RCW 70A.226.005
Findings—Municipal sewage sludge as a beneficial commodity.
Redline — January 1, 2023 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2026
As of January 1, 2023
(1) The legislature finds that: (a) Municipal sewage sludge is an unavoidable by-product of the wastewater treatment process; (b) Population increases and technological improvements in wastewater treatment processes will double the amount of sludge generated within the next ten years; (c) Sludge management is often a financial burden to municipalities and to ratepayers; (d) Properly managed municipal sewage sludge is a valuable commodity and can be beneficially used in agriculture, silviculture, and in landscapes as a soil conditioner; and (e) Municipal sewage sludge can contain metals and microorganisms that, under certain circumstances, may pose a risk to public health.
(1) The legislature finds that: (a) Municipal sewage sludge is an unavoidable by-product of the wastewater treatment process; (b) Population growth and technological improvements in wastewater treatment processes will increase the production of biosolids in the future; (c) Sludge management is often a financial burden to municipalities and to ratepayers; (d) Properly managed municipal sewage sludge is a valuable commodity and can be beneficially used in agriculture, silviculture, and in landscapes as a soil conditioner; and (e) Municipal sewage sludge can contain metals and microorganisms that, under certain circumstances, may pose a risk to public health.
(2) The legislature declares that a program shall be established to manage municipal sewage sludge and that the program shall, to the maximum extent possible, ensure that municipal sewage sludge is reused as a beneficial commodity and is managed in a manner that minimizes risk to public health and the environment.
(2) The legislature declares that a program shall be established to manage municipal sewage sludge and that the program shall, to the maximum extent possible, ensure that municipal sewage sludge is reused as a beneficial commodity and is managed in a manner that minimizes risk to public health and the environment.
Official source: Washington State Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Washington statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.