EPA: Wayne County biosolids pond can begin operations

(This story may be updated as more information is available.)

SALEM, Ohio — Buckeye Biogas can begin operations at the Wiles Pond.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency granted the company permission July 23 to accept Class B biosolids at the 9.2 million gallon storage pond in Wayne County.

Buckeye Biogas, a subsidiary of Quasar Energy, met the conditions of the permit-to-install issued in September 2018, the Ohio EPA said in a letter.

Biosolids are also called sewage sludge. It’s a nutrient-rich organic material that comes from wastewater treatment facilities, according to the EPA.

The material stored in the Wiles Pond will be applied to farm fields as fertilizer.

The project to install the lagoon on the Wiles Farm, east of the intersection of Friendsville and East Pleasant Home roads, has been a controversial one.

Residents in Canaan Township, where the pond is located, formed a group called Canaan Residents Against Pollution to fight the pond. They’re concerned about the potential smell, the impact on water quality and property values and increased truck traffic.

The Ohio EPA hosted a well-attended public meeting and accepted public comments about the permit application in April 2018.