Despite public opposition, the City of Kamloops will consider laying biosolids on farmland as a long-term strategy.

City council voted to consider land application of biosolids as one of six long-term options, although that option has been contentious in places like Turtle Valley.

Utility services manager Greg Wightman says laying biosolids on land is the number-one management choice around the world.

“What we heard, and continue to hear from the agricultural community, is that this is the product that they would like to use on things like rangeland. There are plenty of example of the results of applying biosolids to rangelands for things like growing hay, and the phenomenal results it does produce,” Wightman says.

“What happens is, if they are unable to use this product – which they would prefer – then they resort to things like chemical fertilizers, and of course that comes with its own host of challenges as well.

“Land application becomes a very viable option, and it’s something that 94 per cent of B.C.’s biosolids are managed from, land application. And this is the number-one choice from around the world, and it’s been a practice that has been in place for a very long time.”

A long-term plan for biosolids will be brought to city council sometime in the fall.