MCES Biosolids Scene

Past Biosolids Recycling Activities

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) has recycled biosolids for many years. The first biosolids recycling activities go back to the early 1940's when biosolids from the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant were either picked up or delivered to area farms in St. Paul, Brooklyn Center, White Bear, and New Brighton.

Much of the biosolids produced at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant since the 1950's has been incinerated. In the late 1970's however, due to limited incinerator capacity and the need for incinerator remodeling and maintenance, biosolids from the Metropolitan plant became available for recycling. From 1978 through 1987, approximately 22,000 acres of agriculture land in 17 surrounding counties received biosolids while the incinerator was upgraded. The amount of biosolids recycled during this time period was 220,000 tons (dry weight basis). One-tenth of this amount was used in composting projects, especially at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. The biosolids recycled on farmland was called MetroCake.

Present Biosolids Recycling Activities

The largest MCES biosolids recycling program provides a product, N-Viro Soil, to many area farmers. The use of N-Viro Soil was studied by the University of Minnesota for three years at tow large demonstration sites. One demonstration site was a farm in Scott County and the other site a farm in Dakota County. The results of the project showed that N-Viro Soil was a safe and effective soil amendment. These studies confirmed the results from an earlier University of Minnesota / U.S. Department of Agriculture study, which was conducted for a continuous 20-year period in which biosolids were applied annually at the Rosemount Agriculture Experiment Station.

Since the beginning of the N-Viro Soil program, in 1992, biosolids have been beneficially used on 5700 acres of farmland in Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Isanti, Kanabec, Rice, Scott, Washington, and Wright counties. N-Viro Soil supplies farmland with lime, slow-release nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, as well as, trace minerals such as copper, zinc, and boron.

More Biosolids Recycling Information

If you are interested in receiving biosolids or would like more information about MCES biosolids recycling, please contact Mike Mereness at 651-602-8296 or via email at mike.mereness@metc.state.mn.us .