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zoned RA, or for agricultural use. It also requires an administrative special permit.
To operate a sludge storage facility, the zoning must either be RA or Industrial Two, the most dense zoning designation in the county. It requires a special exception from the Board of Supervisors.
For both sludge uses, applicants must prove that they have adequate insurance. Those who wish to spread sludge must prove that they have liability insurance in the aggregate amount of $1 million that covers all claims pertaining to any activities allowed by the permit.
The VDH tests the sludge to assure that it is free of contaminants that may harm either crops, animals or humans. Dr. Hugh Eggbom, an engineer with VDH, said that each private contractor and municipality that handles sludge must have a permit that specifies the contaminants for which VDH must test.
Dr. Eggbom said that common contaminants that are tested for are heavy metals, such as lead, copper, chromium and arsenic.
Dr. Eggbom added that some of the so-called contaminants are elements that occur naturally in the soil and that plants may need in limited amounts. He said, “The land can generally handle without any problem the contents that are typically found in municipal sludge.”
He said, “We’re trying to be so conservative with sludge applied to farmland that there couldn’t be any problems with contaminants.”
He added that, in Virginia, there have been no problems from controlled applications of sludge to farmland, except possibly from odor.
According to Dr. Eggbom, the odor does not indicate toxins, and it is generally minimal.
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