The Future of Water

From Landfill Capacity to PFAS: The Pressures Reshaping Biosolids Management

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Biosolids are an unavoidable byproduct of wastewater treatment, and U.S. utilities are facing increasing challenges managing them amid tightening landfill capacity, rising hauling costs, and growing concerns about contaminants like PFAS. With 6.3 million dry metric tons produced every year, biosolids are becoming one of the fastest-growing operating expenses for wastewater utilities.

In this episode of The Future of Water, host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield’s Pat Byrne to break down the current state of biosolids management in the U.S.—from landfilling and incineration to beneficial use pathways—and to highlight the regional disparities, regulatory pressures, and emerging technologies reshaping utility strategies.

  • What biosolids are, how they’re produced, and the main disposal and beneficial use pathways utilities rely on.
  • The rising challenges of landfilling and incineration, including high costs, methane emissions, aging facilities, and limited capacity.
  • The growing influence of PFAS, microplastics, and pharmaceuticals, and why utilities are passive receivers of these contaminants.
  • How biosolids have become one of the fastest-growing operating costs, with annual spending rising from US$2.5B in 2025 to US$4.8B in 2035.
  • Significant regional disparities, from high costs and tight capacity in the Northeast to heavier landfill reliance in the Southeast.
  • New technologies and delivery models—from drying and dewatering to pyrolysis, gasification, SCWO, and DBOOM structures—reshaping future strategies.

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    Related Research & Analysis:

    • U.S. Municipal Biosolids Management: Drivers, Trends, and Forecasts, 2025–2035
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