The Full Picture: Rethinking Environmental Impact Assessments for Biosolids
Biosolids play an important role in the circular economy—recovering value from wastewater treatment processes and supporting land use applications. However, understanding and communicating their full environmental impact is becoming increasingly complex.
From carbon emissions and nutrient recovery to transport, land application, regulation, and public perception, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for biosolids require a more joined-up and future-focused approach.
In this fast-paced one-day workshop, participants will:
- Explore the current approach to biosolids Environmental Impact Assessments
- Identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities in how impacts are measured and communicated
- Examine environmental considerations across the full biosolids lifecycle—from treatment and transport to reuse or disposal
- Discuss emerging pressures including carbon, nutrients, contaminants, regulation, and public trust
- Co-design ideas for a more holistic and transparent assessment framework
The day will include a series of collaborative and insight-led sessions:
Lifecycle Mapping
Exploring the end-to-end journey of biosolids and associated environmental impacts.
Impact & Evidence Workshops
Reviewing current EIA methodologies, data gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
Future Thinking Sessions
Exploring how evolving regulation, sustainability targets, and societal expectations could shape future assessments.
Rapid Design Activities
Developing concepts for smarter, clearer, and more integrated environmental assessment approaches.
By the end of the day, we aim to deliver:
- A mapped view of environmental impacts across the biosolids lifecycle
- Identified opportunities to improve EIA consistency, transparency, and usability
- Recommendations for future assessment metrics and evidence requirements
- Concepts for communicating biosolids impacts more effectively to stakeholders
- A shortlist of next-step opportunities for innovation, research, or pilot activity
- Biosolids and operational teams, with clearer understanding of lifecycle impacts
- Environmental and sustainability teams, through more holistic assessment approaches
- Regulators and stakeholders, benefiting from greater transparency and evidence-based decision-making
- Innovation and strategy teams, identifying future opportunities and risks
- Communities and the environment, through improved environmental stewardship