Unitywater plans biochar facility on Sunshine Coast to turn wastewater biosolids into reusable soil product

Unitywater has submitted a development application for a bioresource recovery facility in Yandina, Queensland. The plant would use high-temperature carbonization to convert biosolids from wastewater treatment into biochar, an odorless material used in agriculture and soil remediation. The utility says a two-year feasibility study showed the facility would offset disposal costs through product sales. The facility would be only the second of its kind in Queensland and uses a different carbonization technology than existing plants. Unitywater expects it to help manage growing biosolids volumes as the region's population increases. Biochar applications include garden fertilizer and soil improvement, which can also store carbon long-term.