Residuals Utilization Research

The Forest Soils Program has carried out a series of studies over the past 15 years investigating various risks and opportunities associated with waste stream or residuals utilization.  "Residuals" are more commonly referred to as "waste" materials, but residuals suggests that while the material is left over from a primary intent process, there may be some positive value in the use of this material.  What are these materials?  In the Forest Soils program we have studied primarily papermill sludge, wood ash, papermill sludge ash, and wastewater effluent.  What are the goals?  Simply put, many of the residual materials we often have landfilled in the past may have alternative uses that are environmentally and economically prudent.  Where this is the case, we hope to provide useful and practical information for managers and regulators to accommodate these materials now, rather than leave them buried for future generations.

 Most of the funding for this area of research is smaller scale, and from state sources such as industry or state agencies.  Below is a listing of some of the types of projects that we have carried out, with some links for information that might be of interest to the visitor.  Usually each of these projects represents all, or in part, an individual graduate student's thesis research.

Some examples:

We'll be adding some more information about these studies soon.

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