.e. the perceived reduction for the total amount in 2011–12 is likely
to be an artefact of the Queensland reporting.
Table 4 Recovery and recycling of biosolids nationally and by jurisdiction in 2010–1127 28 29
Material
National
ACT
NSW
NT
Qld
SA
Tas
VIC
WA
Recovery of biosolids from MSW, C&I and C&D sources (data in thousands of tonnes ,
rounded to whole number)

Biosolids
(jurisdictional data,
WGRRiA)

Biosolids (ROU)
(waste stream source
not specified)
1,026
41
437
4
271
70
-
109
94
917
-
246
-
587
12
-
39
34
Biogas energy recovery from landfill (data expressed as thousands of tonnes of organic
material degraded in landfill, rounded to whole number)

Biosolids (WGGRiA)
7
0.2
5
0.1
0.6
0.5
0.2
0.0
1.0
Table 4 presents data from two different sources on recovery of biosolids. The WGGRiA
figures for 2010–11 are in general higher than the ROU figures. This is assumed to be
because the WGRRiA data reflects the whole jurisdiction, while the ROU data reflects the
organics reprocessing sector in the jurisdiction. The higher ROU figure for Queensland is an
anomaly which may be related to how biosolids were reported in that year i.e. the moisture
content.
24
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (Qld) <http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/waste/beneficial-use-approvals.html>,
accessed 24 September 2013.
25
Office of Environment and Heritage <http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/water/biosolidsguide.htm>, accessed 23 September
2013.
26
Recycled Organics Unit (ROU) 2006-2010. Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2006-2010 available at
http://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/#survey
27
Blue Environment and Randell Environmental Consulting 2013. Waste generation and resource recovery in Australia.
28
ROU 2006-2010 ibid.
29
ROU for the Department of the Environment 2013. Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2011 and Organics
Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2012.
7
ROU surveys include the category ‘biofuels/biogas (energy from methane)’ but no data has
been recorded against this for 2010–11. WGGRiA reports that the equivalent of 7000 tonnes
of biosolids was recovered via biogas energy recovery30. NSW biogas recovery from biosolids
represents 71 per cent of the national figure and NSW in general recovers relatively high
levels of biogas from landfills for energy31.
Future uses
The use of biosolids as a fertiliser and soil conditioner is likely to continue as there is an
established market for these products. However, there are further potential uses for this
resource. These include:

Generating energy

-
by anaerobic decomposition of the organic matter which produces methane which can
be burnt.
-
by direct combustion.
As a substitute for raw materials such as clay in building products e.g. bricks or as
geotechnical fill in construction e.g. for roads.
Unless otherwise specified, data and information contained in this factsheet has been sourced from:

Blue Environment and Randell Environmental Consulting’s Waste Generation and Resource Recovery in
Australia (2013)

Hyder’s Liquid waste assessment (2012)

Pollution Solutions & Designs’ Biosolids snapshot (2012).

Recycled Organics Unit for the Department of Environment’s Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry
Statistics 2011 and Organics Recycling in Australia: Industry Statistics 2012
30
To calculate the biogas recovery from landfill, it has been assumed that the annual rate of biogas energy recovery from
biosolids is directly related to the annual quantity of biosolids going to landfill. In reality, organics in landfill degrade over decades
so the amount of biogas energy recovered in a year can represent many years of decomposition. Biogas production is also
influenced by seasonal conditions and landfill management.
31
Blue Environment and Randell Environmental Consulting 2013 for the Department of the Environment. Waste generation and
resource recovery in Australia.
8