Houston-Growing sentiment in Alabama among the legislature, county officials, and the public against use of biosolids as fertilizer isn’t the only reason for the closure of a Synagro Technologies processing plant in that state, according to company officials. “Given the uncertainty of the legislature environment in Alabama coupled with changes we administered in the New York contract, we decided to process those volumes in other facilities in other states,” Joseph L. Page, Synagro’s executive vice president and general counsel, advised Green Markets. “That facility is still leased by Synagro and is being mothballed for the time being. But at present we don’t have a timeline or definite plan for reopening the facility. However, we may do so in the future.” The plant, in Leighton in Colbert County, received sludge by rail from New York City for drying and liming for distribution on farmland in at least three areas where public protests have increased over odor problems and potential hazards. Recently, legislation was adopted to allow Colbert, Franklin, and Lawrence Counties to vote on whether they wanted the biosolids to be distributed in their areas. “There are those measures and there are additional discussions being held at the state level as well as at other county commission levels,” the Synagro executive explained. “The state is somewhat in flux and there are discussions in the Alabama Department of Environmental Management regarding the biosolids and other reuse processes.” Press reports have stated that Synagro is being sued in Franklin County.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain