Sewage Sludge Decisions in Gardner MA
A byproduct of the Gardner Wastewater Treatment Plant is Sewage Sludge, a solid material which has been disposed of at the Gardner landfill. Gardner has proposed to increase the size of the landfill to allow for more sludge. Environmental groups oppose the move due to concerns over how the sludge might affect the surrounding area.
The first step in understanding the issue is to understand what Sewage Sludge is and what can be done with it. Penn State offers the most complete explanation we can find, and it’s useful because it offers a number of solution alternatives… View Sewage Sludge Guide.
We reached out to the Gardner DPW to get Gardner’s perspective on the matter, but have yet to receive a response. The Millers River Watershed Council opposes the expansion of the Gardner Landfill to add more sludge because they state, “this ill-conceived project, which will, if approved, have substantial negative consequences for our region and beyond.” They have devoted an entire webpage to the issue. CLICK HERE. Printable pdf, CLICK HERE.
CONCLUSIONS:
Gardner needs to decide whether it wishes to store the Sewage Sludge locally or have it trucked elsewhere. If stored locally, it needs to choose from various available options. In order to proceed with any of these local storage options including a landfill expansion, it must receive approval from the State of MA. Given opposition from Environmental Groups, it is reasonable to assume an eventual decision will take some time to reach. Gardner Magazine will update you when more information becomes available.
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