Happy New Year and welcome to the February edition of the ANZBP newsletter. We hope you enjoyed some well-earned rest and relaxation over the summer break. It was a busy end to 2023 for the ANZBP Advisory Committee, with advocacy in the regulatory space, ANZBP project work, Ozwater’24 submissions and participation in the ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia’s Biosolids Resource third annual symposium held in late September.
In October, ANZBP made a submission to the NSW EPA regarding its Biosolids Regulatory Review Issues Paper, following a constructive meeting with key EPA staff in September and feedback from our partners in NSW and elsewhere.
Also in the regulatory space, while we were anticipating the final PFAS NEMP 3.0 to be published in December, we understand the National Chemicals Working Group are still reviewing the many submissions received and working to resolve how the feedback is best addressed.
We will share any further updates with you as we receive them.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Lunch and Learn on 21 February, where we will hear from out wonderful international guest speakers, Professor Grant Clark (Canada) on nature-based technologies and Janine Burke-Wells and Ned Beecher (USA) on the Biosolids Emissions Assessment Model (BEAM). We are also excited to share that ANZBP is hosting a panel titled “Managing biosolids in an uncertain future: Resource recovery, risk, regulation, resilience” on Day 1 of Ozwater’24, following the “Biosolids In Focus” stream. We look forward to seeing you there!
A big thank you to everyone who completed the ANZBP Biosolids Production and End Use Survey in late 2023. Keep an eye out for the final reports which will be made available to our partners in the coming months. A summary of the 2023 results and industry trends will be shared by the Advisory Committee at Ozwater’24.
Finally, the Advisory Committee would like to congratulate long-time ANZBP supporter Catherine Vero from our partner organisation Pollution Solutions and Designs (PSD), who was awarded the inaugural Chris Davis AM Fellowship for 2023. The fellowship provides Catherine an opportunity to extend and amplify her important work in advocating for improvement to the way water safety and security is supported in First Nations homelands.
ANZBP Lunch & Learn February 2024
Less than two weeks until the first ANZBP Lunch and Learn Webinar for 2024! Join us and our extra special guest speakers from Canada and the USA!
Presentation: Be Careful What You Ask For: A Wholistic Comparison of Emissions from Biosolids Recycling Professor Grant Clark (Canada) will outline how he leads the Ecological Engineering Research Group, investigating nature-based technologies for responsible civilisations on small planets.
Janine Burke-Wells
Ned Beecher
Presentation: BEAM - Accounting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Biosolids Management Janine Burke-Wells and Ned Beecher (USA) from North East Biosolids & Residuals Association (NEBRA) will discuss how water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) manage their “waste” solids can have a major impact on their total net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Future Lunch & Learn Topics
The ANZBP Advisory Committee is looking to organise future Lunch and Learn sessions on the following topics:
Biosolids carbonisation technologies
Contaminants of Emerging Concern in biosolids
Treatment Plant Safety related to biosolids management
If you have research or case studies you would like to share on these topics, please let us know. Equally if there are other topics you would like to hear more about through a Lunch & Learn Session please drop us a line at admin@biosolids.com.au.
The member-exclusive March 'Coffee & Cake' event will center around the 'ANZBP research priority: Carbon and Resource Value,' hosted by Rob Tinholt and Lauren Randall on March 19, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM AEDT. Don't miss this unique opportunity to not only gain valuable knowledge but also actively participate and share your thoughts on this crucial topic!
Why "Coffee & Cake" matters:
Community advocacy: ANZBP is more than just a professional network; it's a thriving community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about sustainable biosolids management. "Coffee & Cake" will serve as a platform to discuss and advocate for the biosolids issues that matter most to you.
Valuable interactions for networking and knowledge-sharing. "Coffee & Cake" will provide meaningful conversations and gain insights from your peers.
Exclusive access: This event is exclusively for ANZBP members, highlighting the value of being part of our dynamic community.
Keep an eye on your inbox for a calendar invitation to this event. Your feedback is important to us, and we eagerly anticipate creating an informative event with your active participation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at admin@biosolids.com.au.
The Ozwater’24 conference will be held in Melbourne between 30 April and 2 May and is hosted by AWA.
ANZBP Committee members Matthew Wood and Beatrice Yong will present on 'Managing Biosolids in an uncertain future: Resource recovery, risk, regulation, and resilience' at Ozwater’24 in Melbourne on Tuesday, 30 April 2024.
This panel session brings together biosolids producers, end users, regulators, and experts from across the sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities of managing biosolids in an uncertain future. This year’s conference will feature several streams of biosolids papers; you can check out the full program here.
Biosolids Workshop in New Zealand 2024
ANZBP is in discussions with WaterNZ to host a 1-day biosolids workshop in NZ in the middle of the year. Stay tuned for more information coming later this year.
IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery Conference 2024
The IWA Nutrient Removal and Recovery (NRR) Specialist Group extends a warm invitation for your participation in the upcoming Conference in November, “Nutrient Management in the Net-Zero Era.” This conference will provide a roadmap for nutrient removal and recovery, provide opportunities and new ideas for those in the waste management and wastewater sector.
Please consider submitting an abstract to present your research or project at the conference. *The call for papers closes on Monday, 15 April 2024.
Additionally, ANZBP is looking for an opportunity to deliver a nutrient recovery presentation at the IWA conference.
EOI: Be a Decision-maker for AWA's ANZBP National Biosolids Conference 2025
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to shape the future of biosolids management! AWA and ANZBP are gearing up for the highly anticipated National Biosolids Conference in 2025, and we want you to be a part of the action.
We are in the early stages of organising this biennial event, and the first crucial step is forming a dynamic organising committee. If you are passionate about environmental sustainability and want to contribute your expertise, consider joining the committee to play a vital role in determining dates, locations, activities, and more for the conference.
Biofest 2024 will be Sept. 29th – Oct.1st 2024, at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA. All registrants will be emailed a meeting hub link with all pertinent Biofest information. For Biofest 2024 registration information, please email amy@nwbiosolids.org
Save the Date for The Residuals and Biosolids Conference 2024! WEF is delighted to welcome you to Oklahoma City for another exciting event focused on innovations and current trends in residuals and biosolids management, taking place from June 18, 2024, to June 21, 2024.
The microbes employed in sludge treatment are a diverse group of ancient, unconventional bacteria and archaea capable of metabolising unique materials inaccessible to other life forms.
Latest Academic Research
Don't forget to take a look at our latest national and international academia round-ups on the ANZBP website.
If you or your organisation are involved in a compelling biosolids project or research that you'd like to showcase (or if you've come across noteworthy work by others that could be of interest) please don't hesitate to reach out to Locus via admin@biosolids.com.au.
We would be happy to consider including it in the upcoming ANZBP newsletter.
If someone forwards you this newsletter, please consider signing up directly. If you work in one of our member organisations, contact us to create an individual login for the ANZBP website so that you can access all our research and other member-only resources.