‘Sludge’: Alex Kuffner breaks down Rhode Island’s emerging biosolids problem

Alex Kuffner, who covers energy and the environment, first shed light on the issue last month with an in-depth report on the state’s largest sludge disposal facility in Woonsocket, which residents are fighting to shut down. More than 90% of the state’s sludge — a mix of human waste, organic materials and chemicals filtered out of wastewater — is disposed of at the facility in northern Rhode Island. “If that closes, you’re going to have dozens of cities and towns that will have not have a place to take their sludge,” he said. “They’re going to be faced with essentially finding places that can landfill it, and cities and towns now that have been forced to do this they are taking their sludge by rail to Massachusetts and then it goes all the way to Ohio or Pennsylvania.” Now, a similar issue is emerging in North Kingstown, where residents are calling on the Quonset Development Corp. to rescind approval of a proposed sludge facility. Meanwhile, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has supported legislation to create a commission to study biosolids, and Gov. Dan McKee is urging greater transparency around the proposed project. Kuffner said there’s no link between the two projects in different parts of the state, but many people are watching closely to what happens in both communities to get a better sense of where sludge will go in the future. “For people in the industry who are trying to find a place for their sludge, they’re thinking, ‘If this thing can get up and running, it’d be great because then it takes the pressure off Woonsocket and Woonsocket can then close,’” he said. But Kuffner acknowledged the science behind the Quonset project is still relatively new and has faced challenges in other parts of the country. He said the project has several hurdles to clear before it might become a reality, and there are several factors that could prevent it from getting off the ground. “There are a lot of stakeholders that make it very complicated,” he said. Later in the show, Kim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including: Kim’s pick Homeowner dug up what looked like a toy. Was it part of a 1978 homicide? by Mark Reynolds, The Providence Journal As residents dodge potholes, approved repair budget will fix less than 6 miles of road by Colin Hogan and Brooke Kushwaha, The New Bedford Light Eli’s pick Parents voice frustration, anger over Attleboro school rules on restraint and seclusion by Rhianwen Watkins, The Sun Chronicle Barrington Police: Suspects lurking in bushes were playing ‘senior assassin’ by EastBayRI