Overturned Tractor Trailer Spills Biosolids

The normally steady ebb and flow of Monday afternoon traffic in and out of Farmville was disrupted when a tractor-trailer carrying Class B biosolids overturned on Route 15 South.  The truck, driven by Derrick Alsop, was traveling south on US 15 just past the traffic light at Lowes Home Improvement when according to Alsop, he lost control of the truck, “ I could feel the trailer swinging back and forth behind me, but I was afraid to take my eyes off the road to look back. I tried to get control of the trailer,” an obviously shaken up, but fortunately unhurt Alsop said in a short interview.

“The trailer broke free of the road tractor when it left the road on the right hand side and traveled down the embankment, eventually overturning,” Investigating State Trooper Henshaw told the Southside Messenger. “Mr. Alsop is really very lucky the trailer broke away from the truck.”

Travel was reduced to one lane while officials decided and implemented a plan of action for cleaning up the 23 tons of Class B biosolids that had spilled from the trailer along the side of the road and onto the property of Wayne Davis of Farmville. Prince Edward County Assistant County Administrator and head of Emergency Management Sarah Pucket headed the multi-organizational effort to coordinate the cleanup plan. “…there is some concern with the size of the spill. The fact that it is on Mr. Davis’ land, where he has cattle, is an issue.” She said, “Another thing, there is a creek right below the spill. We just want to clean this up in the safest and quickest way possible.” She spoke with property owner, Wayne Davis, who had been called to the accident scene, “The bottom line here is that you have to be satisfied with the cleanup.”

Biosolids are the solid waste byproduct from water treatment plants. It is used by farmers as fertilizer on nonfood crops. Most of the time, it is spread on fields with a manure spreader just like animal manure. The process is monitored by the contractor as well as the Department of Environmental Qualities to ensure safe practices and to enforce setback and other application rules as they may apply individually to permit holders and property owners.

The use of Class B biosolids in Prince Edward County has historically been controversial. The controversy has typically surrounded the potential health risk to people and animals exposed to “sludge,” as it is commonly called. Biosolids are available in different classes according to the number of processes to remove pathogens has been applied. Class A biosolids is a safer class and is available for purchase by consumers from many cooperatives. Class B on the other hand, (that which spilled in the accident on Monday), contains considerably higher levels of heavy metals and pathogens. Animals cannot graze on treated land for 30 days and it can’t be used on food crops for humans. Restrictions also apply to how close it can be spread to creeks and streams, people’s homes, lawns and public areas such as parks. The safety of its use is directly related to the remoteness of the land it is applied to; the further from people and animals, the better.

The load that spilled yesterday originated in Blue Plains, the largest water treatment plant in the world, located in Washington D.C. Most of what is spread in this area is trucked hundreds of miles from as far away as New Jersey. While its use has been proclaimed as safe by the industry, the swiftness of the reaction by local and State officials, NutriBlend, the spreading contractor and  Duffeld trucking company, the transporter, gives some insight into to the potential hazard inherent to its transportation and use. “This happens three or four times a year. They may have to take some of the topsoil out of there,” Manuel Toombs of the Department of Environmental Quality speculated. Standing on the road next to the large spill that had just landed above the creek that ran through Wayne Davis’ farm and eventually into Wilck’s Lake, he said,      “As long as we don’t get one of those pop up thunderstorms like we do this time of year, I think we’ll be okay here.”