(Posted Sept. 23, 2020)
The Molly Caren Agricultural Center (MCAC), also known as the Farm Science Review grounds, and the city of London held a grand opening for a new biosolid storage facility on Sept. 22. The facility is the result of the long-time partnership between the two entities.
To be more efficient in the storage of exceptional quality biosolids produced by the city’s wastewater plant, London officials met with MCAC staff in November 2018 to propose the idea of constructing a storage facility on the agricultural grounds. MCAC has long used the city’s biosolids in its farming operations, applying the product to its farm ground during the month September, after crops are harvested during the annual Farm Science Review show.
Per Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requirements, if these biosolids are not applied to agricultural land within 90 days of the initial storage date, they must be stored at a regional storage facility where they can remain for up to two years.
Nearly two years after commencement of the project, the Exceptional Quality Biosolid Storage Facility located at MCAC is ready for operational use, with close proximity to the city of London, allowing other approved biosolid applicators to have access to the storage facility during normal business hours.
“Our county has a rich heritage in agriculture and these types of projects will help ensure that tradition will continue, and recycling these materials is a win for the environment, the city of London and local farmers,” said London Mayor Patrick Closser. “This is also a prime example of how partnerships, like ours with The Ohio State University Molly Caren Agricultural Center, can grow and truly make a difference.”
A frequent partner in local community projects, MCAC will also now have 24/7 access to a low-cost, organic biosolid material that can be a substitute for commercial fertilizer.
“The Molly Caren Agricultural Center has used these Class A biosolids for several years and seen the benefit in our soils and crops,” said Matt Sullivan, MCAC superintendent. “We look forward to this partnership and having this resource available for our facility and the agricultural region.”
