County moving ahead with plan to ban outside waste

Bartholomew County Commissioners are moving ahead with new rules about how processed human waste can be used on local farm fields.

The commissioners gave their first approval on a new ordinance banning outside bio-solids from being shipped in from other communities. But two residents in the business say that the proposed rule is unworkable and possibly violates state and federal statutes.

Last month, county commissioners asked the county attorney to draft the ordinance, over concerns that the outside materials could be dangerous or harmful without the proper processing and quality controls.

Evan and Jim Daily spoke out against the proposed rule, saying that the materials are safe and highly regulated. They also pointed out that because laws require that local materials must be mixed with outside materials before being used on fields, that the ordinance would actually make it harder to dispose of and dispense locally processed waste. Evan Daily has applied for an IDEM permit to process bio solids in Bartholomew County.

Commissioners approved the ordinance on first reading, but said that the ordinance can still be modified before it is approved a second and final time.