US Nitrogen Files Sludge Plan

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm has filed plans showing how it plans to dispose of tons of sludge from a water treatment plant on a 12.1 acre site in Midway.
In a seven page document filed today with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation US Nitrogen provided details on where it plans to apply the sludge generated at its water treatment plant. The plant processes millions of gallons of water from the Nolichucky River that US Nitrogen uses in the manufacture of ammonium nitrate.
According to the filing the sludge will be applied on a 12.1 acre cite also occupied by the water treatment plant. The permit for the treatment plant is held by the Industrial Development Board of Greeneville and Greene County and the site is also owned by the authority.
The application was submitted by Dylan Charles, US Nitrogen's plant manager, Dylan Charles.
"Produce non-potable water for industrial use," the application states, adding that the permit applies to the "land application" and "chemical unloading." US Nitrogen is listed as the "Operator" on the application.
The application shows the projected storm water runoff following the application of the sludge to the site.
Last month TDEC approved on US Nitrogen's proposal to dispose of up to 10 toms of sludge per year to the 12.1 acre site. The site is approximately two miles from the intersection of U.S. Highway 11E and I-81.
TDEC concluded that the proposal "constitutes a beneficial use of solid waste when used in the manner proposed."
US Nitrogen first proposed the sludge disposal plan in August of last year. A modified proposal was submitted in January. In the approval letter, TDEC's George M. Thornsbury noted that the approval only applied to 8.56 acres of the 12.1 acre site.
Under the approval the company must conduct an annual analysis of the sludge and an analysis for the presence of metals every five years.
The TDEC approval was dated May 20, but was not posted on the agency's web site until June 14.
In its initial filing in August of last year, US Nitrogen official estimated that the water treatment plant would generate as much as 44 dry tons of sludge per year.
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