Carroll County commissioners have enacted a ban on the storage of food processing byproducts on land in the county.
Board members voted unanimously Thursday for the ban after hearing from residents concerned about the spreading of the material, also known as Dissolved Air Flotation, or DAF, specifically, on a Mayberry Road farm, just northwest of Westminster.
Commissioners had already instituted a six-month moratorium on the storage of the industrial waste in April, in order to study the issue further.
“I think this is nasty,” District 5 Commissioner Ed Rothstein said, when describing DAF. “Quality of life, that’s the number one issue with me. The health and the quality of life.”
The spreading of DAF on farmland is regulated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. The county regulates the storage of the material.
For the poultry industry, spreading the waste on farms is a popular and cost-effective practice, as the material contains many of the nutrients that help plants grow. But it also comes with an incredible stench. And if it’s applied too frequently, or stored in open-air pits, that smell can wreak havoc, often making time people spend outdoors unbearable.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear if the county ban can remain permanent, since new regulations are expected to come down from the Department of Agriculture next month. A bill, passed by the Maryland General Assembly this past legislative session, though it does not specifically ban the storage of DAF, does give the state new tools to address the issue.
The statewide legislation establishes a new regulatory program within the Department of Agriculture for the food processing residuals. Specifically, the bill requires a person to obtain a permit from MDA before they can spread the waste. The bill also establishes enforcement provisions.
Regulations outlined in the bill technically take effect July 1. However, Commissioners’ President Ken Kiler said after speaking with state officials, it could be mid-July before everything is in place.
“I think we should all be prepared to come back here,” District 4 Commissioner Michael Guerin said. “Until the state gets its act together. It’s not regulated right now. I support the banning of [storage], but again, I just think we’re going to back in a month or two when we finally get a look at the Maryland regulations, and find out that now we’re in violation, because [the state] does allow for storage. I don’t think this is over, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.”
For Kathi Green, who has lived in her home in Mayberry for 24 years, changes could not come soon enough.
“Since May 23, 285 trucks have delivered [over 1 million gallons] of DAF to the farm in our neighborhood,” she said. “There is no evidence of planting crops, and the spreading is continuing as I speak here today. As you know, this has been a three-year journey for us. While we hope the end is in sight, I’m not totally confident about that to be honest. Clearly this is a commercial waste disposal site and not a farming operation.”
Resident Ken Black said he has concerns about the impact to well water, and the numerous trucks that deliver the DAF on the rural country road.
“We’re just concerned about what’s going on in the community,” he said. “We’re concerned about the safety on the road, and the safety in the air, and the ground.”
The farmer spreading the DAF on Mayberry Road could not be reached for comment.
