2021 R12 – Contaminants Released from Wastewater Treatment Plants
- Year: 2021
- AVICC Number: R12
- UBCM Number: NR31
- Powell River
Whereas contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are found in the sewage sludge of wastewater treatment plants and are then dispersed to the environment and food chain through aerosolization, marine discharge, and land application of biosolids;
And whereas CECs have been found to have negative effects on human and wildlife health:
Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM request the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada to establish sampling protocols and introduce specific measures for monitoring and reducing levels of contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater treatment plants in order to prevent adverse impacts to human and wildlife health in three receiving environments: air, water and land.
- Year: 2021
- AVICC Number: R12
- Sponsor: Powell River
- Resolution Type: Provincial
- Category: Environment
- AVICC Decision: Endorsed
- AVICC Action: Forwarded to UBCM
- AVICC Response link
- UBCM Number: NR31
- UBCM Decision: Endorsed
- Provincial Response:Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has established processes to reduce the introduction of contaminants of emerging concern CECs, to monitor performance of wastewater treatment plants, and to assess the fate and effect of CECs in the receiving environment. As per the Environmental Management Act EMA, this includes Liquid Waste Management Plans LWMPs and site-specific authorizations. LWMPs are a form of authorization available to local governments to establish community goals for wastewater treatment and infrastructure, source control measures, and biosolids management. Although LWMPs are not mandatory under EMA, local governments are strongly encouraged to develop and implement these plans. LWMPs include source control measures that can be used to discourage or regulate discharges of certain wastes, including CECs, to local government infrastructure. Either a site-specific authorization under the EMA or a registration under the Municipal Wastewater Regulation is mandatory for wastewater treatment facilities. These authorizations have established processes and methods for monitoring wastewater influent and effluent, treatment technology, and impacts to the receiving environment. Monitoring programs are required, in addition to the use of approved provincial and federal water quality guidelines for CECs, to measure the effectiveness of source control programs, treatments and impacts on the receiving environment. The Ministry supports a prevention-first approach and will continue to consider policy approaches to address CECs. This includes supporting Extended Producer Responsibility programs for common CECs such as pharmaceuticals, to ensure these materials are managed responsibly and not introduced into wastewater systems. In addition, biosolid production and quality standards are regulated under the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation OMRR. OMRR sets limits for metals in biosolids, which are based on limits in the federal Fertilizer Regulations. The OMRR also requires that biosolids be treated to undergo pathogen reduction to protect human health and the environment. Biosolids must be tested and must meet these quality standards to be beneficially reused and land applied as a fertilizer according to OMRR. As part of planned regulatory amendments, the Ministry intends to add the authority in OMRR for a director of waste management to require monitoring of biosolids for contaminants of emerging concern. Research evaluating any potential harmful impacts from land application of biosolids is ongoing and the ministry will continue to use the most currently available scientific information to inform ministry policy to ensure that standards reflect up-to-date science and are protective of human health and the environment.
- UBCM Response link
The AVICC acknowledges that we are grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional territories of theCoast Salish, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Kwak-Waka’wakw Peoples