Compromise reached on sludge recycler
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sand Island community members have withdrawn their objections to a proposed $34 million sludge recycling facility after being assured that the fertilizer produced at the plant will be tested for contaminants.
After postponing a vote on the special management area use permit since the summer, the City Council yesterday gave final approval for Synagro-WWT to build a 116-foot-tall, egg-shaped "digester" at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Roger Fujioka of the University of Hawai'i Water Resources Research Center agreed to perform Environmental Protection Agency tests on the fertilizer pellets made from recycled sludge.
Alvin Thomas, executive vice president and general counsel for Synagro, said the company and the community agreed that no building permit would be issued until Fujioka's tests proved that "public health will not be substantially adversely affected by land application of biosolids" similar to the pellets that will be produced by Synagro.
Fujioka testified yesterday that existing information indicates that the Synagro system will work.
He also said the Synagro facility probably would improve the odors emanating from the Sand Island sewage plant and would kill off all viruses except for salmonella.
"If it works well, it will take care of all the problems," Fujioka said.
The city is bound by a federal consent decree to recycle some of its sludge and could have been subject to fines if the Synagro project was further stalled.
Councilman Gary Okino pointed out, "the EPA is sitting on us, and their requirement is to turn this sludge into something we can use and at this point this is, as Dr. Fujioka said, this is the best treatment and process there is available."
He also noted that even if the tests show there are pathogens in the fertilizer, the city still would benefit because the treatment will reduce the volume of the sewage, and the pellets could be burned to create energy.
Councilman Romy Cachola, who led the community outcry against the project when he learned of the Synagro's plans at the last minute, yesterday said he wants the test results to be presented to the council so that the public can understand what the results are.
"Hopefully with this compromise, we can protect public safety," Cachola said.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
