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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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An act relating to biosolids management; amending s. 2
403.0855, F.S.; prohibiting the land application of 3
bulk Class AA biosolids fertilizer and compost 4
products from exceeding the appropriate agronomic 5
rate; specifying requirements for the management of 6
the land application of bulk Class AA biosolids 7
fertilizer and biosolids compost products at or below 8
the agronomic rate; defining the term "agronomic 9
rate"; prohibiting the bulk land application of 10
biosolids when such bulk application constitutes 11
disposal; defining the term "disposal"; requiring the 12
owner or operator of certain land application sites to 13
maintain application records for a specified timeframe 14
and make such records available to the Department of 15
Environmental Protection upon request; specifying 16
requirements for such records; specifying that the 17
department must require written notification of such 18
recordkeeping requirements be provided to the owner or 19
operator of such land at the time bulk Class AA 20
biosolids are distributed for land application; 21
providing that such recordkeeping requirements do not 22
apply to certain biosolids; specifying requirements 23
for the distribution of such biosolids; requiring the 24
department to initiate rulemaking by a specified date; 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
requiring the University of Florida Institute of Food 26
and Agricultural Sciences, on a specified basis and 27
beginning on a specified date, to publish and make 28
publicly available recommended agronomic rates for the 29
reuse of bulk Class AA biosolids fertilizer and 30
compost products; specifying requirements for such 31
recommendations; prohibiting Class AA biosolids 32
fertilizer products and certain Class AA biosolids 33
compost products from being marketed or distributed 34
for agricultural land application unless specified 35
requirements are met; prohibiting Class AA biosolids 36
from being used for agricultural land application 37
unless certain requirements are met; providing an 38
effective date. 39
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 41
42
Section 1. Subsections (7) through (14) are added to 43
section 403.0855, Florida Statutes, to read: 44
403.0855 Biosolids management.— 45
(7)(a) Land application of bulk Class AA biosolids 46
fertilizer and biosolids compost products may not exceed the 47
appropriate agronomic rate. Land application of bulk Class AA 48
biosolids fertilizer and biosolids compost products at or below 49
the agronomic rate must be managed so that beneficial reuse, 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
rather than biosolids disposal, is the primary objective as 51
evidenced by the manner and circumstances of the application. As 52
used in this subsection, the term "agronomic rate" means the 53
nutrient application rate established using generally accepted, 54
science-based nutrient management principles, including 55
recommendations published by the University of Florida Institute 56
of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which considers plant 57
nutrient requirements; site-specific characteristics, including 58
soil conditions; characteristics of the biosolids fertilizer or 59
biosolids compost products, including nutrient release rates and 60
soil amendment functions; other nutrient inputs applied to the 61
site; and the protection of groundwater and surface water 62
resources. 63
(b) Bulk land application of biosolids, including Class AA 64
biosolids, to the extent that such bulk land application 65
constitutes disposal, is prohibited, and violations are subject 66
to chapter 403. As used in this subsection, the term "disposal" 67
means the bulk land application of biosolids, including any 68
application exceeding the agronomic rate, when, considering the 69
manner and circumstances of the application, the nutrients 70
applied cannot reasonably be expected to be taken up by a crop 71
or vegetative cover during the relevant growing season, and the 72
application results in the discard of biosolids on the land 73
application site. 74
(8)(a) The owner or operator of a land application site at 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
which bulk agricultural land application of biosolids fertilizer 76
or biosolids compost products occurs shall maintain application 77
records for at least 5 years. Such records must be made 78
available to the department upon request and must include all of 79
the following: 80
1. The classification and characteristics of the biosolids 81
applied to the land application site. 82
2. The physical address of the land application site. 83
3. The quantity of biosolids transported to the land 84
application site and received by the owner or operator of the 85
land application site. 86
4. The date on which such biosolids were received by the 87
owner or operator of the land application site. 88
5. The name of the person or entity responsible for the 89
transportation of the biosolids to the land application site. 90
6. The quantity of biosolids applied and the portion or 91
area of the site to which the biosolids are applied. 92
7. The name of the person or entity responsible for the 93
physical application of the biosolids on the land application 94
site. 95
8. The date on which land application of such biosolids 96
occurred. 97
(b) The department shall require that written notification 98
of the recordkeeping requirements under paragraph (a) be 99
provided to the owner or operator of the land application site 100
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
at the time bulk Class AA biosolids are distributed for land 101
application. 102
(9) The recordkeeping requirements of subsection (8) do 103
not apply to Class AA biosolids products that have a moisture 104
content of 25 percent or less at the time of distribution for 105
use in land application and that maintain a stable, discrete 106
particulate or granular form during storage, handling, and land 107
application. Any person who distributes such biosolids for use 108
in land application shall maintain for at least 5 years and, 109
upon request, provide to the department records identifying the 110
characteristics and quantity of the biosolids distributed, the 111
portion or area of the site to which the biosolids are applied, 112
the date of distribution, and the recipient. 113
(10) The department shall initiate rulemaking no later 114
than November 1, 2026, to amend rule 62-640, Florida 115
Administrative Code, to implement the provisions of this section 116
relating to the bulk distribution and marketing of Class AA 117
biosolids, including provisions addressing recordkeeping at the 118
time Class AA biosolids are distributed or marketed in bulk. 119
(11) The University of Florida Institute of Food and 120
Agricultural Sciences shall, on a biennial basis, publish and 121
make publicly available recommended agronomic rates for the 122
beneficial reuse of bulk Class AA biosolids fertilizer and 123
biosolids compost products. The initial publication must occur 124
on or before November 1, 2027. The recommendations must be 125
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
informed by a review of the scientific literature and applicable 126
available agronomic guidance and must include, but need not be 127
limited to, all of the following: 128
(a) The characteristics of commonly produced biosolids 129
products relevant to nutrient availability and environmental 130
risk, including nutrient content, nutrient release 131
characteristics, and physical form. 132
(b) Recommended agronomic rate ranges or application 133
approaches that account for crop type, soil conditions, 134
environmental vulnerabilities, seasonal factors, and management 135
practices. 136
(c) The scientific basis and degree of supporting research 137
for recommended agronomic rates, distinguishing recommendations 138
suitable for general application from those requiring site-139
specific evaluation. 140
(d) Data gaps and product types, conditions, or practices 141
for which additional field verification or research would 142
improve future recommendations, including identification of 143
relevant research priorities and associated resource 144
considerations. 145
(e) Best practices for on-the-ground implementation and 146
verification consistent with agronomic principles. 147
(12) A Class AA biosolids fertilizer product may not be 148
marketed or distributed for agricultural land application unless 149
the product meets all applicable requirements of chapter 576. 150
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(13) A Class AA biosolids compost product that does not 151
claim any plant nutrients or beneficial plant growth properties, 152
as described in s. 576.011(14), may not be marketed or 153
distributed for agricultural land application unless the product 154
is enrolled in and certified under the U.S. Composting Council 155
Seal of Testing Assurance Program. 156
(14) Class AA biosolids may not be used for agricultural 157
land application unless, before land application, the product 158
meets all applicable requirements of chapter 576 as a biosolids 159
fertilizer product or meets the specifications of subsection 160
(13). 161
Section 2. This act shall take effect November 1, 2026. 162