Biosolids Expert Panel

~ Submission instructions revised, May 21, 2008 ~

How to submit information to the panel

There are three ways to submit information to the panel.

1. Email the panel at biosolids@deq.virginia.gov.

2. Send information to the panel by mail: 

Biosolids Expert Panel
C/O Neil Zahradka
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, VA 23218

3. Email or mail information to individual panel members or staff support personnel. Contact information is available on the DEQ website.

 Guidlines for submitting information

A. Instructions for members of the panel and the public

1. Information will be posted to the biosolids expert panel website only if the submitter specifically requests it.
2. The name and affiliation of the submitter must be clearly identified with the submission.
3. If possible, documents submitted electronically should be in “portable document format,” or PDFs. If the submitter is not the author and requests the document to be posted on the website, the submitter should include a web address for the document.
4. Research material, articles or other information produced by a source who is not the submitter must include a cover page explaining what the material is and identifying the author of the material.
5. Documents may be submitted as email attachments.
6. Information submitted as a web link must include the full web address of each link, the name of the organization operating the source website, and the name of the author of the information if available.

B. Material that will not be posted to the website

1. The Commonwealth of Virginia reserves the right to exclude from the biosolids expert panel website any information with inappropriate content. The definition of “inappropriate content” includes, but is not limited to, information that: i) has restrictions on use or publication; ii) is considered slanderous or libelous upon review by legal staff; iii) contains profane, vulgar or obscene language or images; iv) comes from a source that cannot be verified; v) is clearly unrelated to the topics to which the website is dedicated; vi) violates the privacy of any individual upon review by legal staff.
2. Copyright material will not be posted on the website. A link to copyright material may be posted if the submitter provides the web address for the material. In cases where the presence of copyright protection is unclear, the material will be posted only if the submitter obtains written authorization from the author agreeing to the posting. Email does constitute written authorization.
3. Any personal medical information (including descriptions of medical conditions or official medical records) being submitted to the panel must be accompanied by specific written or email permission from the patient, stating that the information is being made available voluntarily to panel members and staff designated by the panel. Any personal medical information received without the following permission will be returned to the submitter.

“I am voluntarily submitting personal medical information to the biosolids expert panel for use by panel members and staff designated by the panel. Such personal medical information may be used only for the panel’s study on the impact of land application of biosolids (treated sewage sludge) on human health. I understand that my personal medical information may be required to be disclosed by the biosolids expert panel or staff designated by the panel in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.”

4. Medical information that is connected to an identifiable individual will not be posted on the website.  

C. Additional instructions for panel members

1. Each panel member has a link on the website with the panel member’s name. Material submitted by panel members is accessible through these links.

D. Additional instructions for members of the public

1. Information submitted from the public will be posted on the website only if the submitter requests it. Material will be posted under an appropriately named link. If information does not meet the criteria for public release (see Section B above), the panel’s staff will forward it to panel members if appropriate.

2. DEQ staff includes the biosolids expert panel in the agency’s DEQcast program, which provides email notifications to subscribers whenever information is added to the biosolids website.