£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Wastewater
Management
(4204)
EPA/832/R-93/003
September 1994
A Plain English Guide
to the EPA Part 503
Biosolids Rule
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EPA/832/R-93/003
September 1994
A Plain English Guide to the
EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wastewater Management
Washington, DC
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Notice
This document has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or
commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation
for use.
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Foreword
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Part 503 rule provides
comprehensive requirements for the management of biosolids generated
during the process of treating municipal wastewater. The final rule benefited
greatly from the substantial input received from the regulated and
environmental communities, and especially the group of scientific experts
who worked closely with EPA in revising the proposed rule. Hence, the final
rule is the result of a very effective combination of public comment, scientific
risk assessment, and informed risk management.
The Part 503 rule creates incentives for beneficial use of biosolids. EPA
believes that biosolids are an important resource that can and should be
safely used (e.g., to condition soils and provide nutrients for agricultural,
horticultural, and forest crops and vegetation, and for reclaiming and
revegetating areas disturbed by mining, construction, and waste disposal
activities).
This guide to the final rule for the use or disposal of sewage sludge biosolids
was developed to help make the Part 503 rule more understandable. While
the guide is not a substitute for the actual rule, we believe that it can be a
very helpful tool for the rule's interpretation and implementation. Throughout
the document sewage sludge is referred to as biosolids to emphasize the
beneficial nature of this valuable recyclable resource.
While this guide is consistent with the content of the Part 503 rule, it is
structured in a manner intended to make information more understandable.
After presenting an overview of the rule, the document provides separate,
complete descriptions of the requirements associated with land application,
surface disposal, incineration, pathogen and vector attraction reduction, and
sampling and analysis. The guide also raises questions and provides
answers that should help you interpret the rule. It also refers to additional
sources of information.
We hope that you find this type of interpretative guidance useful, and we
welcome your comments on how to make such information more useful as
well as your suggestions about other needed materials. A tear-out comment
sheet is provided for this purpose in the back of the document.
Michael B. Cook, Director
Office of Wastewater Management
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Acknowledgments
This document represents the efforts of several individuals. Gratitude is
extended to each person involved in preparing and reviewing this guide.
The authors are John Walker, Municipal Technology Branch, U.S. EPA
Office of Wastewater Management; and Lynn Knight and Linda Stein of
Eastern Research Group, Inc. Special thanks goes to Robert M.
Southworth, Ross Brennan, Ruth Miller, Wendy Bell, and Cris Gaines of
U.S. EPA for their technical review of this guide.
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Contents
Page
Chapter One—Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge Biosolids 1
Background on the Part 503 Rule 1
Risk Assessment Basis of the Part 503 Rule 3
Purpose of This Document 4
What Are Sewage Sludge Biosolids? 4
Overview of the Rule 5
Subpart A—General Provisions 6
Subpart B—Requirements for Land Application 6
Subpart C—Requirements for Sewage Sludge
Placed on a Surface Disposal Site 9
Subpart D—Requirements for Pathogen
and Vector Attraction Reduction 10
Subpart E—Requirements for Sewage Sludge
Fired in a Sewage Sludge Incinerator 10
To Whom the Rule Applies 10
Exclusions from the Rule 11
Permits 11
Self-Implementing Nature of the Rule 11
Who Must Apply for a Permit 11
Site-Specific Permit Limits 13
Who Issues the Permit 14
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - v
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Unless Otherwise Specified by the Permitting Authority 14
Compliance with, and Enforcement of, the Rule 14
Who Must Report 15
Relationship of the Federal Requirements to
State Requirements 16
Assistance with Technical, Permitting, and Compliance Issues 16
Common Questions and Answers 19
Chapter Two—Land Application of Biosolids 25
What Is Land Application? 25
To Whom the Land Application Requirements Apply 28
Land Application Requirements 28
Pollutant Limits, Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Reduction Requirements 29
Options for Meeting Land Application Requirements 30
General Requirements and Management Practices 40
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements 47
Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements 49
Domestic Septage 51
Landowner and Leaseholder Responsibilities 51
Liability Issues and Enforcement Oversight 52
Common Questions and Answers 54
Chapter Three—Surface Disposal of Biosolids 57
What Is Surface Disposal? 57
Differentiation Among Surface Disposal, Storage,
Land Application, and Treatment 58
Regulatory Requirements for Surface Disposal of Biosolids 59
General Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites 60
Pollutant Limits for Biosolids Placed on Surface Disposal Sites 61
Management Practices for Surface Disposal of Biosolids 63
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Requirements for
Surface Disposal Sites 71
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements for
Surface Disposal Sites 72
vi - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Recordkeeping Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites 73
Reporting Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites 75
Regulatory Requirements for Surface Disposal of
Domestic Septage 75
Common Questions and Answers 77
Chapter Four—Incineration of Biosolids 81
What Is Biosolids Incineration? 81
Pollutant Limits for Biosolids Fired in a Biosolids Incinerator 83
Beryllium and Mercury Pollutant Limits 83
Control Efficiency, Dispersion Factor, Feed Rate,
and Pollutant Limit Calculations for Lead 85
Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, and Nickel Pollutant Limits 90
Limit Exceedance 92
Total Hydrocarbons 92
Delay and Stay of Requirements for Total Hydrocarbon
Measurement 93
Total Hydrocarbon and Carbon Monoxide Measurement 93
Correction for 0 Percent Moisture 95
Correction to 7 Percent Oxygen 95
Management Practices for Biosolids Incineration 95
Instrument Operation and Maintenance 97
Temperature Requirements 98
Air Pollution Control Devices 99
Protection of Threatened or Endangered Species 101
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements for Biosolids Incineration 101
Monitoring for Metals 102
Continuous Monitoring 102
Monitoring Conditions in Air Pollution Control Devices 103
Recordkeeping Requirements for Biosolids Incineration 103
Reporting Requirements for Biosolids Incineration 103
Common Questions and Answers 105
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - vii
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Chapter Five—Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Requirements 107
Why Are There Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Reduction Requirements? 107
To Whom Do These Requirements Apply? 108
Pathogen Reduction Alternatives 109
Class A Pathogen Requirements 110
Class B Pathogen Requirements 118
Requirements for Reducing Vector Attraction 121
Common Questions and Answers 126
Chapters—Sampling and Analysis 129
Guidance for Sampling Biosolids 129
Who Must Sample? 130
How Often Should Sampling Be Done? 130
How Many Samples Should Be Taken? 133
How Is Sampling Done? 136
When Should Samples Be Taken? 139
Where Should the Samples Be Taken? 140
What Types of Sampling Equipment Should Be Used? 142
How Large a Sample Is Needed? How Long Can
the Sample Be Stored? 142
What If a Test Result Does Not Meet the Part 503 Requirements? 142
Other Sampling Considerations 144
Sampling Emissions for Biosolids Incineration 145
Analytical Methods for Biosolids Samples 146
Sources of Additional Information on Sampling and Analysis of Biosolids 146
Common Questions and Answers 148
References 153
Appendix A—Permit Application Requirements 157
Appendix B—Federal and State Biosolids Contacts 163
Appendix C—U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Regional Contacts 175
(Comments are requested on this Part 503 rule guidance. See tear-out sheet at end of document.)
viii -
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Biosolids Are Used Beneficially in Many Ways
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Row crops in Arizona.
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flowers worldwide.
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Ornamental garden in Denver, Colorado.
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Chapter 1
Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge
Biosolids
Background on the Part 503 Rule
-,' s required by the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987, the U.S.
/ ^ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a new
fe regulation to protect public health and the environment from any
reasonably anticipated adverse effects of certain pollutants that might be
present in sewage sludge biosolids. This regulation, The Standards for the
Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge (Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations [CFR], Part 503), was published in the Federal Register (58
FR 9248 to 9404) on February 19,1993, and became effective on March
22, 1993. This document will refer to the regulation as "the Part 503 rule"
and also as "Part 503."
This guidance document is not a substitute for the actual rule, but
it is intended as a helpful tool for interpretation and implementation
of the rule.
In this document you will notice the nearly exclusive reference to sewage
sludge as biosolids. Biosolids are a primarily organic solid product
produced by wastewater treatment processes that can be beneficially
recycled. The fact that the biosolids can be recycled does not preclude their
being disposed. Whenever the document first quotes portions of the Part
Guide to Part 503 Rule -1
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503 rule that include the words "sewage sludge," the word "biosolids" is
substituted in brackets (e.g., "[biosolids] incinerator" for sewage sludge
incinerator). Subsequently, the word biosolids is used without brackets (e.g.,
sewage sludge incinerators are called "biosolids incinerators").
The Part 503 rule establishes requirements for the final use or disposal of
sewage sludge [biosolids] when biosolids are:
applied to land to condition the soil or fertilize crops or other
vegetation grown in the soil;
placed on a surface disposal site for final disposal; or
fired in a biosolids incinerator.
The rule also indicates that if biosolids are placed in a municipal solid waste
landfill, the biosolids must meet the provisions of 40 CFR Part 258.
The Part 503 rule was amended on February 25, 1994 (59 FR 9095), The
amendment made two changes. It deleted pollutant limits for molybdenum
in biosolids applied to land but retained the molybdenum ceiling limits; and
in certain situations, it permitted carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring in place
of total hydrocarbon (THC) monitoring for biosolids incinerators. Please be
aware that there may be further modifications to the currently amended
molybdenum and CO provisions as well as changes in other requirements
of the rule, mainly involving technical correction and litigation response.
The Part 503 rule is designed to protect public health and the environment
from any reasonably anticipated adverse effects of certain pollutants and
contaminants that may be present in [biosolids]. The provisions of the Part
503 rule are consistent with EPA's policy of promoting beneficial uses of
[biosolids] (see 49 FR 24358, June 12,1984). Land application takes
advantage of the soil conditioning and fertilizing properties of biosolids. A
separate EPA booklet (EPA/832-R-93-009), as well as other literature,
describes the benefits of using biosolids (see References at the end of this
document).
STATE RULES ALSO APPLY TO BIOSOLIDS USE OR DISPOSAL: It
is important to note that persons using or disposing of biosolids
are subject to State and possibly local regulations as well.
Furthermore, these State and other regulations may be more
stringent generally than the Federal Part 503 rule, may define
biosolids differently, or may regulate certain types of biosolids
more stringently than the Part 503 rule. For information on specific
State biosolids regulations, consult the appropriate State biosolids
permitting authorities listed in Appendix B. |
2 - &B* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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TopGrow organic compost is produced from biosolids am! other
waste materials hy the City of Los Angeles.
Risk Assessment Basis of the Part 503 Rule
Many of the requirements of the Part 503 rule are based on the results of an
extensive multimedia risk assessment. This risk assessment was more
comprehensive than for any previous Federal biosolids rulemaking effort,
the earliest of which began in the mid-1970s. Research results and
operating experience over the past 25 years have greatly expanded EPA's
understanding of the risks and benefits of using or disposing of biosolids.
Development of the Part 503 rule began in 1984. During this extensive
effort, EPA addressed 25 pollutants using 14 exposure pathways in the risk
assessment. In this assessment, EPA also developed a new methodology
that provided for the protection of the environment and public health. The
new method for conducting the multimedia risk assessment was reviewed
and approved by EPA's Science Advisory Board.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 3
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EPA proposed the Part 503 rule in February 1989. During the four years
between the publication of the proposed and final rule, the data, models,
and assumptions used in the risk assessment process were reviewed and
revised in an effort involving internationally recognized experts working
closely with EPA. EPA feels this process has resulted in the establishment
of state-of-the-art risk-based standards for controlling the use or disposal of
biosolids.
Detailed information describing the risk assessment and technical basis of
the Part 503 standards is contained in the Preamble to the Part 503 rule
and in several Technical Support Documents, available from the National
Technical Information Service (NTIS) (see References at the end of this
document).
Purpose of This Document
The purpose of this document is to explain the intent and requirements of
the Part 503 rule and to assist owner/operators in determining the extent to
which their biosolids management operation is covered. To help clarify the
intent of the Part 503 rule, this guidance document sometimes uses terms
that do not appear in the rule itself and organizes information differently
from the rule. For example, Chapter Two first describes land application of
biosolids with the fewest regulatory requirements, then provides a
discussion of land application of biosolids for which more regulatory
requirements apply.
CAUTION! This document does not serve as a substitute for the
actual Part 503 rule and its amendments published in the Federal
Register and the Code of Federal Regulations. Rather, this
document is intended to be used as guidance to assist users or
disposers of sewage sludge in complying with the rule. In addition,
official interpretations of various portions of Part 503 may change
after the publication of this guidance document. For clarification on
any discussion contained in this guidance document, the actual
rule and the appropriate EPA Regional [biosolids] permitting
authorities listed in Appendix B should be consulted.
What Are Sewage Sludge Biosolids?
Part 503 defines sewage sludge as a solid, semi-solid, or liquid residue
generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works.
Sewage sludge includes scum or solids removed in primary, secondary, or
advanced wastewater treatment processes and any material derived from
sewage sludge (e.g., a blended sewage sludge/fertilizer product) but does
not include grit and screenings or ash generated by the firing of sewage
4 - «BW Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Department of Transportation personnel plant flowers in composted hiosolids beds at
La Guardia Airport, New York.
sludge in an incinerator. Part 503 considers domestic septage as sewage
sludge and sets separate requirements for domestic septage applied to
agricultural land, forests, or reclamation sites. Domestic septage is defined
as a liquid or solid material removed from a septic tank, cesspool, portable
toilet, Type III marine sanitation device, or similar system that receives only
domestic sewage. The Part 503 definition of domestic septage excludes
grease-trap pumpings and commercial or industrial waste. As previously
stated, this guidance document refers to sewage sludge as biosolids to
emphasize the beneficial nature of this recyclable biological resource.
Overview of the Rule
The Part 503 rule includes five subparts: general provisions, and
requirements for land application, surface disposal, pathogen and vector
attraction reduction, and incineration. For each of the regulated use or
disposal practices, a Part 503 standard includes general requirements,
pollutant limits, management practices, operational standards, and
requirements for the frequency of monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting,
as shown in Figure 1 -1. For the most part, the requirements of the Part 503
rule are self-implementing and must be followed even without the issuance
of a permit.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 5
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General Requirements
Reporting
Recordkeeping
Frequency of
Monitoring
Pollutant Limits
Operational Standards
Management
Practices
Total
Hydrocarbons
or Carbon
Monoxide
(Incineration
Only)
Pathogen
and Vector
Attraction
Reduction
(Land Application
and Surface
Disposal)
Figure 1-1. What a Part 503 standard includes.
Subpart A—General Provisions
Subpart A of the rule covers general provisions, such as the purpose and
applicability of the rule, the compliance period, and exclusions from the rule.
These general provisions apply to each of the three biosolids use or
disposal practices.
Subpart B—Requirements for Land Application
Options for Land Application of [Biosolids] Under Subpart B:
Subpart B of the rule specifies requirements for biosolids applied to land.
The term apply means to put biosolids on the land to take advantage of the
nutrient content or soil conditioning properties of the biosolids.
The requirements for land application also pertain to material derived from
biosolids; that is, biosolids that have undergone a change in quality through
treatment (e.g., composting) or by mixing with other materials (e.g., wood
chips, municipal solid waste, yard waste).
The biosolids land application requirements, which are explained in detail in
Chapter Two of this guidance document, are summarized below. (See also
Process Design Manual: Land Application of Sewage Sludge and
Domestic Septage. U.S. EPA, Center for Environmental Research
Information, Cincinnati, OH. Expected to be available in early 1995.) There
are several options for land applying biosolids under Subpart B of the Part
6 -
Guide to Part 503 Rule
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503 rule, ail of which are equally protective of human health and the
environment. This guidance discusses these options in order of increasing
regulatory complexity.
Exceptional Quality Biosolids: Although not explicitly defined in the
Part 503 rule, this document uses the term Exceptional Quality (EQ)
to characterize biosolids that meet low-pollutant and Class A pathogen
reduction (virtual absence of pathogens) limits and that have a reduced
level of degradable compounds that attract vectors. Once the requirements
discussed in detail in Chapter Two are met, EQ biosolids are considered a
product that is virtually unregulated for use, whether used in bulk, or sold or
given away in bags or other containers.
Po!!utarit Concentration Biosoiids: Although not explicitly defined in
the Part 503 rule, this document uses the term Pollutant
Concentration (PC) to refer to biosoiids that meet the same iow-poiiutant
concentration limits as EQ biosolids, but only meet Class B pathogen
reduction and/or are subjected to site management practices rather than
treatment options to reduce vector attraction properties. Unlike EQ
biosolids, PC biosolids may only be applied in bulk and are subject to
general requirements and management practices; however, tracking of
pollutant loadings to the land is not required.
A majority of the biosolids currently generated in the United States are
believed to be EQ or PC biosolids containing low levels of pollutants. EPA
expects that many municipalities will strive to produce EQ or PC biosolids
because of the reduced regulatory requirements and the anticipated
improved public perception about using EQ and PC biosolids beneficially.
Cumulative levels of pollutants added to land by EQ or PC biosolids do not
have to be tracked because the risk assessment has shown that the life of a
site would be at least 100 to 300 years under the conservative parameters
assumed.
Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate (CPLR) [Biosolids]: CPLR
biosolids typically exceed at least one of the pollutant concentration
limits for EQ and PC biosolids but meet the ceiling concentration limits (see
Chapter Two). Such biosolids must be applied to land in bulk form. The
cumulative levels of biosolids pollutants applied to each site must be
tracked and cannot exceed the CPLR.
Annual Pollutant Loading Rate (APLR) [Biosolids]: APLR biosolids
are biosolids that are sold or given away in a bag or other container for
application to the land that exceed the pollutant limits for EQ biosolids but
meet the ceiling concentration limits (see Chapter Two). These biosolids
must meet APLR requirements and must be accompanied by specific
biosolids application rate information on a label or handout that includes
instructions on the material's proper use.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 7
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Biosolids compost enhances gardens a! Wall Disney World Epcol Center in Orlando,
Florida.
Compost derived from hiosolid.s is used to condition mountain soils near Denver, Colorado.
8 - oB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Each of the options for land applying biosolids are affected by the Part 503
February 25,1994, amendment, which states that EPA is reconsidering
appropriate land application and pollutant limits for molybdenum.
During the period of reconsideration, only ceiling limits for
molybdenum must be met. Molybdenum pollutant limits for EQ, PC,
CPLR, or APLR biosolids have been deleted.
Options for Using or Disposing of Domestic Septage Under Subpart B:
If domestic septage is applied to land with a high potential for contact by the
public (e.g., public parks, ball fields, cemeteries, plant nurseries, and golf
courses), the Part 503 land application requirements apply. However, when
domestic septage is applied to nonpublic contact sites (e.g., agricultural
land, forests, and reclamation sites), less burdensome requirements may
apply. A separate EPA guidance document, entitled Domestic Septage
Regulatory Guidance: A Guide to the EPA 503 Rule, provides detailed
guidance on how to comply with these requirements.
Subpart C—Requirements for Sewage Sludge Placed on a Surface
Disposal Site
Subpart C of the rule covers requirements for biosolids—including domestic
septage—placed on a surface disposal site.
Placement refers to the act of putting biosolids on a parcel of land at high
rates for final disposal rather than using the organic content in the biosolids
to condition the soil or using the nutrients in the biosolids to fertilize crops.
Placing biosolids in a monofill, in a surface impoundment, on a waste pile,
or on a dedicated site is considered surface disposal.
Treatment and storage of biosolids are not considered surface disposal.
Treatment is the preparation of biosolids for final use or disposal through
such activities as thickening, stabilization, and dewatering. Storage is the
placement of biosolids on the land for 2 years or less. Placement on land for
longer than 2 years is considered surface disposal unless the site
owner/operator retains written records demonstrating clearly to the
permitting authority that the area of land onto which biosolids are placed is
not a surface disposal site but rather, based on management or operational
practices, constitutes a treatment or temporary storage site.
Surface disposal requirements and the difference between disposal,
treatment, and storage of biosolids are explained in Chapter Three of this
document. (See also Process Design Manual: Land Application of
Sewage Sludge and Domestic Septage.)
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 9
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Certain materials derived from biosolids, the quality of which has been
changed by treating the biosolids or by mixing them with other materials
(e.g., wood chips), are subject to the surface disposal requirements in Part
503 with one exception. If biosolids are mixed with nonhazardous solid
wastes, the mixture and the land onto which the mixture is placed are
subject to the solid waste regulations (40 CFR Part 258) instead of Part 503.
Subpart D—Requirements for Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Reduction
Subpart D of the Part 503 rule covers requirements for the control of
disease-causing organisms, called pathogens, in biosolids and the
reduction of the attractiveness of biosolids to vectors, such as flies,
mosquitoes, and other potential disease-carrying organisms. These
requirements are described in Chapter Five of this document. Pathogen and
vector attraction reduction requirements also are briefly described for
biosolids applied to land or placed on a surface disposal site in Chapters
Two and Three of this document. More detailed guidance on meeting
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements is provided in
another EPA publication (see References, EPA/625-R-92-013).
Subpart E—Requirements for Sewage Sludge Fired in a Sewage Sludge
Incinerator
Subpart E of the rule covers the requirements for biosolids fired in a
[biosolids] incinerator. The firing of biosolids with auxiliary fuels also is
covered by the Part 503 incineration requirements. Auxiliary fuel materials
include gas, oil, coal, and other materials that serve as a fuel source.
The co-firing of biosolids in an incinerator with other wastes is generally not
regulated under Part 503. It should be noted, however, that wastes either in
auxiliary fuel or mixed and co-fired with biosolids are considered to be
auxiliary fuel when the weight is less than or equal to 30 percent (by dry
weight) of the total biosolids and auxiliary fuel mixture. The requirements in
Subpart E for biosolids incineration are discussed in Chapter Four.
The February 25, 1994, amendment to the Part 503 rule states that under
certain conditions EPA will allow continuous monitoring of carbon monoxide
emissions from biosolids incinerators as an alternate to continuous
monitoring of total hydrocarbons in emissions. The details of the
amendment are also discussed in Chapter Four.
To Whom the Rule Applies
Part 503 applies to any person who applies biosolids to the land or fires
biosolids in a biosolids incinerator, and to the owner/operator of a surface
10 - offlA Guide to Part 503 Rule
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disposal site, or to any person who is a preparer of biosolids for use,
incineration, or disposal. Part 503 defines a person as an individual,
association, partnership, corporation, municipality, State or Federal agency,
or an agent or employee thereof. A preparer is a person who generates or
derives a material from biosolids (i.e., changes the quality of biosolids).
Exclusions from the Rule
Part 503 specifies certain exclusions from the rule. These exclusions are
listed in Figure 1-2. Also listed in Figure 1-2 are the Federal regulations that
apply to biosolids-related activities not covered by the Part 503 rule.
Permits
Self-Implementing Nature of the Rule
In most cases, the Part 503 rule is self-implementing—that is, preparers,
land appliers, owner/operators of surface disposal sites, or biosolids
incinerators, and other users or disposers of biosolids must comply with the
Part 503 rule (including the compliance dates listed in Table 1-2), even if
they have not been issued a permit covering biosolids use or disposal
requirements. Similarly, EPA (or an approved State) can take enforcement
actions directly against persons who violate the Part 503 requirements.
Who Must Apply for a Permit
A person must apply for a permit covering biosolids use or disposal
standards if they own or operate a treatment works treating domestic
sewage. A person is an owner or operator of a treatment works treating
domestic sewage (TWTDS) if the facility generates, changes the quality of,
or provides final disposition of solids, practices for which are ultimately
subject to the Part 503 rule.
Table 1-1 provides a more detailed summary of who does and does not
have to apply for a Federal permit. Appendix A lists the type of information
that should be provided in a permit application. Interim application forms are
available from EPA's Office of Wastewater Management.
In most cases, Part 503 requirements will be incorporated over time into
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued to
publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and TWTDSs. As decided by the
permitting priorities of EPA Regions and approved States, "biosolids-only"
permits covering applicable Part 503 requirements are likely to be issued to
non-NPDES facilities as well. A permit applicant who has not received a
response from EPA should continue to comply with the applicable
provisions of the Part 503 rule.
Guide to Part 503 Rule -11
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FIGURE 1-2
Exclusions from Part 503
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Treatment ofBiosolids
Processes used to treat sewage sludge prior to final use or disposal (e.g.. thickening,
dewatering, storage, heat drying).
None (except for operational
parameters used to meet the
Pan 503 pathogen and vector
attraction reduction
requirements)
Selection of Use or Disposal Practice
The selection of a biosolids use or disposal practice.
None (the determination of the
biosolids use or the disposal
practice is a local decision)
Incineration ofBiosolids with Other Wastes
Biosolids co-fired in an incinerator with other wastes (other than as an auxiliary fuel).
Storage ofBiosolids
Placement of biosolids on land for 2 years or less (or longer when demonstrated not to
be a surface disposal site but rather, based on practices, constitutes treatment or
temporary storage).
40 CFR Pans 60. 61
None
Industrial Sludge
Sludge generated at an industrial facility during the treatment of industrial wastewatcr
with or without combined domestic sewage.
40 CFR Part 257 if land applied
40 CFR Part 258 if placed in a
municipal solid waste landfill
Hazardous Sewage Sludge
Sewage sludge determined to be hazardous in accordance with 40 CFR Part 261.
Identification anil Listing of Hazardous Waste.
40 CFR Parts 261-268
Sewage Sludge Containing PCBs ^50 mg/kg
Sewage sludge with a concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) equal to or j
greater than 50 milligrams per kilogram of total solids (dry-weight basis). !
40 CFR Part 761
Incinerator Ash
Ash generated during the firing of biosolids in a biosolid incinerator.
I 40 CFR Part 257 if land applied
40 CFR Part 258 if placed in a
municipal solid waste landfill
i or
! 40 CFK Parts 261-268 if
hazardous
Grit and Screenings 40 CFR Part 257 if land applied
Grit (e.g., sand, gravel, cinders) or screenings (e.g., relatively large materials such as 40 CFR Part 258 if placed in a
rags) generated during preliminary treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works, municipal solid waste landfill
Drinking Water Sludge
Sludge generated during the treatment of either surface water or ground water used
for drinking water.
40 CFR Part 257 if land applied
40 CFR Part 258 if placed in a
municipal solid waste landfill
Certain Non-domestic Septage
Septage that contains industrial or commercial septage, including grease-trap
pumpings.
40 CFR Part 257 if land applied
40 CFR Part 258 if placed in a
municipal solid waste landfill
12 - «e*V Guide to Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 1-1
Who Must Apply for a Permit?
Treatment Works Treating Domestic Sewage (TWTDS) Required to Apply for a
Permit
All generators of biosolids that are regulated by Part 503 (including all POTWs)
Industrial facilities that separately treat domestic sewage and generate biosolids that are
regulated by Part 503
All surface disposal site owner/operators
All biosolids incinerator owner/operators
Any person (e.g., individual, corporation, or government entity) who changes the quality
of biosolids regulated by Part 503 (e.g., biosolids blenders or processors)8
Any other person or facility designated by the permitting authority as a TWTDS
1 TWTDS and Other Persons Not Automatically Required To Apply for a Permit1*
Biosolids land appliers, haulers, persons who store, or transporters who do not generate or
do not change the quality of the biosolids
Land owners of property on which biosolids are applied
Domestic scptage pumpers/haulers/treaters/upplicrs
Biosolids packagers/baggers (who do not change the quality of the biosolids)
a If all the biosolids received by a hiosoHds blender or composter arc exceptional quality (EQ)
biosolids (sec Chapter Two Tor full explanation of HQ bmsohds). then no permit will be required for
the person who receives or processes the EQ biosolids
h liPA may request permit applications from these facilities when necessary to protect public health
and the environment from reasonably anticipated effects of pollutants that may be present in
biosoliUs.
Site-Specific Permit Limits
Biosolids incinerator owner/operators are required to have site-specific
pollutant limits in their permits, and certain surface disposal sites with
unique site conditions may also apply for site-specific pollutant limits.
Site-specific permit limits are not allowed for land application sites; to the
extent the owner of a land application site desires permit limits exceeding
pollutant ceiling concentrations, the site may be more appropriately
addressed as a surface disposal site (and subject to the Part 503
requirements for surface disposal).
Guide to Part 503 Rule -13
-------
Who Issues the Permit?
At the time this guidance document was published, the permitting authority
for Part 503 was EPA. Thus, applications for a Federal biosolids permit
must be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Office, not the State.
This will remain the case until the biosolids management programs of
individual States are approved by EPA. Until a State has an EPA-approved
program, EPA will remain the permitting authority.
Note that State laws regarding the use or disposal of biosolids,
including permit requirements, must be complied with, even if the
State program has not received Federal approval.
Unless Otherwise Specified by the Permitting Authority
There are a number of places in the Part 503 rule that indicate unless
otherwise specified by the permitting authority. For example, two
instances where a permitting authority could be asked to establish different
requirements are: (i) to apply biosolids to reclamation sites in excess of the
agronomic rate, or (ii) to apply biosolids closer than 10 meters to waters of
the United States. The permitting authority could establish such different
requirements for biosolids use or disposal through a permit or other
enforceable means on a case-by-case basis (e.g., a letter of approval under
the authority of Section 308 of the Clean Water Act [CWA] or a settlement
agreement).
Compliance with, and Enforcement of, the Rule
Compliance deadlines under the Part 503 rule vary according to the type of
requirement (e.g., compliance dates for frequency of monitoring and for
recordkeeping and reporting requirements differ from compliance dates for
other requirements) and whether new pollution control facilities will have to
be constructed to meet the requirement. Compliance dates for all Part 503
requirements are provided in Table 1-2.
To ensure compliance with Part 503, regulatory authorities have the right to
inspect operations involved in the use or disposal of biosolids; review and
evaluate required reports and records; sample biosolids at regulated
facilities; and respond to complaints from persons affected by an alleged
improper use or disposal of biosolids. If records are not kept or other Part
503 requirements are not met, EPA can initiate enforcement actions.
Violations of the Part 503 requirements are subject to the same sanctions
as wastewater effluent discharge violations—EPA can sue in civil court and
seek remediation and penalties, and it can prosecute willful or negligent
violations as criminal acts. If a problem occurred (e.g., ground-water
14 - oB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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^jyjy'^'r '.;f ;ii-j^"-i..-t
TABLE 1-2
Compliance Dates for Part 503 Requirements
Part 503 Requirement I Compliance Date
Initial monitoring and recordkeeping
All other requirements when current polution control facilities are a dequate r, , Ir. .„„.
. .,,...' . J . , ' February 19, 1994
10 meet requirements, including initial reporting when required
All other requirements when construction of new pollution control facilities is ^ , .,, , „„,-
11, J i J February 19, 1995
needed to meet requirements J
i Initial monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting (except for total
hydrocarbons [THC] or carbon monoxide [CO])
i All other requirements, including frequency of monitoring, recordkeeping,
1 and reporting for THC (or CO), when current pollution control facilities are
adequate to meet requirements
' All other requirements, including frequency of monitoring, recordkeeping,
and reporting for THC (or CO), when construction of new pollution control
facilities is needed to meet requirements
July 20, 1993
February 19, 1994
February 19, 1995
contamination), the government could seek to have the offending party
correct the situation. EPA can pursue civil fines of up to $25,000 per day,
per violation (a single violation that occurs over a 1-year period could result
in a fine of over $9 million). Filing a false report carries a fine of up to
$10,000 and up to 2 years in prison. Negligent violations carry a criminal
fine of $2,500 to $25,000 per day of violation and up to 1 year in prison.
Willful violations carry a criminal fine of $5,000 to $50,000 per day of
violation and up to 3 years in prison.
Finally, where EPA is unable to take an enforcement action, Section 505 of
the CWA authorizes any citizen (e.g., a landowner, neighbor, lending
institution) to bring a civil action against the violator for corrective action
and/or the same penalties that EPA could have sought (i.e., $25,000 per
violation per day).
Who Must Report
The Part 503 rule includes reporting requirements only for the following
types of facilities:
Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) with a design flow rate
equal to or greater than 1 mgd;
Guide to Part 503 Rule -15
-------
POTWs that serve a population of 10,000 or greater, and
Class 1 [biosolids] management facilities that are POTWs required
to have an approved pretreatment program (5 mgd or greater as per
40 CFR Part 403.3[a]) and POTWs located in states that have elected
to assume local program responsibilities for pretreatment (140 CFR
403.10[e]), and treatment works processing domestic sewage
(TWTDS) that EPA and/or the State have classified as Class 1
because of the potential to negatively affect public health and the
environment.
Relationship of the Federal Requirements to State Requirements
Part 503 does not replace any existing State regulations; rather, it sets
minimum national standards for the use or disposal of biosolids. In some
cases, the State requirements may be more restrictive or administered in a
manner different from the Federal regulation.
States can change their regulations to meet the minimum Federal
standards. EPA will be working with States to encourage them to gain
approval for administering the Part 503 rule. States can apply to EPA for
approval of a biosolids program at any time, but they are under no
obligation to do so.
Knowing exactly which State or Federal rules to follow can sometimes be
complicated. Users or disposers of biosolids should keep the following
situations in mind when considering the applicability of requirements:
In all cases, users or disposers of biosolids must comply with all
applicable requirements of the new Federal rule (Part 503), as
explained in this document.
If a State has its own rules governing the use or disposal of biosolids
and has not yet adopted the Federal rule, the owner/operator will
have to follow the most restrictive portions of both the Federal and
State rules.
Users or disposers of biosolids are strongly encouraged to check
with the appropriate sewage sludge [biosolids] coordinator (listed
in Appendix B) regarding the specific State requirements.
Assistance with Technical, Permitting, and Compliance Issues
EPA will provide technical information and assistance on the Part 503
regulation. Also, on occasion EPA can provide project-specific assistance
on biosolids use or disposal. The following EPA personnel and offices can
provide assistance in the subject areas indicated.
16 - SB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Perm/fling
Wendy Miller (202) 260-3716
Wendy Bell (202) 260-9534
Regional & State Sewage Sludge [Biosolids] Coordinators (see Appendix B)
Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement
Joe Theis (Enforcement) (202) 260-8185
George Gray (Compliance) (202) 260-8313
Regional & State Sewage Sludge [Biosolids] Coordinators (see Appendix B)
Sampling & Analysis
Cristina Gaines (202) 260-6284
Incineration
Cristina Gaines (202) 260-6284
Wendy Bell (202) 260-9534
Beneficial Use and Biosolids Management Technology Issues
John Walker (202) 260-7283
Bob Bastian (202) 260-7378
Pretreatment/Removal Credits
Louis Eby (202) 260-2991
Technical Guidance for Incineration
Cristina Gaines (202) 260-6284
Dewatering
Jim Smith (513) 569-7355
Pathogen & Vector Control
Jim Smith (513) 569-7355
Bob Bastian (202) 260-7378
Bob Southworth (202) 260-7157
Odor Control, Composting, Bioaerosols
John Walker (202) 260-7283
Part 503 Regulation Development
Bob Southworth (202) 260-7157
Alan Hais (202) 260-1306
Guide to Part 503 Rule -17
-------
Risk Assessment
Jim Ryan (513) 569-7653
Bob Southworth (202) 260-7157
John Walker (202) 260-7283
Biosolids Publications
Sharie Centilla (202) 260-6052
Bernita Starks (202) 260-7287
For Further Information: See "References" listed after Chapter Six.
18 - oHA Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Common Questions and Answers
Jlf an industrial facility has separate treatment works for its
domestic sewage and its process wastewater, are the biosolids
generated from both treatment processes covered under Part 503?
: No. Only the biosolids from the domestic sewage treatment process
L would be covered by Part 503 if used or disposed through land
application, surface disposal, or solid incineration. The sludge from the
industrial wastewater treatment process would not be covered. In fact, even
if domestic sewage is mixed and treated in an industrial treatment works,
the sludge from that system is not covered by Part 503.
i- If a publicly owned treatment works (POTW)has only industrial
wastewater influent, is the sludge generated at this treatment
works considered sewage sludge [biosolids] and covered under the
Part 503 rule?
A : No. By definition, the sludge is not sewage sludge [biosolids] because
/* it is not a residual from the treatment of domestic sewage, but industrial
wastewater. See Section 503.6(d).
/~\ If the influent from a POTW or any treatment works other than an
^-/industrial facility is 99 percent industrial wastewater and only 1
percent domestic wastewater, are the biosolids generated at the
treatment works sewage sludge covered under Part 503?
A : Yes. Because any domestic content in the wastewater being treated in
/J*a facility other than an industrial facility brings the biosolids generated
within the scope of Part 503 if used or disposed through land application,
surface disposal, or biosolids incineration.
What does "newpollution control facilities" mean as referred to
'in Section 503.2?
O,
,4 : A new pollution control facility \s any building, structure, facility, or
/•installation from which there is or may be a discharge of pollutants, the
construction of which must have begun after the promulgation of Part 503. A
new pollution control facility includes any building, structure, or installation
that replaces or substantially upgrades the process or production equipment
necessary to meet a standard under this Part. An example of an acceptable
new pollution control facility is the installation of an incinerator afterburner.
New pollution control facilities do not include:
(1) replacement of any building, structure, or installation due to normal
operational wear and tear;
Guide to Part 503 Rule -19
-------
(2) installation of monitoring equipment or devices, including the purchase
of computer hardware or software for monitoring purposes; or
(3) purchase of a special truck for land application of biosolids.
The permitting authority should be consulted for specific determinations.
/~\: If a treatment works is able to comply immediately with the
^[standards for one use or disposal practice covered under Part 503
but would like to construct devices necessary for compliance with
another use or disposal practice, does that treatment works have 2
years to achieve compliance? For example, if a treatment works needs
2 years to build pollution control processes, is that facility allowed to
use or dispose biosolids that violate the requirements of Part 503 for 2
years?
A: The treatment works may have up to 2 years to achieve compliance
(i.e., until February 19,1995—2 years after promulgation of the Part
503 rule) only for that use for which is requires construction. In all other
instances, the treatment works must comply with Part 503 by the February
19,1994, deadline. Thus, in the above example, if the treatment works is
converting from surface disposal to incineration, the biosolids disposed until
the incinerator comes on line must comply with surface disposal
requirements under Subpart C of the Part 503 rule.
: Suppose the only practice followed by a treatment works has
en incineration and the treatment works cannot meet the 503
incinerator requirements without construction of new pollution control
devices (e.g., a wet electrostatic scrubber), would the treatment works
have until February 19, 1995 (2 years) to come into compliance?
A
Yes.
- Suppose the only practice followed at a treatment works is land
application and the biosolids (a) cannot meet the pollutant ceiling
limits or (b) have been aerobically digested and cannot meet either the
pathogen reduction or the vector attraction reduction requirements.
Would that treatment works have until February 19, 1995 (2 years) to
come into compliance?
A : (a) Possibly yes if the owner/operator of a treatment works could
-^^demonstrate that he or she had no other readily available alternative,
such as shifting to a surface disposal operation or diluting the biosolids with
other material prior to land use. (b) Probably no, because the treatment
works could likely have readily provided pathogen and vector attraction
reduction by using an additive process, such as lime stabilization, or
alternatively by soil incorporation for vector attraction reduction.
20 - &B* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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(|; tf the POTW gives/sells biosolids to a farmer, will the farmer be
^required to be permitted? How is the "poor farmer" going to know
he has to keep records for 5 years?
A : The owner/operator of a treatment works treating domestic sewage
•' '* (TWTDS) must apply for a permit if the biosolids being
generated/disposed are regulated by Part 503. The Preamble to Part 122
addresses what is considered a TWTDS. Excluded from this definition are
land appliers who do not change the quality of the biosolids prior to land
application. Therefore, if a POTW provides a farmer with biosolids and the
farmer merely land applies the biosolids, the farmer will not have to apply for
a permit. There may be some requirements, however, that apply directly to
the farmer under Part 503 (e.g., recordkeeping). The POTW is required to
provide notice and necessary information to the farmer to ensure that the
Part 503 requirements are met. This provision was included in Part 503
specifically to ensure that all parties involved in the land application of
biosolids are aware of the requirements.
'|: How can the State continue to include in an NPDES permit State
^biosolids requirements that are less stringent than Part 503?
, I : If the State has separate authority to include such limits, it can
-'' * continue to do so. However, such limits will not be Federally
enforceable because they are not issued under an approved State program,
which would require the State to implement requirements at least as
stringent as Part 503. Meanwhile, the permittee would have to follow the
most restrictive portions of the State as well as the self-implementing
Federal rules.
/ j>: If States already require cumulative metal loading tracking, will
^J^past loading count toward ultimate cumulative metal loadings on
the site? If no, what position will EPA take if a State (or Region)
chooses to acknowledge past loadings? Will EPA be more willing to
support a State on this issue if the State is seeking program approval?
A : Part 503 built in certain assumptions about the background
-'^concentrations of metals in developing the limits for cumulative
loadings. Because of these assumptions, previous land application of
biosolids according to the CPLR concept are not considered prior to July 20,
1993. At that time, the recordkeeping requirements became effective,
requiring the regulated community to track cumulative loadings under the
Federal program. This requirement, however, will not affect existing State
programs that already require tracking. These State requirements would
generally be considered more stringent and would need to be complied with
under State law. Again, if a State chooses to include pre-Part 503 loadings,
EPA will take the position that this is a more stringent State requirement. It
will not matter if the State is seeking program approval. However, EPA will
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 21
-------
be working with all the States to provide an understanding of the Part 503
requirements and to encourage adoption of Part 503 as it exists. The
permitting authority may choose to look at past loadings on a case-by-case
basis if it determines that a more stringent requirement is necessary to
protect public health and the environment from any adverse effect of a
pollutant in biosolids.
/I- Can a State prohibit the use or disposal of biosolids generated
\J outside that State? If a State cannot ban the importation of
biosolids, how can the receiving State control the quality of biosolids
generated in another State? Can it, for example, require analysis of
additional pollutant prior to shipment?
4: Although a number of States have attempted to ban the importation of
biosolids, the courts have generally struck down such State laws as
being contrary to the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Furthermore, courts have invalidated laws that discriminate against
out-of-State wastes merely because of where those wastes were generated.
However, the preparer of biosolids has to notify the permitting authority in
the receiving state where the biosolids will be used or disposed. Moreover,
the receiving State has the authority to control the use or disposal of
biosolids within its borders, regardless of where they are generated. For
example, the State could require permits for land application. In this case,
anyone who land applies within the State, regardless of where the biosolids
come from, would have to obtain a permit. Another option, is to require a
joint permit for both the generator and the land applier. However, the State
would need to ensure that its legal authority is adequate to go beyond its
geographical boundaries.
" Does accepting authority for the Part 503 program automatically
ive the State jurisdiction over out-of-State biosolids that are
imported for use or disposal?
4: Program approval does not give the State additional jurisdiction for
dealing with out-of-State biosolids. Rather, it merely allows the State to
implement the Federal program. The State will have to show that its laws
ensure compliance with the Federal program at a minimum. One of the
requirements for program approval is that the State demonstrate that it has
adequate authority to regulate all biosolids that are used or disposed within
its borders—regardless of where that biosolids material is generated. The
State would not necessarily be required to regulate all generators of
biosolids that are located outside its border, although many States might
have this capability.
22 - &B* Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
: According to Part 503, the choice of a use or disposal option is a
local decision. Does the receiving municipality have some say in
the decision to permit land application?
A: If allowed under State law, municipalities also may regulate the use or
disposal of biosolids within their borders. The receiving municipality
could require a permit or pass an ordinance, such as a zoning or land use
requirement, to regulate where biosolids are applied or placed.
: If biosolids are sent to a different State that has a permitting
program, does the generator have to comply with the other
State's requirements?
A
Yes.
6ER& Guide to Part 503 Rule - 23
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Chapter 2
Land Application of Biosolids
What Is Land Application?
Land application is the application of biosolids to land to either
condition the soil or to fertilize crops or other vegetation grown in
the soil. Nearly half of the biosolids production in the United States
is currently being used beneficially to improve soils. This guidance
document categorizes the types of land that benefit from the application of
biosolids (see Figure 2-1) as follows:
* agricultural land, forests, and reclamation sites—collectively called
nonpublic contact sites (areas not frequently visited by the public); and
• public parks, plant nurseries, roadsides, golf courses, lawns, and
home gardens—collectively called public contact sites (areas where
people are likely to come into contact with biosolids applied to land).
The Part 503 rule, however, does not regard lawns and home
gardens as public contact sites, and fewer types of biosolids may be
land applied to these sites (i.e., CPLR biosolids are not permitted on
lawns and home gardens given the considerable difficulty of tracking
cumulative levels of metals in biosolids applied to such sites).
Biosolids can be either applied to land in bulk or sold or given away in
bags or other containers tor land application (see Figure 2-2). The term
biosolids in bulk refers to biosolids that are marketed or given to
manufacturers of products that contain biosolids. The term biosolids in
bags generally refers to biosolids in amounts that are bagged and generally
marketed for use on smaller units of land such as lawns and home gardens.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 25
-------
"
Agricultural Land
Forests
Reclamation sites
Golf Courses
-------
„ • t.-,tI .»;
,
Bioso/ids sold or given away in bags or other containers
.-.ft'1?
Su/k biosolids
Figure 2-2. For application to the land, biosolids can be sold or given away in bags, in
other containers, or they can be land applied in bulk form.
directly below the surface for producing row crops or other vegetation and
for establishing lawns.
Biosolids in a liquid state can be applied using tractors, tank wagons,
irrigation systems, or special application vehicles. Dewatered biosolids are
typically applied to land using equipment similar to that used for applying
limestone, animal manures, or commercial fertilizers. Both liquid and
dewatered biosolids are applied to land with or without subsequent
incorporation into the soil.
Because biosolids are typically treated before being land applied, their use
poses a low degree of risk. This chapter discusses approaches for meeting
the requirements of the Part 503 rule for the land application of biosolids.
The practice of growing crops or grazing animals on a biosolids surface
disposal site, another form of beneficial use, is discussed in Chapter 3. This
guidance document refers to this practice as dedicated beneficial use. A
permitting authority can allow crops to be grown on a surface disposal site
and marketed or grazed if the owner/operator of the site shows that
site-specific management practices are being used that will ensure
protection of public health and the environment from any reasonably
anticipated adverse effects of certain pollutants that can be present in
biosolids.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 27
-------
.'.'V^:*--'- :'''!••*?•'^-~~^ " ''^'L'"''-^'''^^j£i^t^'^^
!, ;>,,.:r!v f_ ••;?'- 4'.:V-.;- ;i; •. c ^: vi^'|fffMsJ^tiSJl
''>*',"•"' '"•. ;-' i,''".''r"V %""•['V il£:""''*',;-*'vTi' '•*}' '"fiS'-r'.
;'v^-;V/\f^ J1-^ t^-j^^S 'T^'rS£"
Spreading finished biosolids product on Wall Disne\ World tree farm in Orlando, Florida.
To Whom the Land Application Requirements Apply
Different provisions of the Part 503 rule apply to the preparer and the
app//erof biosolids. The preparer of biosolids is defined as a person who
either generates biosolids during the treatment of domestic sewage in a
treatment works or who derives a material from biosolids (i.e., changes the
quality of the biosolids prepared by a generator). Examples of materials
derived from biosolids include biosolids treated by composting, pelletizing,
or drying (to kill pathogens and reduce attractiveness to vectors), and
mixtures of biosolids with other materials (e.g., biosolids blended with soil or
fertilizer, which will usually lower pollutant concentrations). The applieris
defined as the person who applies the biosolids to land. The responsibilities
of preparers and appliers of biosolids under the Part 503 rule are
summarized in Figure 2-8.
Landowners and leaseholders also have certain responsibilities. These are
discussed at the end of this chapter.
Land Application Requirements
Biosolids applied to the land must meet risk-based pollutant limits specified
in Part 503. Operational standards to control disease-causing organisms
called pathogens and to reduce the attraction of vectors (e.g., flies,
mosquitoes, and other potential disease-carrying organisms) to the
28 - SERA Guide to Part 503 Rule
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1, .t'TI:
'• »'.'','
biosolids must also be met. In addition, there are general requirements,
management practices, and frequency of monitoring, recordkeeping, and
reporting requirements that must be met. Each of these land application
requirements is discussed below.
Pollutant Limits, Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction
Requirements
| All biosolids applied to the land must meet the ceiling concentrations
JL for pollutants, listed in the first column of Table 2-1. The ceiling
concentrations are the maximum concentration limits for 10 heavy metal
TABLE 2-1
Pollutant Limits
Pollutant
; • *: . ,•.., : .•.„... .
;..:•;'. '-'I... , " ' ••
\ •*.", s ' |
;lV',i;V'..: <
',/;.„{. -"'j:1;-'1,'"; ',;"',, *i* ' ,•,,'•
M-• , •;'-.,^1. ;-.-, . • i
Ceiling
Concentration
Limits for All
Biosolids Applied
to Land
(milligrams per
kilogram)8
75
85
3,000
4,300
840
57
75
420
100
7,500
All biosolids that
are land applied
Table 1,
Section 503. 13
Pollutant
Concentration
Limits for EQ and
PC Biosolids
(milligrams per
kilogram)8
41
39
1,200
1,500
300
17
—
420
36
2,800
Bulk biosolids and
bagged biosolidsc
Table 3,
Section 503. 13
Cumulative
Pollutant Loading
Rate Limits for
CPLR Biosolids
(kilograms per
hectare)
41
39
3,000
1,500
300
17
—
420
100
2,800
Table 2,
Section 503. 13
Annual Pollutant
Loading Rate
Limits for APLR
Biosolids
(kilograms per
hectare per
365-day period)
2.0
1.9
150
75
15
0.85
—
21
5.0
140
Table 4,
Section 503. 13
a Dry-weight basis
b As a result of the February 25, 1994, Amendment to the rule, the limits for molybdenum were deleted from the Pan 503 rule pending
EPA reconsideration.
c Bagged biosolids are sold or given away in a bag or other container.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 29
-------
pollutants in biosolids; specifically, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper,
lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc. If a limit for any one
of the pollutants is exceeded, the biosolids cannot be applied to the land
until such time that the ceiling concentration limits are no longer exceeded.
The ceiling concentrations for pollutants are included in Part 503 to prevent
the land application of biosolids with the highest levels of pollutants and to
encourage pretreatment efforts that will result in lower levels of pollutants.
2 Biosolids applied to the land must also meet either pollutant
concentration limits, cumulative pollutant loading rate limits, or annual
pollutant loading rate limits for these same heavy metals.
3 Either Class A or Class B pathogen requirements (summarized in
Table 2-5) and site restrictions (Figure 2-4) must be met before the
biosolids can be land applied; the two classes differ depending on the level
of pathogen reduction that has been obtained.
4 Finally, 1 of 10 options specified in Part 503 and summarized in Table
2-6 to achieve vector attraction reduction must be met when biosolids
are applied to the land.
Options for Meeting Land Application Requirements
This guidance document groups the Part 503 requirements into four options
for meeting pollutant limits and pathogen and vector attraction reduction
operational standards when biosolids are applied to the land. The options
include:
• the Exceptional Quality (EQ) Option
• the Pollutant Concentration (PC) Option
* the Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate (CPLR) Option
* the Annual Pollutant Loading Rate (APLR) Option
It is very important to realize that each option is equally protective of public
health and the environment; that is, EQ, PC, CPLR, and APLR biosolids
used in accordance with the Part 503 rule are equally safe. This safety is
ensured by the combination of pollutant limits and management practices
imposed by each option.
Whichever option is chosen, at a minimum, the ceiling concentrations for
pollutants (listed in Table 2-1) and the frequency of monitoring, reporting,
and recordkeeping requirements (see Tables 2-7 and 2-8) must be met. The
four options are summarized in Table 2-2, illustrated in Figure 2-3, and
discussed in detail below.
Depending on the land application option under consideration, site
restrictions (Figure 2-4), general requirements (Figure 2-8), and
management practices (Figure 2-9) also apply. These additional restrictions,
30 - *B* Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
TABLE 2-2
Options for Meeting Pollutant Limits and Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Reduction Requirements for Land Application
Option*
Pollutant
Limits
Bulk or bagged biosolids
meet pollutant
concentration limits in
Table 2-1
Bulk biosolids meet
pollutant concentration
limits in Table 2-1
Bulk biosolids applied
subject to cumulative
pollutant loading rate
(CPLR) limits in Table
2-1
Pathogen
Requirements
Any 1 of the Class A
requirements in Table
2-5
Any 1 of the Class B
requirements in Table
2-5 and Figure 2-4
Any 1 of the Class A
requirements in Table
2-5
Vector Attraction
Reduction Requirements
Any 1 of the
requirements in options
1 through 8 in Table 2-6
Any 1 of the 10
requirements in Table
2-6
Requirements 9 or 10 in
Table 2-6
Any 1 of the Class A or
Class B requirements in
Table 2-5 and Figure 2-4
Bagged biosolids
applied subject to annual
pollutant loading rate
(APLR) limits in Table
2-1
Any 1 of the Class A
requirements in Table
2-5
Any 1 of the 10
requirements in Table
2-6
Any 1 of the first 8
requirements in Table
2-6
Each of these options also requires that the hiosolids meet the ceiling concentrations for pollutants listed in Table 2-1, and that the
frequency of monitoring requirements in Table 2-7 and recordkceping and reporting requirements in Table 2-8 be met. In addition, the
general requirements in Figure 2-8 and the management practices in Figure 2-9 have to be met when biosolids arc land applied (except
for EQ biosolids).
requirements, and practices are summarized in Tables 2-3 and 2-4 and
discussed in greater detail at the end of this chapter.
Rather than presenting the four options in the order described in the Part
503 rule, this document presents them in order of increasing regulatory
requirements. Table 2-3 graphically displays the level of required regulatory
control for each option. The types of land onto which these different
biosolids may be applied are listed in Table 2-4.
Option 1: Exceptional Quality (EQ) Biosolids
For biosolids to qualify under the EQ option, the following requirements
must be met:
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 31
-------
••
Ceiling
concentrations
for pollutants
Land
application
not
permitted
Figure 2-3. Options for meeting certain Part 503 land application requirements
* The ceiling concentrations for pollutants in Table 2-1 may not be
exceeded.
• The pollutant concentration limits in Table 2-1 may not be exceeded.
« One of the Class A pathogen requirements in Table 2-5 must be met.
* One of the first eight vector attraction reduction options in Table 2-6
must be achieved.
Methods that typically achieve the pathogen and vector attraction reduction
requirements and allow biosolids to meet EQ requirements include alkaline
stabilization, composting, and heat drying. The Part 503 frequency of
32 - SB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
•
Use ofblosolids on parkland in Manhattan, New York. Biosolids compost is piled on
barren site to be spread for soil conditioning.
-i r ; ' -( . ^- - i*
•• ji f1 s\ ,»
* ' 'l j SH ' ' » , tfin , »?' •• i
-'';%•: /(;.iX!i:^':;'"'^;. J ".':;^r /^v
::;!t: ::^{:i<\ -,, J^;^]):, \^.2<: >
l/5« ofbiosolids on parkland in Manhattan, New York (continued). One month after
spreading ofbiosolids. the turf is vigorously established.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 33
-------
ofbiosolids on parkland in Manhattan, New York (continued). Different view showing
public enjoying the park.
monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements (see Tables 2-7 and
2-8) also must be met for EQ biosolids.
Once biosolids meet EQ requirements, they are not subject to the land
application general requirements and management practices in Part 503,
with one possible exception — if the Regional Administrator or the State
Director determines, on a case-by-case basis, that such requirements are
necessary to protect public health and the environment (this exception
applies only to bulk biosolids). Once biosolids have been established as
meeting EQ requirements, whether in bulk form or in bags or other
containers, they can generally be applied as freely as any other fertilizer or
soil amendment to any type of land. While not required by the Part 503 rule,
EQ biosolids should be applied at a rate that does not exceed the
agronomic rate that supplies the nitrogen needs of the plants being grown,
just as for any other commercial fertilizer or soil amending material that
contains nitrogen.
Option 2: Pollutant Concentration (PC) Biosolids
To qualify under the PC option, biosolids must meet several requirements,
including:
The ceiling concentration for pollutants in Table 2-1 may not be
exceeded.
34 -
Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
TABLE 2-3
Summary of Regulatory Requirements for Different Types of Biosolids
Type of
Biosolids and
Class of
Pathogens
Meet Ceiling
Concentration
for Pollutants
Meet Pollutant
Concentration
Limits
Site
Restrictions
General
Requirements
and
Management
Practices
Track Added
Pollutants
EQ
Bag or Bulk
Class A
PC
Bulk Only
Class Aa
PC
Bulk Only
Class B
CPLR
Bulk Only
Class A
CPLR
Bulk Only
Class B
APLR
Bag Only
Class A
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yesc
a Biosolids meeting Class A pathogen reduction requirements but following options 9 or 10 vector attraction reduction requirements are
also considered PC hiosolids.
h The only general and management practice requirement that must he met is a labeling requirement.
c The amount of biosolids that can be applied to a site during the year must be consistent with the annual whole sludge application rate
(AWSAR) for the biosolids that does not cause any of the ALPRs to be exceeded.
Note: See Chapter Two text for explanation of biosolids types.
The pollutant concentration limits in Table 2-1 may not be exceeded
(same requirement as for EQ biosolids, discussed above).
One of three Class B pathogen requirements must be met (see Table
2-5), as well as Class B site restrictions (see Figures 2-4 and 2-5).
One of 10 vector attraction reduction options must be achieved
(see Table 2-6).
Frequency of monitoring (see Table 2-7), as well as recordkeeping
and reporting requirements (see Table 2-8) must be met.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 35
-------
TABLE 2-4
Types of Land onto Which Different Types
of Biosolids May Be Applied
Biosolids
Option
'-s,.*. ^.- ._• •;.-.>. '^. _ •".";•" 7, • J ;
"• ••• -V .' .^,i-'<*"^ •'.."•" .' • ". • ''
?.-vrY-*^v.. .•;.;••'.-,;
~^:;r&£ •••••• ••:-'/:.
.'• -i:'-;: •''•:?'"" '••'•: /•/••.••'•••'
•'•iWk';:C":'0;Ov\':
i . '': ;• V: . •'' ... •' '••"', . '" •'
.V;;Vfe$pt':
-------
;,#•*€
TABLE 2-5
Summary of Class A and Class B
Pathogen Reduction Requirements
CLASS A
In addition to meeling the
requirement"! in one of the
six alternatives listed below,
fecal colilorm or Salmonella
sp. bacteria levels must rr.cel
specific denMty requirements
at the time of biosohds use
or disposal or when prepared
for sale or give away (see
Chapter Five of [his
guidance)
Alternative I: Thermally
Treated Biosolids
Use one of four
time-temperature regimens
Alternative 2: Biosolids
Treated in a High plf-High
Temperature Process
Specifies pH, temperature.
and air-drying requirements
Alternative 3: /'"or Hiosolids
Treated in Other Processes
Demons rale that the process
can reduce enteric viruses
and viable helminth ova.
Maintain operating
condition-, used in the
demonstration
Alternative 4: Biosolids
Treated in Unknown
Processes
Denionstralion of the process
is unnecessary. Instead, test
for pathogens - Salmonella
sp. or fecal eoliform bacteria.
enteric viruses, and viable
helminth ova -at the lime
the hiosolids are used or
disposed of or arc prepared
for sale or give-away
Alternatives: Use of PFRP
Biosolids arc treated in one
of the PTIKCSSCS to Further
Reduce Pathogens (PFRP)
(see Table 5-4)
Alternative 6: Use of a
Process Equivalent to Pr'KP
Biosolids are treated in a
pnxess equivalent to one of
the PFRPs, as determined by
the permitting authority
CLASS B
The requirements in tine of
the three alternatives below
must be met
Alternative I: Monitoring
of Indicator Organisms
Test for fecal colifonn
density as an indicator for all
pathogens at the time of
biosolids use or disposal
Alter native 2: Use of PS KP
Biosolids are treated in one
of the Processes to
Significantly Reduce
Pathogens (PSRP)
(sec Table 5-7)
Alternatives: Use of
Processes Equivalent to
PSKP
Biosolids are treated in a
process equivalent to one of
the PSRPs. as determined by
the permitting authority
TABLE 2-6
Summary of Vector Attraction
Reduction Options
Requirements in one of the follow ing options must be
met:
Option 1: Reduce the mass of volatile solid.s by a
minimum ot .'X percent
Option 2: Demonstrate vector attraction reduction with
additional anaerobic digestion in a bench-scale
unit
Option 3: Demonstrate vecior attraction reduction sMth
additional aerobic digestion in a bench-scale
unit
Option 4: Meet a specific o\\gen uptake rate for
aerobically treated hiosolids
Option 5: l.'se aerobic processes at greater than 40' C
(average temperature.s 45"C) tor 14 days or
longer (e.g., during biosolids composting)
Add alkaline materials to raise ihe pH '.incer
Option 6:
Option 7:
specified conditions
Reduce moisture content of hiosi\id.s lhat do
not contain unslabili/ed solids :rom other than
primary' treatment to at least 75 percent s,>hds
Option at least ''') pereert
Option 9: Inject bin.solids beneath the soil surlace
within a specified time, depending on the level
of pathogen treatment
Option JO: Incorporate hiosohds applied to or placed on
the land surface within specified time periods
after application to or placemen! 0:1 ihe lar.d
surface.
Note: Details of each vector attraction reduction opium are
provided in Chapter Five.
Note: Details of each alternative for meeting the requirements for
Class A and Class B designations arc provided in Chapter Five.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 37
-------
FIGURE 2-4
Restrictions for the Harvesting of Crops and Turf, Grazing of
Animals, and Public Access on Sites Where Class B
Biosolids Are Applied
Restrictions for the harvesting of crops* and turf:
1. Food crops, feed crops, and fiber crops, whose edible parts do not touch the
surface of the soil, shall not be harvested until 30 days after biosolids
application.
2. Food crops with harvested parts that touch the biosolids/soil mixture and are
totally above ground shall not be harvested until 14 months after application
of biosolids.
3. Food crops with harvested parts below the land surface where biosolids
remain on the land surface for 4 months or longer prior to incorporation into
the soil shall not be harvested until 20 months after biosolids application.
4. Food crops with harvested parts below the land surface where biosolids
remain on the land surface for less than 4 months prior to incorporation shall
not be harvested until 38 months after biosolids application.
5. Turf grown on land where biosolids are applied shall not be harvested until
1 year after application of the biosolids when the harvested turf is placed on
either land with a high potential for public exposure or a lawn, unless
otherwise specified by the permitting authority.
Restriction for the grazing of animals:
1. Animals shall not be grazed on land until 30 days after application of
biosolids to the land.
Restrictions for public contact:
1. Access to land with a high potential for public exposure, such as a park or
ballfield, is restricted for 1 year after biosolids application. Examples of
restricted access include posting with no trespassing signs, and fencing.
2. Access to land with a low potential for public exposure (e.g., private
farmland) is restricted for 30 days after biosolids application. An example of
restricted access is remoteness.
* Examples of crops impacted by Class B pathogen requirements are listed in Figure 2-5.
be land applied as safely as EQ and PC biosolids. To qualify as CPLR
biosolids, the following requirements must be met:
The ceiling concentrations for pollutants in Table 2-1 may not be
exceeded.
Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rates (CPLRs) listed in Table 2-1 may
be not be exceeded.
38 -
Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
FIGURE 2-5
Examples of Crops Impacted by Site Restrictions for
Class B Biosolids
Either the Class A or Class B pathogen requirements in Table 2-5
must be met.
One of the 10 vector attraction reduction options in Table 2-6 must
be met.
Frequency of monitoring (see Table 2-7), as well as recordkeeping
and reporting requirements (see Table 2-8) must be met.
Applicable site restrictions, general requirements, and management
practices must be met (summarized in Tables 2-3 and 2-4 and listed
in Figures 2-4, 2-8, and 2-9).
The CPLR is the maximum amount of regulated pollutants in biosolids that
can be applied to a site considering all biosolids applications made after
July 20, 1993. When the CPLR for any one of the 10 heavy metals listed in
Table 2-1 is reached at a site, no additional bulk biosolids, subject to the
CPLR limits, may be applied to the site.
Option 4: Annual Pollutant Loading Rate (APLR) Biosolids
The fourth option only applies to biosolids that are sold or given away in a
bag or other container for application to land. Under this option, the
following requirements must be met:
The ceiling concentrations for pollutants in Table 2-1 may not be
exceeded.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 39
-------
The Annual Pollutant Loading Rates (APLRs) listed in Table 2-1
may not be exceeded.
The Class A pathogen requirements in Table 2-5 must be met.
One of the first eight vector attraction reduction options in Table 2-6
must be met.
The frequency of monitoring as well as recordkeeping and reporting
requirements in Tables 2-7 and 2-8 must be met.
Applicable site restrictions, general requirements, and management
practices must be met (summarized in Tables 2-3 and 2-4 and listed
in Figures 2-4, 2-8, and 2-9).
An APLR is the maximum amount of regulated pollutants in biosolids that
can be applied to a site in any 1 year. APLRs rather than CPLRs are used
for biosolids sold or given away in a bag or other container because tracking
the amount of pollutants applied in biosolids is not feasible in this situation.
A labeling requirement for bagged or containerized APLR biosolids is
discussed in Figure 2-9. To meet the labeling requirement, the preparer of
biosolids must calculate the amount of biosolids that can be applied to a site
during the year so that none of the APLRs are exceeded. This amount of
biosolids is referred to as the annual whole sludge application rate
(AWSAR). The AWSAR can be determined once the pollutant
concentrations in the biosolids are known. The procedure for determining
the AWSAR is explained in Figure 2-6. The AWSAR must be calculated for
each of the 10 metals listed in Table 2-1, and the lowest AWSAR for the 10
metals is the allowable AWSAR for the biosolids. The AWSAR on the
required label or information sheet has to be equal to or less than the
AWSAR calculated using the procedure in Figure 2-6.
While not required by the Part 503 rule, it would also be good practice to
provide information about the nitrogen content of the biosolids as well as the
AWSAR on the label or information sheet that accompanies the biosolids.
Figure 2-7 shows calculations that can be useful for determining how much
nitrogen is being applied to land relative to the AWSAR and the nitrogen
requirements of the plants being grown.
General Requirements and Management Practices
The Part 503 general requirements and management practices must be met
for all but EQ biosolids. The specific general requirements and kinds of
management practices that apply to each type of biosolids are given in
Figures 2-8 and 2-9r respectively. Several of the management practices are
singled out for a bit more discussion below.
40 - «ER* Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
.-*, ' ^ -;v .'_; •. "x ._*•, ^-.f^si ,j' s ••J«wt'', •>• .' , ,', ,,' ;\,/ • .'H
Biosolids are applied on a semi-arid rangeland demonstration study site in Rio Puerco, New
Mexico.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 41
-------
FIGURE 2-6
Procedure To Determine the Annual Whole Sludge (Biosolids) Application Rate
for Biosolids Sold or Given Away in a Bag or Other Container
1. Analyze a sample of the biosolids to determine the concentration of each of the 10 regulated metals in
the biosolids.
2. Using the pollutant concentrations from Step 1 and the APLRs from Table 2-1. calculate an AWSAR for
each pollutant using equation (1) below:
AWSAR = APLR where:
C 0.001
A WSAR = Annual whole sludge (biosolids) application rate (dry metric tons of biosolids/hectare/year)
APLR - Annual pollutant loading rate (in Table 2-1) (kg of pollutant/ha/yr)
C = Pollutant concentration (mg of pollutant/kg of biosolids, dry weight)
0.001 = A conversion factor
3. The AWSAR for the biosolids is the lowest AWSAR calculated for each pollutant in Step 2.
Example:
1. Biosolids to be applied to land are analyzed for each of the 10 metals regulated in Part 503. Analysis of
the biosolids indicates the pollutant concentration in the second column of the table below.
2. Using these test results and the APLR for each pollutant from Table 2-1, the AWSAR for all the
pollutants are calculated as shown in the fourth column of the table below.
3. The AWSAR for the biosolids is the lowest AWSAR calculated for all 10 metals. In our example, the lowest
AWSAR is for copper at 20 metric tons of biosolids/hectare/year. Therefore, the controlling AWSAR to be
used for the biosolids is 20 metric tons per hectare/year. The 20 metric tons of biosol ids/hectare is the same
as 410 pounds of biosolids/1,000 square feet (20 metric tons x 2,205 Ib per metric ton/107.600 square feet
per hectare). The AWSAR on the label or information sheet would have to be equal to or less than 410 pounds
per 1,000 square feet.
Biosolids
Metal Concentrations
(milligrams/kilogram)
! 10
10
.••,-.-:-"....-, \ 1,000
; ;;..-,.., - ;'' ' 3,750
'-, ... ' ., 150
i y;n -,".'•,' ' . 2
,;.;.'.,; ' i 100
! !'.,.v.:V ' 15
! :>i- : 2,000
APLR*
(kilograms/
hectare/year)
2.0
1.9
150
75
15
0.85
21
5.0
140
AWSAR =
APLR , . , „
_ _ — metric tons/hectare
Cone, in Biosolids (0.001)
2 / (10x0.001) = 200
1.9/(10x().0()l)= 190
150 /(I, (KM) x 0.000= 150
75 / (3.750x0.001) = 20
157(150 x 0.000= 100
0.85 / (2x0.001) = 425
21 /(100x().0()l) = 210
5 /(15x 0.001) = 313
140 /<2.(KK)x ().<>()]) = 70
* Annual Pollutant Loading Rate from Table 2-1 of this guide and Table 4 of the Pan 503 rule.
42 - SB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
FIGURE 2-7
Procedure for the Applier To Determine the Amount of Nitrogen
Provided by the AWSAR Relative to the Agronomic Rate
In Figure 2-6, the AWSAR for the biosolids in the example calculation was determined to be 410 pounds
of biosolids per 1,000 square feet of land. If biosolids were to be placed on a lawn that has a nitrogen
requirement of about 200 pounds of available nitrogen per acre per year, the following steps would
determine the amount of nitrogen provided by the AWSAR relative to the agronomic rate if the AWSAR
was used:
1. The nitrogen content of the biosolids indicated on the label is 1 percent total nitrogen and 0.4 percent
available nitrogen the first year.
2. The AWSAR is 410 pounds of biosolids per 1,000 square feet, which is 17,860 pounds of biosolids
per acre:
410 Ib x 43,560 sq ft xOQQ1_l 7,860 Ib
1,000 sq ft acre ' acre
3. The available nitrogen from the biosolids is 71 pounds per acre:
17,860 Ib biosolids __ . 71 Ib
—' x .004 =
acre acre
4. Since the biosolids application will only provide 71 pounds of the total 200 pounds of nitrogen
required, in this case the AWSAR for the biosolids will not cause the agronomic rate for nitrogen to
be exceeded and an additional 129 pounds per acre of nitrogen would be needed from some other
source to supply the total nitrogen requirement of the lawn.
* Assumptions about crop nitrogen requirement, biosolids nitrogen content, and percent of that nitrogen that is available are for
illustrative purposes only.
TABLE 2-7
Frequency of Monitoring for Pollutants, Pathogen Densities,
and Vector Attraction Reduction
A,«'avti'fi(!,,:> a!' ;;;?-jtvMU,-T, "
1 {W'jf.v;? Hwv,u»-;i~ KJ.Vi-V1 .->.-:•-. •.**->
Greater than zero but less than 290
Equal to or greater than 290
but less than 1,500
Equal to or greater than 1 ,500
but less than 15,000
Equal to or greater than 15,000
>->•:• ^:;^-:
1 1 <
>0 to <0.85
0.85 to <4.5
4.5 to <45
^45
" v ' •'•?'" " ''"• •" - •* '-
,
,t . . r-,i;, - l ..0 to <320
320 to < 1,650
1, 650 to < 16,500
^ 16,500
; "'''•';- •.>.;>;• ,;..'>
Once per year
Once per quarter
(4 times per year)
Once per 60 days
(6 times per year)
Once per month
(12 times per year)
Either the amount of bulk biosolids applied to the land or the amount of biosolids received by a person who prepares biosolids for sale
or give-away in a bag or other container for application to the land (dry-weight basis).
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 43
-------
FIGURE 2-8
Part 503 Land Application General Requirements
For EQ Biosolids
None (unless set by EPA or State permitting authority
on a case-by-case basis for bulk biosolids to protect
public health and the environment).
For PC and CPLR Biosolids
The preparer* must notify and provide information
necessary to comply with the Pan 503 land application
requirements to the person who applies bulk biosolids
to the land.
The preparer who provides biosolids to another person
who further prepares the biosolids for application to the
land must provide this person with notification and
information necessary to comply with the Part 503 land
application requirements.
The preparer must provide written notification of the
total nitrogen concentration (as N on a dry-weight
basis) in bulk biosolids to the applier of the biosolids to
agricultural land, forests, public contact sites, or
reclamation sites.
The applier of biosolids must obtain information
necessary to comply with the Part 503 land application
requirements, apply biosolids to the land in accordance
with the Part 503 land application requirements, and
provide notice and necessary information to the owner
or leaseholder of the land on which biosolids are
applied.
Out of State Use
The preparer must provide written notification (prior to
the initial application of the bulk biosolids by the
applier) to the permitting authority in the State where
biosolids are proposed to be land applied when bulk
biosolids are generated in one State and transferred to
another State for application to the land. The
notification must include:
the location (either street address or latitude and
longitude) of each land application site;
the approximate time period the bulk biosolids will
be applied to the site;
the name, address, telephone number, and National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit number for both the preparer and the applier
of the bulk biosolids; and
additional information or permits in both States, if
required by the permitting authority.
Additional Requirements for CPLR Biosolids
The applier must notify the permitting authority in the
State where bulk biosolids are to be applied prior to the
initial application of the biosolids. This is a one-time
notice requirement for each land application site each
time there is a new applier. The notice must include:
the location (either street address or latitude and
longitude) of the land application site; and
the name, address, telephone number, and NPDES
permit number (if appropriate) of the person who will
apply the bulk biosolids.
The applier must obtain records (if available) from the
previous applier, landowner, or permitting authority
that indicate the amount of each CPLR pollutant in
biosolids that have been applied to the site since July
20, 1993. In addition:
when these records are available, the applier must
use this information to determine the additional
amount of each pollutant that can be applied to the
site in accordance with the CPLRs in Table 2-1;
the applier must keep the previous records and also
record the additional amount of each pollutant he
or she is applying to the site; and
when records of past known CPLR applications since
July 20, 1993, are not available, biosolids meeting
CPLRs cannot be applied to that site. However, EQ
or PC biosolids could be applied.
If biosolids meeting CPLRs have not been applied to
the site in excess of the limit since July 20, 1993, the
CPLR limit for each pollutant in Table 2-1 will
determine the maximum amount of each pollutant that
can be applied in biosolids if:
all applicable management practices are followed;
and
the applier keeps a record of the amount of each
pollutant in biosolids applied to any given site.
The applier must not apply additional biosolids under
the cumulative pollutant loading concept to a site where
any of the CPLRs have been reached.
The preparer is either the person who generates the biosolids
or the person who derives a material from biosolids.
44 - SBtt Guide to Part 503 Rule
-------
FIGURE 2-9
Part 503 Land Application Management Practice Requirements
For EQ Biosolids
None (unless established by EPA or the State permitting authority on a case-by-case basis for bulk
biosolids to protect public health and the environment).
For PC and CPLR Biosolids
These types of biosolids cannot be applied to flooded, frozen, or snow-covered agricultural land,
forests, public contact sites, or reclamation sites in such a way that the biosolids enter a wetland or
other waters of the United States {as defined in 40 CFR Part 122.2, which generally includes tidal
waters, interstate and intrastate waters, tributaries, the territorial sea, and wetlands adjacent to these
waters), except as provided in a permit issued pursuant to Section 402 (NPDES permit) or Section 404
(Dredge and Fill Permit) of the Clean Water Act, as amended.
These types of biosolids cannot be applied to agricultural land, forests, or reclamation sites that are 10
meters or less from U.S. waters, unless otherwise specified by the permitting authority.
If applied to agricultural lands, forests, or public contact sites, these types of biosolids must be applied
at a rate that is equal to or less than the agronomic rate for nitrogen for the crop to be grown. Biosolids
applied to reclamation sites may exceed the agronomic rate for nitrogen as specified by the permitting
authority.
These types of biosolids must not harm or contribute to the harm of a threatened or endangered species
or result in the destruction or adverse modification of the species' critical habitat when applied to the
land. Threatened or endangered species and their critical habitats are listed in Section 4 of the
Endangered Species Act. Critical habitat is defined as any place where a threatened or endangered
species lives and grows during any stage of its life cycle. Any direct or indirect action (or the result of
any direct or indirect action) in a critical habitat that diminishes the likelihood of survival and recovery
of a listed species is considered destruction or adverse modification of a critical habitat.
For APLR Biosolids
A label must be affixed to the bag or other container, or an information sheet must be provided to the
person who receives APLR biosolids in other containers. At a minimum, the label or information sheet
must contain the following information:
the name and address of the person who prepared the biosolids for sale or giveaway in a bag or other
container;
a statement that prohibits application of the biosolids to the land except in accordance with the
instructions on the label or information sheet;
an AWSAR (see Figure 2-6) for the biosolids that do not cause the APLRs to be exceeded; and
the nitrogen content.
There is no labeling requirement for EQ biosolids sold or given away in a bag or other container.
SB* Guide to Part 503 Rule - 45
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Endangered Species
The Part 503 rule prohibits the application of bulk biosolids to land if it is
likely to adversely affect endangered or threatened species or their
designated critical habitat. Any direct or indirect action that reduces the
likelihood of survival and recovery of an endangered or threatened species
is considered an "adverse effect." Critical habitat is any place where an
endangered or threatened species lives and grows during its life cycle. The
U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) publishes a list
of endangered and threatened species at 50 CFR 17.11 and 17.12.
Practices that involve applying biosolids to lands (subjected to normal
tillage, cropping, and grazing practices, or mining, forestry, and other
activities that by their nature are associated with turning the soil and
affecting vegetation) are not likely to result in any increase in negative
impacts on endangered species and in fact may be beneficial given the
nutritive and soil-building properties of biosolids. It is the responsibility of the
land applier, however, to determine if the application of biosolids might
cause an adverse effect on an endangered species or its critical habitat.
Moreover, the Part 503 rule requires the land applier to certify (Figure 2-10)
that the applicable management practices have been met, including the
requirement concerning endangered species, and that records are kept
indicating how the applicable management practices have been met.
One recommended step for making the threatened and endangered species
determination is to contact the FWS Endangered Species Protection
Program in Washington, DC (703-358-2171), or one of the FWS Field
Offices, listed in Appendix C, for more information about the general area
being considered for land application. State fish and game departments also
can be contacted for specific state requirements.
Flooded, Frozen, or Snow-Covered Land
Application of biosolids to flooded, frozen, or snow-covered land is not
prohibited by the Part 503 rule. Appliers must ensure, however, that
biosolids applied to such land does not enter surface waters or wetlands
unless specifically authorized by a permit issued under Sections 402 or 404
of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Some common runoff controls include slope
restrictions, buffer zones/filter strips, tillage to create a roughened soil
surface, crop residue or vegetation, berms, dikes, silt fences, diversions,
siltation basins, and terraces.
Distance to U.S. Waters
Bulk biosolids may not be applied within 10 meters (33 feet) of any waters of
the United States (e.g., intermittent following streams, creeks, rivers,
wetlands, or lakes) unless otherwise specified by the permitting authority.
Permitting authorities can allow exceptions to this requirement if the
application of biosolids is expected to enhance the local environment. For
46 - oB¥V Guide to Part 503 Rule
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example, biosolids application may help revegetate a stream bank and
otherwise minimize erosion. Approval of such biosolids application could be
given via letters of authorization under Section 308 of the CWA, a
settlement agreement, or a permit.
Agronomic Rate
The agronomic rate for biosolids application is a rate that is designed to
provide the amount of nitrogen needed by a crop or vegetation to attain a
desired yield while minimizing the amount of nitrogen that will pass below
the root zone of the crop or vegetation to the ground water. Crop-available
nitrogen in biosolids that is applied in excess of the agronomic rate could
result in nitrate contamination of the ground water. The Part 503 rule
requires that the rate of land application for bulk biosolids be equal to or
less than the agronomic rate, except in the case of a reclamation site where
a different rate of application is allowed by the permitting authority. Approval
could be given via letters of authorization under Section 308 of the CWA, a
settlement agreement, or a permit.
Although the preparer is required to supply the land applier with information
on the nitrogen content of the biosolids, the land applier is responsible for
determining that the biosolids are applied at a rate that does not exceed the
agronomic rate for that site. Procedures for the design of the agronomic rate
differ depending on such factors as the total and available nitrogen content
of the biosolids, nitrogen losses, nitrogen from sources other than biosolids
(including estimates or measurements of available nitrogen already present
in the soil), and the requirements for the expected yield of crop or
vegetation. Assistance in designing the agronomic rate should be obtained
from a knowledgeable person, such as the local extension agent or the soil
testing department at the Land Grant University in each state. (A sample
calculation of the nitrogen supplied by biosolids based on the AWSAR is
provided in Figure 2-7.)
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements
Pollutants, pathogen densities, and vector attraction reduction must be
monitored when biosolids are applied to the land. This monitoring ensures
that pollutant limits and pathogen and vector attraction reduction
requirements are being met. Chapter Six describes the sampling and
analytical procedures to be followed. The required frequency of monitoring
is 1, 4, 6, or 12 times per year, depending on the number of metric tons (mt)
(dry-weight basis) of biosolids used or disposed in that year. This frequency
is presented in Table 2-7. Frequency of monitoring requirements must be
met regardless of which option is chosen for meeting pollutant limits and
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements, with the exception of
Class B pathogen Alternative 2.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 47
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Type of
Biosolids
TABLE 2-8
Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
Records That Must Be Kept
Pollutant concentrations
Pathogen reduction certification and description
Vector attraction reduction certification and description
Pollutant concentrations
Management practice certification and description
Site restriction certification and description (where Class B
pathogen requirements are met)
Pathogen reduction certification and description
Vector attraction reduction certification and description
Pollutant concentrations
Management practice certification and description
Site restriction certification and description (if Class B
pathogen requirements are met)
Pathogen reduction certification and description
Vector attraction reduction certification and description
Other information:
— Certification and description of information gathered
(information from the previous applier. landowner, or
permitting authority regarding the existing cumulative
pollutant load at the site from previous biosolids
applications)
— Site location
— Number of hectares
— Amount of biosolids applied
— Cumulative amount of pollutant applied (including
previous amounts)
— Date of application
Pollutant concentrations
Management practice certification and description
Pathogen reduction certification and description
Vector attraction reduction certification and description
The AWSAR for the biosolids
Person Responsible
for Recordkeeping
Preparer Applier
Records
That
Must Be
Reported"
a Reporting responsibilities arc only for POTWs with a design flow rale equal to or greater than I mgd, POTWs thai serve a population
of 10,000 or greater, and Class I sludge management facilities.
h The preparer certifies and describes vector attraction reduction methods other than injection and incorporation ol" hiosoli J.s into the
soil. The applier certifies and describes injection or incorporation of biosolids into the soil.
c Records that certify and describe injection or incorporation of biosolids into the soil do not have to be reported.
d Some of this information has to be reported only when 90 percent or more of any of the CPLRs is reached at a site.
48 -
Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
Part 503 requires that certain records be kept by the person who prepares
biosolids for application to the land and the person who applies biosolids to
the land. The recordkeeping and reporting requirements are summarized in
Table 2-8. Some of the records that must be kept when biosolids are
applied to the land include statements certifying whether certain land
application requirements are met. The general certification statement that
must be used is provided as Figure 2-10. This statement certifies that,
among other things, the land applier and his or her employees are qualified
to gather information and perform tasks as required by the Part 503 rule.
The certifier should periodically check the performance of his or her
employees to verify that the Part 503 requirements are being met. Then,
when a Federal or State inspector checks the employee's logs, office
records, and performance in the field, the inspector should find that the
required management practices are being followed and that any applicable
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements, including associated
crop harvesting, animal grazing, and site access restrictions, are being met.
The inspector also should find that all other necessary records and
requirements listed in Table 2-8 are in order. Even if the preparer/applier is
not required to report this information, he or she must keep these records
for 5 years, or indefinitely for cumulative amounts of pollutants added to any
site by CPLR biosolids. These required records may be requested for
review at any time by the permitting or enforcement authority.
FIGURE 2-10
Certification Statement Required for Recordkeeping
"I certify under penally of law, that the (insert each of the following
requirements that are met: Class A or Class B pathogen requirements,
vector attraction reduction requirements, management practices, site
restrictions, requirements to obtain information] in {insert the appropriate
section number/s in Part 503 for each requirement met] have/have not been
met. This determination has been made under my direction and supervision
in accordance with the system designed to ensure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information used to determine that the
requirements have been met. I am aware that there are significant penalties
for false certification, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment."
Signature
Date
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 49
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Amierobically digested bioxolid.s from IMS Angeles are injected into the soil in California.
50 - oB*V Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Some facilities are not subject to any Part 503 reporting requirements.
However, all Class I treatment works, treatment works serving a population
of 10,000 or more, and treatment works with a 1 mgd or greater design flow
(as described in the first chapter of this guidance) have reporting
responsibilities. Each year, facilities with reporting requirements must
submit some of the information contained in their records (according to
Table 2-8). The information must be submitted every February 19th to the
permitting authority (either EPA or a State with an EPA-approved biosolids
management program).
Domestic Septage
Part 503 imposes separate requirements for domestic septage applied to
agricultural land, forest, or a reclamation site (i.e., nonpublic-contact sites).
The "simplified rule" for application of domestic septage to such sites is
explained in Domestic Septage Regulatory Guidance: A Guide to the
EPA 503 Rule. If domestic septage is applied to public contact sites or
home lawns and gardens, the same requirements must be met as for bulk
biosolids applied to the land (i.e., general requirements, pollutant limits,
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements, management
practices, frequency of monitoring requirements, and recordkeeping and
reporting requirements).
Landowner and Leaseholder Responsibilities
If the landowner or leaseholder is also the land applier of the biosolids, that
person must follow the applicable provisions of the Part 503 rule for land
appliers as described in this chapter. If the land-applying operation is of
sufficient size or concern to the permitting authority, the landowner or
leaseholder applier might also be required to obtain a permit for the land
application activities.
If the landowner or leaseholder is not the land applier (e.g., the applier is a
contractor or biosolids generator/preparer), the landowner or leaseholder
might wish to obtain certain information and maintain certain records even
though not required by the Part 503 rule. For example, he or she might wish
to keep records on information that Part 503 requires the land applier to
give to the landowner or leaseholder for any site where cropping or grazing
restrictions apply.
Additional information that the landowner or leaseholder should obtain from
the biosolids preparer and/or land applier is the nutritive value (i.e., the
amount of each available nutrient such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus,
and lime being applied), so that he or she will not over-apply any
supplemental fertilizers. Also, if biosolids are being applied to the land in
accordance with the CPLR concept, it would be prudent for the landowner
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 51
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or leaseholder to make sure that he or she is given and retains information
on the cumulative totals of pollutants that have been added to each parcel
of land so that more CPLR biosolids can be applied each year until the
cumulative limits for CPLR biosolids have been reached.
The landowner or leaseholder might wish to obtain assurances via an
agreement that any biosolids being land applied are of an appropriate
quality and have been sufficiently prepared and that the application
procedures used meet the requirements of the Part 503 rule. One possible
agreement between the landowner or leaseholder and land applier might be:
Contractor agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless
[Landowner/Leaseholder] from and against any and all claims,
suits, actions, demands, losses, costs, liabilities, and expenses
(including remediation costs and reasonable attorney's fees) to the
extent such losses result from: (1) Contractor's or
Generator/Preparer's violation of applicable laws or regulations in
effect at the time of biosolids application; or (2) the negligence or
willful misconduct of Contractor in delivery and application of
biosolids to the undersigned Landowner/ Leaseholders' property.
In the event this indemnification is enforced against the Contractor
for a violation of law by a Generator/Preparer,
Landowner/Leaseholder agrees to assign and subrogate to
Contractor its claim against Generator/ Preparer. This
indemnification shall survive termination of this Agreement until
the expiration of any applicable statutes of limitations.
Landowner/Leaseholder shall promptly notify Contractor in the
event of a third-party claim and Contractor shall have the right to
provide and oversee the defense of such claim and enter into any
settlement of such claim at its discretion (holding the
Landowner/Leaseholder harmless). Landowner/Leaseholder agrees
to fully cooperate with Contractor in the defense against any
third-party claim.
Liability Issues and Enforcement Oversight
Remember that the Part 503 rule is self-implementing and that its provisions
must be followed whether or not a permit is issued. Remember also that
State rules, which may be different from and more stringent than the Part
503 rule, may also apply.
EPA's Part 503 rule concerning the use or disposal of biosolids includes
enforcement measures regarding the proper testing and application of
biosolids. Landowners (including their lenders) and leaseholders who use
biosolids beneficially as a fertilizer substitute or soil conditioner in
52 - SB* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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accordance with EPA's Part 503 rule are protected from liability under the
Superfund legislation (Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act—CERCLA) (see 58 Federal Register 9262,
February 19, 1993) as we!! as any enforcement action from EPA under the
Part 503 rule. Where the Federal requirements are not followed, appliers of
biosolids are vulnerable to EPA enforcement actions or citizen-initiated suits
and can be required to remediate any problems for which they are found
liable.
There is concern that if for some reason the application of biosoiids to
farmland might result in damage to crops, livestock, or the land itself, a
farmer or the farmer's lender may be exposed to significant financial loss.
There is also concern about possible future loss that might occur if
unanticipated hazards from previous biosolids use are discovered. While
there are no guarantees, past experience with agronomic use of biosolids is
very reassuring. Where biosolids have been applied in accordance with
Federal and State regulations, problems have been rare and virtually the
same as those that have occurred from normal farming practices. Available
research indicates that the agronomic use of high-quality biosolids is
sustainable.
EPA oversight of land application practices includes a program for
administering permits and for monitoring, reporting, and inspecting. As with
wastewater discharge standards and requirements, preparers and land
appliers are required to keep detailed records and Class I biosolids
management facilities must self-report on their activities during the
preceding calendar year by February 19th. As described in Table 2-8, the
reports must include information on biosolids quality. In the case of CPLR
biosolids, a field-by-field analysis of the site activity must also be reported,
including information on management practices and on the cumulative
application of metals. Hence, EPA will know the quality of the biosolids and
where they are going, in accordance with EPA Part 503 requirements.
EPA will not rely solely on the word of the regulated community. The
Agency will conduct routine sampling and inspections of these facilities. If
discrepancies are identified, enforcement actions will be taken. Enforcement
actions can include fines of up to $25,000 per day per violation, injunctive
relief, or criminal imprisonment.
EPA shares the concern regarding the potential for harm from the
misapplication of biosolids (i.e., not in accordance with general or
management practices) or the failure to meet quality or treatment
requirements. Notwithstanding, EPA believes that the Part 503 rule is
protective and that most land application activities will be in compliance with
its requirements.
Guide to Part 503 Rule - 53
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Common Questions and Answers
): EPA has an enforcement strategy that focuses on EQ biosolids
first and then addresses biosolids meeting more burdensome
requirements. Why?
A : Biosolids that meet the EQ criteria are exempt from further
-*1 consideration (i.e., management practices or tracking requirements)
under the rule. This means that EQ biosolids may be used to supply plant
nutrients and to condition soils, such as commercial fertilizers and other soil
amending products, after meeting the EQ criteria. If biosolids that are
claimed as EQ do not meet these requirements, then it is not possible to
know if the untracked non-EQ biosolids are being used in accordance with
other applicable provisions of the Part 503 rule and there could be a
potential for adverse environmental and public health impacts. Therefore, it
is crucial, from a public health and environment standpoint, to ensure that
biosolids truly meet these EQ requirements. That is why EPA chose to focus
first on EQ biosolids.
I: The Part 503 rule states that its requirements apply to any
, person who prepares [biosolids], applies [biosolids] to land, fires
[biosolids] in an incinerator, or owns or operates a surface disposal
site. The Part 503 rule defines a person as an individual, association,
partnership, corporation, municipality, or a State or Federal agency or
an agent or employee thereof. EQ biosolids are not subject to general
requirements or management practices. If the biosolids are distributed
as EQ and later found not to be EQ, will all the individuals who apply
the biosolids to land be considered to have violated the Part 503 rule?
Who is ultimately responsible?
A: The generator and/or preparer, and possibly in some unique cases the
land applier, would be liable. Whom EPA targets for enforcement action
would depend on the specifics of the situation. It is highly unlikely that EPA
would target any individual user or land applier of such alleged EQ biosolids
material. In many cases, the user or land applier might not even know that
he or she was using a biosolids product.
: What happens to sites that reach the CPLR? Can you ever reuse
or repermit that site?
A: Once a site reaches the CPLR, that site can no longer have biosolids
subject to the CPLR concept applied to it. You could, however, continue
to apply biosolids that meet the EQ or PC requirements.
54 - *B* Guide to Part 503 Rule
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: IfEQ or PC biosolids are land applied, do you need to keep
records of cumulative application rates? If non-EQ or non-PC
biosolids are subsequently applied to the same land, do you have to
consider the pollutants land applied in the EQ or PC biosolids?
A : Part 503 does not require land appliers to keep track of the cumulative
f*- amounts of pollutants in EQ or PC biosolids that are applied to a
particular parcel of land. The applier of any biosolids that are subject to
CPLRs are not required by Part 503 to consider the pollutant loadings
already applied to the same parcel of land from EQ or PC biosolids.
/"'i' When biosolids from a Class I facility are land applied, exactly
\£ what information must be reported regarding biosolids pollutant
levels and pathogen and vector attraction reduction?
A : On February 19 of each year, the preparer and land applier, as
•** applicable, would be required to submit on the previous year the
following information to the permitting authority:
* the concentration in biosolids of each pollutant listed in Table 2-1 of
this guidance;
* the appropriate certification statement indicating the Class A and B
pathogen reduction and vector attraction reduction options used; and
* a description of how the preparer/applier is meeting the requirements
of the pathogen and vector attraction reduction options chosen. In
general, the preparer/applier would not need to report the actual data
collected on pathogens or related to vector attraction reduction;
however, the preparer/applier would need to describe how the
required limiting numbers have been met or exceeded and how
required operating parameters have been maintained. In addition, the
preparer/applier must retain the actual data collected for a minimum
of 5 years and have it available for inspection by authorized permitting
or regulatory authorities when requested. Pollutant loading rate
information must be kept indefinitely for CPLR biosolids on a
site-by-site basis.
/ |." If biosolids are applied to land in accordance with the
^^.requirements of the Part 503 rule, would the landowner,
leaseholder, mortgage lender, land applier, or generator/preparer be
liable under CERCLA for the cost of any cleanup of soil or water
contamination or loss of crops?
.4 : No. Application of sewage sludge for a beneficial purpose in
£ J* compliance with the Part 503 rule would not give rise to CERCLA
liability.
6B* Guide to Part 503 Rule - 55
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O: Does EPA believe there is an environmental or public health
^^ problem related to the beneficial use ofbiosolids in accordance
with the Part 503 rule?
4 '• It is EPA's long-standing position that the beneficial application of
/I biosolids to provide crop nutrients or to condition the soil is not only
safe but good public policy, so long as preparers and land appliers comply
with all applicable requirements of the Part 503 rule. Among other things,
those requirements address the quality of biosolids allowed for land
application, the rates of application of biosolids under various
circumstances, and monitoring. Beneficial use of biosolids reclaims a
wastewater residual, converting it into a resource that is recycled to land.
EPA's position on biosolids use is based on extensive research involving
hundreds of successful land application projects over the past 25 years.
56 - *B*\ Guide to Part 503 Rule
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Chapter 3
Surface Disposal of Biosolids
What Is Surface Disposal?
•r"ff I he Part 503 rule defines an activity as surface disposal if [biosolids]
P are placed on an area of land for final disposal. Some surface
.ML disposal sites may be used for beneficial purposes as well as for
final disposal. Owners and operators of surface disposal sites and anyone
who prepares biosolids for final disposal of only biosolids on a surface
disposal site must meet the requirements in Subpart C of the Part 503 rule.
These requirements are described in this chapter.
Surface disposal sites include monofills, surface impoundments, lagoons,
waste piles, dedicated disposal sites, and dedicated beneficial use sites
(see Figure 3-1.)
Monofills are landfills where only biosolids are disposed. Monofills include
trenches and area fills. In trenches, biosolids are placed in an excavated
area that can be a wide, shallow trench or a narrow, deep trench. In area
fills, biosolids are placed on the original ground surface in mounds, layers,
or diked containments. With area fills, excavation is not required (as it is
with trenches) because biosolids are not placed below the ground surface.
Area fills often are used when shallow bedrock or ground water is present.
Surface impoundments and lagoons are disposal sites where biosolids
with a high water content are placed in an open, excavated area. If lagoons
are used for treatment, they are not considered surface disposal sites.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 57
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Dedicated disposal site
Surface impoundment
Waste pile
Monofill
Dedicated beneficial
use site
Figure 3-1. Dedicated disposal sites, surface impoundments, waste piles, biosolids
monofills, and dedicated beneficial use sites are all governed by Part 503's surface disposal
standards in Subpart C.
Waste piles are mounds of dewatered biosolids placed on the soil surface
for final disposal.
Dedicated disposal sites receive repeated applications of biosolids for the
sole purpose of final disposal. Such sites often are located at publicly
owned treatment works (POTW) sites.
Dedicated beneficial use sites are surface disposal sites where biosolids
are placed on the land at higher rates or with higher pollutant concentrations
than are allowed when biosolids are land applied for farming or reclamation.
Such sites might receive repeated applications of biosolids. In contrast to
dedicated disposal sites, dedicated beneficial use sites are used to grow
crops for beneficial purposes. For such sites, the permitting authority will
issue a permit that specifies appropriate management practices that ensure
the protection of public health and the environment from any reasonably
anticipated adverse effects of certain pollutants that may be present in
biosolids if crops are grown or animals are grazed.
Differentiation Among Surface Disposal, Storage, Land
Application, and Treatment
An activity is considered storage if biosolids are placed and remain on land
for 2 years or less. If biosolids remain on land for longer than 2 years, this
land is considered an active [biosolids] unit and the surface disposal
58 - oERA Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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requirements in Part 503 have to be met. An active biosolids unit is the
area, trench, waste pile, or lagoon where biosolids are currently being
placed. Please note, however, that biosolids can remain on the land for
longer than 2 years, but the person who prepares the biosolids must
demonstrate that the site is not an active biosolids unit. The demonstration
must include the following information:
the name and address of the person who prepares the biosolids;
the name and address of the person who either owns the land or
leases the land;
the location, by either street address or latitude and longitude, of the
land;
an explanation of why biosolids need to remain on the land for longer
than 2 years prior to final use or disposal, or why a site is used for
longer than 2 years to store batches of biosolids for less than 2 years
(e.g., storage of individual batches of biosolids for several months
during a given 2-year period before final use or disposal); and
the approximate time when biosolids will be transferred from storage
to their final use or disposal destination.
This demonstration information must be retained by the person who
prepares the biosolids for the period that the biosolids remain on the land.
Any practice in which biosolids that meet pollutant concentrations, CPLRs,
or APLRs, as well as ceiling limits are applied to land at agronomic rates to
condition soil or to fertilize crops or vegetation is considered land
application, not surface disposal. Regulatory requirements for land
application are discussed in Chapter Two.
The surface disposal provisions of the Part 503 rule do not apply when
biosolids are treated on the land, such as in a treatment lagoon or
stabilization pond, and treatment could be for an indefinite period.
Placement of biosolids on the land in a municipal solid waste landfill also is
not considered surface disposal under Part 503, but would be covered
under 40 CFR Part 258 instead.
Regulatory Requirements for Surface Disposal of Biosolids
A Part 503 standard for surface disposal of biosolids includes:
general requirements
pollutant limits
management practices
operational standards for pathogen and vector attraction reduction
frequency of monitoring requirements
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 59
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recordkeeping requirements
reporting requirements
These seven elements are discussed below.
General Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites
Placement. No person shall place [biosolids] on an active [biosolids] unit
unless the requirements in Subpart C of Part 503 (described in this chapter)
are met.
Closure is required if a unit is located in certain types of areas. If an
active biosolids unit is located within 60 meters of a geologic fault with
displacement in Holocene time (i.e., relatively recently), located in an
unstable area, or located in a wetland, the unit must have closed by March
22, 1994. There are two exceptions to this requirement: (1) if the permitting
authority has indicated that the location of a specific unit within 60 meters of
a fault with displacement in Holocene time is acceptable, or (2) if a permit
was issued under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act that allows the unit to
be located in a wetland.
When a unit is closing, the permitting authority must be notified. If an
active biosolids unit is about to be closed, the owner/operator of the unit
must provide the permitting authority with a written plan at least 180 days
prior to the closing. The Plan must describe closure and post-closure
activities and systems; for example, (1) the operation and maintenance of
the leachate collection system for 3 years after closure (if the unit has such
a system); (2) the system used to monitor the air for methane gas for 3
years after closure (if biosolids units are covered); and (3) measures to
restrict public access for 3 years after closure.
The permitting authority may determine that the closure plan must include
provisions for monitoring the air for methane gas or leachate collection for
more than 3 years. For example, if the biosolids placed on the surface
disposal site were not stabilized, it may be necessary to monitor the air for
methane gas and restrict access for a longer period to protect public health
and the environment. Also, in areas of high rainfall, the permitting authority
may deem it necessary to collect leachate for a longer period to ensure that
the integrity of the liner is maintained.
The subsequent owner must be notified of the presence of biosolids.
Should ownership of a surface disposal site change hands, the owner must
provide the subsequent owner with written notification that biosolids were
placed on the land.
The notification required for the subsequent owner of a surface disposal site
will vary depending on when the land was sold and the provisions of the
closure plan. For instance, if a surface disposal site was covered, had a
60 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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liner, and was sold 1 year after closure, the notification should inform the
next owner that the property was used to dispose of biosolids and that the
new owner must operate the ieachate collection system, monitor the air for
methane gas, and restrict public access for an additional 2 years.
Pollutant Limits for Biosolids Placed on Surface Disposal Sites
For surface disposal, a pollutant limit is the amount of pollutant allowed per
unit amount of biosoiids. Subpart C of Part 503 sets pollutant limits for
arsenic, chromium, and nickel in biosolids. These limits apply only to active
biosolids units without liners and Ieachate collection systems. Where
applicable, representative samples of biosolids must be collected and
analyzed for metals using the methods listed in the regulation (see Chapter
Six for more information about sampling and analysis).
A linens a layer of relatively impervious soil, such as clay, or a layer of
synthetic material that covers the bottom of an active biosolids unit and has
a hydraulic conductivity of 1 x 10~7 centimeters/second or less. The liner
slows the seeping of liquid on the surface disposal site into the ground
water below. A Ieachate collection system is a system or device installed
immediately above a liner that collects and removes Ieachate as it seeps
through the disposal site. Biosolids placed on an active biosolids unit with a
liner and Ieachate collection system do not have to meet pollutant limits,
based on the assumption that these systems prevent pollutants from
migrating to ground water.
There are two options for meeting the pollutant limits for arsenic, chromium,
and nickel in active biosolids units without using liners and Ieachate
collection systems, as summarized in Table 3-1 and discussed below. The
first option is to ensure that the levels of arsenic, chromium, and nickel are
below the pollutant limits listed in Table 3-2. These limits are based on how
TABLE 3-1
How To Meet Pollutant Limits for Surface Disposal
of Biosolids
Meet 1 of the 2 options.
Option 1:
Make sure that the levels of arsenic, chromium, and nickel are not above the
levels listed in Table 3-2, which are based on the distance between the
active biosolids unit's boundary and the property line of the surface disposal
site.
Option 2:
Meet the site-specific pollutant limits for arsenic, chromium, and nickel, if
site-specific limits have been set by the permitting authority.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 61
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TABLE 3-2
Option 1—Pollutant Limits
Dry-weight basis (basically, MX)1? solids content).
far the boundary of each active biosolids unit is from the surface disposal
site property ine. For example, the limits are 73 milligrams per kilogram
(mg/kg) for arsenic, 600 mg/kg for chromium, and 420 mg/kg for nickel if the
boundary of the active biosolids unit closest to the site's property line is
greater than 150 meters away.
There may be more than one active biosolids unit at a surface disposal site.
If the boundary of a second active biosolids unit on the same site is 75
meters from the property line, then the arsenic limit for that second unit would
be 46 mg/kg. Thus different active biosolids units on the same site can have
different pollutant limits, based on the closest distance between the active
biosolids unit boundaries and the property line of the surface disposal site.
The second option for meeting pollutant limits is to meet "site-specific"
limits set by the permitting authority, who would determine the limits after
evaluating site data. The owner/operator of the surface disposal site must
request site-specific limits when applying for a permit. The permitting
authority then must determine whether site-specific pollutant limits are
appropriate for the particular site.
Site-specific limits may be justified if the site conditions vary significantly
from those assumed in the risk assessment used to derive the Part 503
pollutant limits. In general, if the depth to ground water is considerable or a
natural clay layer underlies the site, the permittee may consider requesting
site-specific pollutant limits.
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Management Practices for Surface Disposal of Biosolids
The Part 503 rule includes management practices that must be followed
when biosolids are placed on a surface disposal site. Most of these
management practices apply to all surface disposal sites. A few, however,
apply only to sites with liners and leachate collection systems or to sites with
covers. (A cover can be soil or other material placed over the biosolids.)
The required management practices for surface disposal sites are
summarized in Table 3-3 and discussed in more detail below.
Protection of Threatened or Endangered Species
This requirement applies to persons who place biosolids on land where
there is potential for harming certain species of plants, fish, or wildlife or
their habitat. Biosolids cannot be placed on an active biosolids unit in a
TABLE 3-3
Management Practices for Surface Disposal Sites
Biosolids placed on a disposal unit must not harm threatened or
endangered species
The active biosolids unit must not restrict base flood flow
The active biosolids unit must be located in a geologically stable area:
— must not be located in an unstable area
— must not be located in a fault area with displacement in Holocene
time (unless allowed by the permitting authority)
— if located in a seismic impact zone, must be able to withstand
certain ground movements
The active biosolids unit cannot be located in wetlands (unless allowed in a
permit)
Runoff must be collected from the surface disposal site with a system
capability to handle a 25-year, 24-hour storm event
Only where there is a liner, must leachate be collected and must the
owner/operator maintain and operate a leachate collection system
Only where there is a cover, must there be limits on concentrations of
methane gas in air in any structure on the site and in air at the property line
of the surface disposal site
The owner/operator cannot grow crops on site (unless allowed by the
permitting authority)
The owner/operator cannot graze animals on site (unless allowed by the
permitting authority)
The owner/operator must restrict public access
The biosolids placed in the active biosolids unit must not contaminate an
aquifer
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 63
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surface disposal site where such disposal is likely to have an adverse affect
on a threatened or endangered animal or plant species or its "critical
habitat." Threatened or endangered species and their critical habitats are
listed in Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act. (The Threatened and
Endangered Species List can be obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service's [FWS's] Publications Office by calling 703-358-1711.) Critical
habitat is defined as any place where a threatened or endangered species
lives and grows during any stage of its life cycle.
Any direct or indirect action (or the result of any direct or indirect action) in a
critical habitat that diminishes the likelihood of survival and recovery of a
listed species is considered destruction or adverse modification of a critical
habitat. Individuals may contact the Endangered Species Protection
Program in Washington, DC (703-358-2171) or FWS Field Offices listed in
Appendix C for more information about threatened and endangered species
considerations in their area. State departments governing fish and game
also should be contacted for specific State requirements.
Restriction of Base Flood Flow
An active biosolids unit in a surface disposal site must not restrict the flow of
a base flood. A base flood is a flood that has a 1 percent chance of
occurring in any given year (or a flood that is likely to occur once in 100
years). This management practice reduces the possibility that an active
biosolids unit might negatively affect the ability of an area to absorb the
flows of a base flood. The practice also helps to prevent surface water
contamination and to protect the public from the possibility of a base flood
releasing biosolids to the environment.
To determine whether a surface disposal site is in a 100-year flood plain,
consult the flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) and flood boundary and
floodway maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) (Flood Map Distribution Center, 6930 [A-F] San Thomas Road,
Baltimore, MD 21227). States, counties, and towns usually have maps
delineating flood plains as well. Other agencies that maintain flood zone
maps are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS), the U.S. Soil Conservation Service (SCS), and the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM).
If the owner/operator of a surface disposal site determines that the site is
within a 100-year flood zone, the permitting authority has ultimate
responsibility for determining whether the active biosolids unit will restrict
the flow of a base flood. This assessment considers the flood plain storage
capacity and the floodwater velocities that would exist with and without the
presence of the biosolids unit. If the presence of the unit would cause the
base flood level to rise one additional foot, then the unit restricts the flow of
64 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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a base flood, potentially causing more flood damage than would otherwise
occur.
If the permitting authority determines that the active biosolids unit will restrict
the flow of the base flood, it may require the unit to close or it may require
remedial action to avoid the restriction of the base flood flow. Such actions
might include constructing embankments or implementing an alternative unit
design intended to prevent the unit from being damaged by floodwaters.
Geological Stability
Three of the management practices in the Part 503 rule concern the
distance of active biosolids units from certain types of geologic formations.
These management practices help ensure that biosolids units are located in
geologically stable areas or that the units can withstand certain ground
movements. The geologic formations covered by these management
practices are fault areas with displacement in Holocene time, unstable
areas, and seismic impact zones:
Fault—A crack in the earth along which the ground on either side
may move. Such ground movement is called displacement. An active
biosolids unit must be located at least 60 meters from a fault that has
displacement measured in Holocene time (recent geological time of
approximately the last 11,000 years). Requiring this distance from a
fault helps ensure both that the structures of a biosolids unit will not
be damaged if ground movement occurs in a fault area and that
leachate will not spread through faults into the environment. This
management practice must be followed unless the permitting
authority has determined otherwise.
Unstable Area—Land where natural or human activities might occur
that could damage the structures of an active biosolids unit and allow
the release of pollutants into the environment. Unstable areas include
land where large amounts of soil are moved, such as by landslides,
where the surface lowers or collapses when underlying limestone or
other materials dissolve. An active biosolids unit cannot be located in
an unstable area. This restriction protects the structures of a biosolids
unit from damage by natural or human forces. Owner/operators of
surface disposal sites may need to perform local geological studies to
determine that unstable conditions do not exist at their sites.
Seismic Impact Zone—An area in which certain types of ground
movements ("horizontal ground level acceleration") have a 10 percent
or greater chance of occurring at a certain level (measured as "0.10
gravity") once in 250 years. The USGS keeps records of the location
of these areas. When a surface disposal site is located in a seismic
impact zone, each active biosolids unit must be designed to withstand
the maximum recorded horizontal ground level acceleration. This
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 65
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management practice helps ensure that the containment structures,
such as the liner and leachate collection system, of a biosolids unit
will not crack or collapse because of ground movement and that
leachate will not be released due to seismic activity. Various seismic
design methods have been developed for biosolids units located in
seismic impact zones. Appropriate design modifications may include
shallower unit side slopes and a more conservative design for dikes
and runoff controls. Also, contingencies for the leachate collection
system should be considered, in case the primary system becomes
ineffective.
If these management practices are followed, it is less likely that pollutants in
biosolids will be released into the environment because of unstable
geological conditions. Individuals can determine whether property is within a
geologically unstable area using maps that are available through the USGS,
Earth Science Information Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA,
22092 (800-872-6277). States also have geological surveys that map the
locations of geologically unstable areas. (For example, in California
guidelines for identifying fault areas are available from the California
Division of Mines and Geology.)
Protection of Wetlands
Wetlands are areas in which the soils are filled with water ("saturated") during
part of the year and that support vegetation typically found in saturated soils.
Examples of wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs. Wetlands perform
important ecological functions, such as holding floodwaters, serving as habitat
and providing sources of food for numerous species including 60% of the
endangered species, and reducing soil erosion. Wetlands also hold pollutants,
preventing them from contaminating other areas.
An active biosolids unit cannot be located in a wetland unless the
owner/operator holds a valid permit issued under Section 402 (a National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [NPDES] permit) or Section 404 (a
dredge and fill permit) of the Clean Water Act. Controlling where active
biosolids units are located protects wetlands from possible contamination
when biosolids are placed in an active biosolids unit.
If the owner/operator of a surface disposal site suspects that all or some
portion of an active biosolids unit is in a wetland, he or she should contact
the local COE District Office to request a wetland delineation. The
assessment used to determine whether there are wetlands present must be
conducted by a qualified and experienced team of experts in soil science
and botany/biology. Criteria for identifying wetlands have been developed
by a federal task force and appear in a manual published by the COE
(Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional
Wetlands, 1989).
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The state agency regulating activities in wetlands also should be asked to
inspect the area in question. The definition of a wetland and the regulatory
requirements for activities in wetlands may be different at the State level.
Collection of Runoff
Runoff is rainwater or other liquid that drains over the land and runs off the
land surface. Runoff from an active biosolids unit might be contaminated
with biosolids. Runoff from an active biosolids unit must be collected and
disposed according to the permit requirements of the NPDES and any other
applicable requirements. The runoff collection system must have the
capacity to handle runoff from a 25-year, 24-hour storm event (a storm that
is likely to occur once in 25 years for a 24-hour period). This requirement
helps ensure that runoff (which may contain pollutants) from an active
biosolids unit is not released into the environment. The peak flow of water
and the total runoff volume of water during the 25-year, 24-hour storm must
be calculated to ensure that the extent of stormwater controls is adequate to
collect runoff from such a storm.
Information about storm events usually can be obtained from local planning
agencies, civil works departments, or zoning boards.
Collection of Leachate
Leachate is fluid from excess moisture in biosolids or from rainwater
percolating down through the active biosolids unit from the land surface. If
an active biosolids unit has a liner and a leachate collection system, two
additional management practices in the Part 503 rule apply.
The first management practice requires that the leachate collection system
be operated and maintained according to design requirements and
engineering recommendations. The owner/operator of the surface disposal
site is responsible for ensuring that the system is always operating
according to design specifications and is properly and routinely maintained
(e.g., pumps are periodically cleaned and serviced; and the system is
periodically inspected to detect clogs and flushed to remove deposited
solids).
The second management practice requires that leachate be collected and
disposed in accordance with applicable requirements. Leachate should be
collected and pumped out by a system placed immediately above a liner. If
leachate is discharged to surface water as a point source, then an NPDES
permit is required. Otherwise, leachate may be used to irrigate adjacent
land or discharged to a POTW. It is recommended that the leachate be
tested to determine whether some treatment is appropriate before irrigating
or discharging it to a POTW.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 67
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Both management practices must be followed while the unit is active and
then for 3 years after the unit is closed, or for a longer period if required by
the permitting authority.
These management practices help prevent pollutants in biosolids placed on
surface disposal sites from being released into the environment. For
example, if leachate is not collected regularly, or if the leachate collection
system is not operated and maintained properly, then the liner could be
damaged by the weight of the leachate pressing against it and the leachate
could leak into the ground water. As mentioned above, the leachate
collection requirements only apply to active biosolids units and closed units
with a liner and leachate collection system; the requirements apply for a
minimum of 3 years after unit closure.
The Part 503 rule regulates active biosolids units without liners and leachate
collection systems through the pollutant limits discussed in the previous
section and through other management practices in the regulation.
Limitatioas on Methane Gas Concentrations
The Part 503 rule includes a management practice that limits concentrations
of methane gas in air because of its explosive potential. Methane, an
odorless and highly combustible gas, is generated at surface disposal sites
when biosolids are covered by soil or other material (e.g., geomembranes),
either daily or at closure. The gas can migrate and be released into the
environment. To protect site personnel and the public from risks of
explosions, air must be monitored for methane gas continuously within any
structure on the site and at the property line of the surface disposal site.
Only surface disposal sites that cover biosolids units (either daily or at
closure) must meet this management practice. When biosolids units are not
covered, the air does not have to be monitored for methane gas.
This management practice limits the amount of methane gas in air in both
active and closed biosolids units. When a cover is placed on an active
biosolids unit, the methane gas concentration in air in any structure within
the property line of a surface disposal site must be less than 25% of the
lower explosive limit (LEL) (i.e., 1.25%). The LEL is the lowest percentage
(by volume) of methane gas in air that supports a flame under certain
conditions (at 25°C and atmospheric pressure). For methane, the LEL is
5%. Therefore, if 5% of the LEL is 50,000 ppm methane, then air in any
structure within the property line must not exceed 12,500 ppm methane.
A methane gas monitoring device must be installed so that methane
concentrations in the air inside all structures on the property are
continuously measured and the measurement can be read by any individual
before entering the structure. (The act of entering the building could create
enough of a spark to ignite explosive levels of methane gas.)
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For air at the property line of a surface disposal site with a covered biosolids
unit, the limit for methane gas concentration is the LEL (i.e., 5%). In some
cases, the permitting authority may determine that a methane monitoring
device at one downwind location on the property line is adequate to meet
this requirement because the wind patterns are consistent. In other cases,
where wind conditions at the site are highly variable, more than one device
may be necessary to provide adequate protection.
Methane gas concentrations must be monitored at all times when the
biosolids units are active and for 3 years after the last active biosolids unit
on the site is closed. If unstabilized biosolids are disposed at a site, the
permitting authority may require methane gas to be monitored for longer
than 3 years after closure because of the higher potential for methane
generation with unstabilized biosolids.
Methane monitoring devices allow the user to read the level of methane as
a percent of the LEL. Some can be equipped with alarms, which may be
desirable in structures with a potential for allowing the concentration of
methane gas to reach explosive levels. Various methods (e.g., venting
systems, positive or negative air pressure systems) are available to reduce
methane gas concentrations.
Restrictions on Crop Production
Food, feed, or fiber crops may not be grown on an active biosolids unit
unless the owner or operator of the surface disposal site can demonstrate to
the permitting authority that through management practices public health
and the environment are protected from any reasonably anticipated adverse
effects of certain pollutants that may be present in biosolids. If the
owner/operator wishes to grow crops on the site, he or she must obtain a
permit that requires the implementation of certain management practices to
ensure that the levels of pollutants taken up by crops do not negatively
affect the food chain in regard to animals or humans.
These special management practices might include testing crops and
animal tissue for the presence of pollutants if animal feed is produced on
the site, or setting a monitoring schedule for the crops and any animal feed
products derived from crops grown on the site.
Restrictions on Grazing
Animals must not be grazed on an active biosolids unit unless the
owner/operator of a surface disposal site can demonstrate to the permitting
authority that public health and the environment are protected from any
reasonably anticipated adverse effects of certain pollutants that may be
present in biosolids. If the owner/operator wishes to graze animals on the
site, he or she must obtain a permit. The permit could require specified
management practices, such as monitoring the concentration of pollutants
fi-ER* Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 69
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in any animal product (dairy or meat). This restriction on grazing helps
ensure that unsafe levels of pollutants do not find their way into animals
from which people obtain food.
In this document, a site where a special permit allows the production of
crops and/or grazing, is considered a dedicated beneficial use site.
Restrictions on Public Access
Public access to a surface disposal site must be restricted while an active
biosolids unit is on the site and then for 3 years after the last active biosolids
unit has been closed. This management practice helps to minimize public
contact with any pollutants, including pathogens, that may be present in
biosolids placed on an active biosolids unit. It also keeps people away from
areas where there is a potential for a methane gas explosion, as discussed
above.
Fencing off an area and installing gates that lock might be necessary to
restrict access in densely populated areas. Natural barriers, such as
hedges, trees, embankments, or ditches, along with warning signs, might be
adequate in less-populated areas. In remote areas, it might be sufficient to
post warning signs that say, "Do not enter," "No trespassing," or "Access
restricted to authorized personnel only."
Protection of Ground Water
This management practice states that biosolids placed on an active
biosolids unit must not contaminate an aquifer. An aquifer is an area below
the ground that can yield water in large enough quantities to supply wells or
springs. Contaminating an aquifer in this instance means introducing a
substance that can cause the level of nitrate in ground water to increase
above regulated limits. This management practice also requires that the
owner/operator obtain proof that ground water is not contaminated. This
proof must be either by way of (1) a ground-water monitoring program
developed by a qualified ground-water scientist, or (2) certification by a
ground-water scientist that ground water will not be contaminated by the
disposal of biosolids at the site.
Usually, certification is an option only if the site has a liner and a leachate
collection system. It is generally infeasible for a ground-water scientist to
certify that ground water will not be contaminated in the absence of a liner,
unless the depth to ground water is considerable and there is a natural clay
layer under the soil or unless the amount of biosolids placed on the site is
quite small (e.g., at the agronomic or reclamation rate).
Only nitrate-nitrogen levels in ground water are addressed by this
management practice. Nitrate-nitrogen levels in ground water must not
exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/liter or must not
increase an existing exceedance of the ground water MCL for
70 - oBtt Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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nitrate-nitrogen. Potential pollutants other than nitrate are addressed by
pollutant limits, which are discussed in the previous section.
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Requirements for Surface
Disposal Sites
Pathogens are disease-causing organisms, such as certain bacteria and
viruses, that might be present in biosolids. Vectors are animals, such as
rats or insects, that might be attracted to biosolids and can spread disease
after coming into contact with the biosolids. The Part 503 rule includes
requirements concerning the control of pathogens and the reduction of
vector attraction for biosolids placed on a surface disposal site. Biosolids
can be placed on an active biosolids unit only if the pathogen and vector
attraction reduction requirements are met (see Table 3-4 and discussion
below).
For pathogen reduction, the biosolids placed on an active biosolids unit
must meet either "Class A" or "Class B" pathogen requirements, or a cover
TABLE 3-4
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Requirements
for Surface Disposal Sites
Pathogen Reduction Requirements (see Chapter Five)
Options (must meet one of these):
Place a daily cover on the active biosolids unit
Meet one of six Class A pathogen reduction requirements (see Table 5-1)
Meet one of three Class B pathogen reduction requirements, except Site
Restrictions (see Table 5-5)
Vector Attraction Reduction Requirements (see Chapter Five)
Options (must meet one of these):
Place a daily cover on the active biosolids unit
Reduce volatile solids content by a minimum of 38% or less under
specific laboratory test conditions with anaerobically and aerobically
digested biosolids
Meet a specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR)
Treat the biosolids in an aerobic process for a specified number of days
at a specified temperature
Raise the pH of the biosolids with an alkaline material to a specified
level for a specified (irne
Meet a minimum percent solids content
Inject or incorporate the biosolids into soil
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 71
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(soil or other material) must be placed on the active biosolids unit at the end
of each day. If a daily cover is placed on the active biosolids unit, no other
pathogen reduction requirements apply. If the biosolids meet Class B
requirements, the "site restrictions" that apply to Class B do not have to be
followed because the management practices for surface disposa already
include these site restrictions.
For vector attraction reduction, one of several options listed in Table 3-4
must be met. Representative samples of biosolids must be collected and
analyzed to demonstrate that the pathogen and vector attraction reduction
requirements have been met using the methods listed in the regulation (see
Chapter Six for more information on sampling and analysis).
Pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements, including Class A
and Class B pathogen requirements, are discussed in more detail in
Chapter Five and in Subpart D of the Part 503 rule. In most cases, owners
or operators of surface disposal sites will place a daily cover on the
biosolids unit to meet pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements.
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites
The monitoring of several different parameters is required at surface
disposal sites, as shown in Table 3-5. Monitoring is required for surface
disposal sites without liners to determine levels of arsenic, chromium, and
nickel in biosolids. Monitoring is required in both lined and unlined sites to
show that the chosen pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirement
is being met and to measure the amount of methane gas in air at a covered
surface disposal site. How frequently biosolids must be monitored is
determined according to the amount of biosolids placed on an active
biosolids unit, as shown in Table 3-6. The permitting authority may require
more frequent monitoring; for example, if the pollutant and pathogen levels
in the biosolids are highly variable.
After biosolids have been monitored for 2 years at the frequency specified in
Table 3-6, the permitting authority may reduce the frequency of monitoring
for arsenic, chromium, nickel, and, under limited circumstances, pathogens
in biosolids placed on an active biosolids unit. The frequency may be
reduced, for example, if the pollutant levels in biosolids do not vary greatly
or if pathogens are never detected when using Class A Alternative 3 to
meet pathogen reduction requirements. (See Chapter Five for details about
pathogen reduction alternatives.) At the least, monitoring must be
performed once a year.
Methane gas in air must be monitored continuously, both at the property line
of the surface disposal site and within each structure at the site, if an active
biosolids unit is covered. Methane gas monitors can be installed
permanently to continuously test the air and provide readings of methane
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TABLE 3-5
Monitoring Required at Surface Disposal Sites
Arsenic
Chromium
Nickel
Pathogens
Vector attraction reduction
Methane gas
Methane gas
Biosolids
Biosolids
Biosolids
Biosolids for several options
Biosolids for several options
Air in each structure on site
Air at surface disposal site property line
levels as a percent of the LEL Monitoring must be continued as long as any
covered biosolids unit on the site is active and then for 3 years after the last
biosolids unit has been closed, if covered at closure.
Recordkeeping Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites
Certain information must be recorded and kept for 5 years from the time the
biosolids are placed on a surface disposal site. A separate set of records
must be kept by a person who prepares biosolids for placement on a
surface disposal site and by the owner/operator of a surface disposal site.
TABLE 3-6
Frequency of Monitoring for Surface Disposal of Biosolids
Greater than zero but less than
290
Equal to or greater than 290
but less than 1 ,500
Equal to or greater than 1 ,500
but less than 15,000
Equal to or greater than 1 5,000
Methane gas in air
>0 (o <0.85
0.85 to <4.5
4.5 to <45
£45
>0 to <320
320 to < 1,650
1,650 to 16,500
;>16,500
Once per year
Once per quarter (four times per year)
Once per 60 days (six times per year)
Once per month (twelve times per year)
Continuously with methane monitoring
device if biosolids unit is covered
' Amount of biosolids (other than domestic septage) placed on active biosolids units—dry-weight basis.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 73
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These sets of specific recordkeeping requirements for surface disposal sites
are described below.
Records That Must Be Kept by the Preparer of Biosolids for
Placement on a Surface Disposal Site
The preparer of biosolids to be placed on an active biosolids unit must
develop and keep the following information for 5 years:
the concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in biosolids for
active biosolids disposal units without a liner and leachate collection
system with boundaries that are 150 meters or more from the surface
disposal site's property line;
a certification statement, as worded in Figure 3-2; and
a description of how certain pathogen and vector attraction reduction
requirements are met.
Records That Must Be Kept by the Owner/Operator of a Surface
Disposal Site
An owner/operator of a surface disposal site on which biosolids are placed
must develop and keep the following information for 5 years:
the concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in biosolids for
active biosolids units with boundaries less than 150 meters from the
property line or for active biosolids units with site-specific limits;
a certification statement, as worded in Figure 3-3;
a description of how the management practices for surface disposal
FIGURE 3-2
Certification Statement Required for Recordkeeping:
Preparer of Biosolids Placed on Surface Disposal Site
"I certify, under penalty of law, that the pathogen requirements in [insert
§503.32(a), §503.32(b)(2), §503.32(b)(3), or $503 32(h)(4) when one of these
requirements is met] and the vector attraction reduction requirements in [insert
one of the vector attraction reduction requirements in §503.32(b)( 1) through
§503.32(b)(8) when one of these requirements is met] have/have not been met.
This determination has been made under my direction and supervision in
accordance with the system designed to ensure that qualified personnel properly
gather and evaluate the information used to determine that the [pathogen
requirements and vector attraction reduction requirements if appropriate] have
been met. I am aware that there are significant penalties for false certification,
including the possibility of fine and imprisonment."
Signature Date
74 - SEW Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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FIGURE 3-3
Certification Statement Required for Recordkeeping:
Owner/Operator of Surface Disposal Site
"I certify, under penalty oflaw, that the management practices in §503.24 and
the vector attraction reduction requirement in [insert one of the requirements in
§503.33(b)(9) through §503.33(b)(l 1), if one of those requirements is met]
have/have not been met. This determination has been made under my direction
and supervision in accordance with the system designed to ensure that qualified
personnel properly gather and evaluate the information used to determine that
the management practices [and the vector attraction reduction requirements, if
appropriate] have been met. I am aware that there are significant penallies for
false certification, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment."
Signature Date
sites are being met; and
a description of how certain vector attraction reduction requirements
are being met.
Reporting Requirements for Surface Disposal Sites
The Part 503 regulation includes reporting requirements only for those
Class 1 and 1 mgd or greater facilities described in the first chapter. These
facilities must present the information developed for recordkeeping
purposes to the permitting authority by February 19th of each year.
Regulatory Requirements for Surface Disposal of Domestic
Septage
The regulatory requirements for the surface disposal of septage are not as
extensive as those for biosolids. The requirements for surface disposal of
domestic septage include meeting the same management practices that are
required for the surface disposal of biosolids and one of the vector attraction
reduction alternatives 9 to 12 (listed in Table 5-8 and discussed in Chapter
Five). Note that vector attraction reduction 12 would require a determination
that the pH of the septage had been raised to 12 for a period of 30 minutes.
The person who places the domestic septage on the surface disposal site
must certify that vector attraction reduction has been achieved (see Figure
3-4) and develop a description of how it was achieved. The certification and
description must be kept on file for 5 years.
There are no pathogen requirements for the surface disposal of domestic
septage.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 75
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FIGURE 3-4
Certifications Required When Domestic Septage Is
Placed on a Surface Disposal Site
An individual placing domestic septage on a surface disposal site must retain the
following certification statement for 5 years:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that the vector attraction reduction
requirements in §503.33(b)(12) have/have not been met. This determination
has been made under my direction and supervision in accordance with the
system designed to ensure that qualified personnel properly gather and
evaluate the information used to determine that the vector attraction
requirements have been met. I am aware that there are significant penalties
for false certification, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment."
The owner or operator of the surface disposal site must retain the following
certification statement for 5 years:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that the management practices in §503.24
and the vector attraction reduction requirements in [insert §503.33(b)(9)
through §503.33(b)(l 1) when one of those requirements is met] have/have
not been met. This determination has been made under my direction and
supervision in accordance with the system designed to ensure that qualified
personnel properly gather and evaluate the information used to determine
that the management practices [and the vector attraction requirements, if
appropriate] have been met. I am aware that there are significant penalties
for false certification, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment."
Signature
Date
76 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Common Questions and Answers
/^: What distinguishes long-term storage from surface disposal; for
\£ example, for a lagoon in which biosolids are kept for 20 years
before eventual use or disposal?
A
: If the facility's owner/operator has a plan for final use or disposal, the
area may be considered long-term storage rather than disposal.
: If biosolids are stored in a lagoon for 20 years and the generator
has no intention or ever removing the biosolids from the lagoon,
is the lagoon a surface disposal site? If so, what requirement would
apply?
A: The facility would be considered a surface disposal site since there is
no intent to ever move the biosolids. The lagoon is subject to the
surface disposal requirements under Part 503.
/~\ : How should biosolids from a "closed" surface disposal site be
\^ regulated if they are removed from the site and subsequently
disposed?
A: Biosolids at a surface disposal site that has been previously "closed"
but which is subsequently disturbed or the biosolids relocated are
regulated under the section of Part 503 that regulates the subsequent
disposal method.
; Do the general requirement and management practice
exemptions for EQ biosolids extend only to land application? If
1 biosolids are surface disposed, must they meet all surface
disposal management practices?
A: The EQ biosolids concept and its exemptions apply only to land
application. Biosolids that may meet the requirements for EQ biosolids
must still comply with all the requirements under Part 503 if they are sent for
disposal at a surface disposal site, municipal solid waste landfill, or biosolids
incinerator.
: If a liner and a leachate collection system is in place at a site,
does its presence constitute compliance with the ground-water
protection requirements?
A: If a ground-water scientist certifies that the liner and the leachate
collection system will adequately protect ground water, then the
ground-water protection requirements are satisfied.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 77
-------
: 11 a s/te owner claims to have an in situ liner in place, could the
permitting authority ask for proof of the impermeability of the
native so//s?
A : The permitting authority could require verification that the liner's
hydraulic conductivity is less than 1 x 10~7 centimeters/second.
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
: Can biosolids be land applied to a surface disposal site after it
has been closed?
: Yes. You can apply CPLR, EQ, or PC biosolids to the site according to
the land application provisions of the rule.
; Can a surface disposal site be located less than 60 meters from
a fault?
: Yes. A surface disposal site may be located less than 60 meters from
a fault if the permitting authority allows it.
: Can the permitting authority waive the unstable area prohibition?
: No.
/~\: Is the nitrogen measurement for aquifer contamination taken
^jf directly below the surface disposal site?
A
Q
:Yes.
: With regard to public access restrictions, are hunters allowed to
go into a restricted area?
A: The site owner must make a good faith effort (such as posting "no
trespassing" signs) to restrict all public access (including hunters), but
does not have to physically prohibit all access. The rule does not define
restricting access, but EPA never intended that, for instance, the entire site
would be ringed In barbed wire.
Q
: Can a liner consist of native soils?
A : Yes. A liner can consist of native soils provided the soils meet the
-t* permeability requirements of Part 503.
Q
: What advice is there for facilities with stockpiles of biosolids that
do not meet the ceiling concentration limits?
A: Biosolids must meet the ceiling concentration limits for pollutants in
order to be land applied. The owner/operator of such a facility could
78 - *B* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
-------
take the biosolids to a municipal solid waste landfill, surface disposal site, or
a biosolids incinerator, if the biosolids can meet the applicable requirements
for that practice. If land application is the preferred practice, the facility could
mix its biosolids (containing pollutants above ceiling concentration limits)
with other lower-pollutant-level biosolids to meet the ceiling concentration
limit requirement.
a: What if an applier wishes to land apply biosolids to a
reclamation site, but the biosolids do not meet the ceiling
concentration limit for zinc?
A: The permitting authority may recommend that the biosolids be placed
on the reclamation site according to the surface disposal requirements.
The permitting authority also might allow crops to be grown under specified
conditions for dedicated beneficial use.
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 79
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Chapter 4
Incineration of Biosolids
What Is Biosolids Incineration?
Biosolids incineration is the firing of biosolids at high temperatures in
an enclosed device. Anyone who fires biosolids in an incinerator,
except as described below, must meet the requirements in Subpart
E of the Part 503 rule.
Incineration systems generally consist of an incinerator (furnace) and one or
more air pollution control devices (APCDs). The most commonly used
incinerators are multiple-hearth, fluidized-bed, and electric infrared furnaces.
Most APCDs are used to either remove small particles and their adhering
metals in the exhaust gas or to further decompose organics. Examples of
metal-removing APCDs are wet scrubbers, dry and wet electrostatic
precipitators, and fabric filters. Afterburners, another type of APCD, are used to
bum organics in exhaust gases more completely.
Auxiliary fuel is often used to enhance the burning of biosolids. Any
additives to biosolids that are fired in a biosolids incinerator, such as natural
gas, fuel oil, grit, screenings, scum, wood chips, coal, dewatering chemicals,
and municipal solid waste, is considered auxiliary fuel. If municipal solid
waste accounts for more than 30 percent (by dry weight) of the mixture of
biosolids and auxiliary fuel, however, the municipal solid waste is not
considered auxiliary fuel under Part 503. (Instead, the process would be
covered by 40 CFR Parts 60 and 61.)
Nonhazardous incinerator ash generated during the firing of biosolids is not
covered by the Part 503 rule when it is used or disposed. Instead, it must be
disposed according to the solid waste disposal regulations in 40 CFR Part 258;
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 81
-------
"•'•>' i ' ''.'.V., <",,' s- '••;?""."',
/,"'-?"' \>'?K-''*"'. " ' "=""
Biosolids being humed in a hitisnliits incinerator in Columbus. Ohio.
','-'*'•' <* ,'" -';V •'""." V''r"-VJ| ''"- • v" ' l"~"'"* " A-',"',*' ""'5'" /,,,,i .,.-1 ' t' ''l'': '*"':<''. :5*~:""f" '
' ",Jt .*"' - ,l-, '.V.V. " "-.,'.,' ! i - , ,..' ---v ," ',;,'','.»" '*. >-",," • -:•": .„' :V, ,', ;-"-' ,"" "'""" .i*1- ' --„.',«"' •
,;, ^'' '"'\'', ^ - Vi , . VM\h*'' \v *' '> h«v'i, ll ^'"',,1^', ,!,",, i^V-t '!'">.( '," >'"! V!t;'-"lj ^ V"'1^'^'''" ""i''(»"," "?w " ™
Biosolidx muss is greatly reduced when incinerated, and the residues can be beneficially
used (Columbus, Ohio),
82 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
-------
L!%?%^?*^
however, if the ash is applied to the land or placed on other than a
municipal solid waste landfill, the regulations in 40 CFR Part 257 must be
followed.
Hazardous wastes are not considered auxiliary fuels under Part 503. Thus,
an incinerator that burns hazardous wastes with biosolids is considered a
hazardous waste incinerator, not a biosolids incinerator, and is covered by
40 CFR Parts 261 through 268.
Subpart E of the Part 503 rule covers requirements for biosolids
incineration, including pollutant limits for seven metals, and limits for total
hydrocarbons, general requirements and management practices, frequency
of monitoring requirements, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
These biosolids incineration requirements are discussed in this chapter.
Pollutant Limits for Biosolids Fired in a Biosolids Incinerator
A pollutant limit is the amount of pollutant allowed per unit amount of
biosolids before incineration. Subpart E of the Part 503 rule regulates seven
metals—arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel.
The limits protect human health from the reasonably anticipated harmful
effects of these pollutants when biosolids are incinerated. The approaches
for determining the limit for each pollutant and for total hydrocarbons are
summarized in Table 4-1 and discussed below.
Beryllium and Mercury Pollutant Limits
Levels of beryllium and mercury emitted from a biosolids incinerator must
meet the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAPs, 40 CFR Part 61).
The NESHAP for beryllium requires that the total quantity of beryllium
emitted from each incinerator not exceed 10 grams during any 24-hour
period. The NESHAP for beryllium does not apply if written approval has
been obtained from the Regional Administrator (1) when the ambient
concentration of beryllium in the proximity of the biosolids incinerator does
not exceed 0.01ng/m3 when averaged over a 30-day period, or (2) if the
biosolids incinerator operator can prove (with historical data) that the
biosolids fired in the incinerator do not contain beryllium.
The NESHAP for mercury requires that the total quantity of mercury emitted
into the atmosphere from all incinerators at a given site does not exceed
3,200 grams during any 24-hour period.
The NESHAP regulations should be consulted for specific requirements
except for monitoring frequency, which is shown in Table 4-6.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 83
-------
TABLE 4-1
Summary of Pollutant Limits for Biosolids Incineration
Pollutant
How To
Figure Out
Pollutant
Limits
Determine
Dispersion
Factor
(DF)
Determine
Control
Efficiency
(CE)
Use i :
National
Ambient
Air Quality
Standard
(NAAQS)
Use Risk
Specific
Concen-
tration
(RSC)
Use Use
Correction Correction
Factor for Factor for
Oxygen Moisture
Pollutant Limits
Use Yes
equation for
Vi"; :?:•;•/..•-
;--".»< - - -••
\ :,%."..^
f " S' «- . , ,
,!'(*"'-^V»-.V, ""•' 'f <•
h'.->.s'ft • •
arsenic
Use
NESHAPs"
Use
equation for
cadmium
Use
equation for
chromium
Use
equation for
lead
Use
NESHAPs3
Use
equation for
nickel
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No . No
No
Yes No
No
No
No
No
No No
No
Yes No
No
No
Operational Standard
Limit is
1 00 ppmv
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Note: Each of the requirements mentioned (e.g., dispersion factor, NAAQS) is explained in the text.
a National Emissions Standards for Ha/ardous Air Pollutant requirements are summari/ed in the text.
h THC or CO determinations are technology-based standards that in the judgment of EPA protect public health and the environment
from the reasonably anticipated adverse effects of organic pollutants in the exit gas of biosolids incinerator.
84 - offi* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Control Efficiency, Dispersion Factor, Feed Rate, and Pollutant Limit
Calculations for Lead
A person firing biosolids (e.g., the manager of an incineration operation)
must determine the pollutant limit for lead in biosolids by using the equation
in Figure 4-1. The equation requires determination of certain characteristics
of the incineration operation such as control efficiency, the dispersion factor,
and the feed rate (see Figure 4-2). The permitting authority can provide
FIGURE 4-1
Equation for Calculating the Pollutant Limit for Lead
The equation for determining the pollutant limit for lead is:
(Eq. 4 of Section 503.43)
C' lead
Where:
C
0.1
NAAQS =
DF
CE
0.1 x NAAQS x 86,400
DF x (1 -CE) x SF
The pollutant limit (allowable daily concentration of lead in
biosolids, in milligrams per kilogram [mg/kg] of total solids,
dry-weight basis)
The allowable ground level concentration of lead from
biosolids is 10 percent of the NAAQS for lead.
National Ambient Air Quality Standard for lead (in
micrograms per cubic meter — jag/m ) (currently this
standard is 1 .5
Dispersion factor (in micrograms per cubic meter per gram
per second [|ig/m /g/sec]; based on an air dispersion model)
Biosolids incinerator control efficiency for lead
(in hundredths; based on a performance test)
Biosolids feed rate (in dry metric tons per day — dmt/day)
Time conversion factor (number of seconds per day)
SF
86,400
Example:
If:
the dispersion factor is 3.4 (pig/m /g/sec)
the control efficiency is 0.916
the biosolids feed rate is 12.86 dmt/day
the NAAQS for lead is 1.5 |Jg/m3
Then:
C lead =
0.1 x l.5\ig/m*x 86,400
C lead
3.4 (\ig/m3/g/sec) x (1 - 0.916) x 12.86 dmt/day
3,529 mg/kg
3-ERA Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 85
-------
FIGURE 4-2
Several Factors Affect the Pollutant Limits
for Biosolids Fired in an Incinerator
Feed Rate
The rate at
which biosolids
are fed to the
incinerator
influence the
emission of pollutants
Control
Efficiency
The incineration
process and the
air pollution control
devices, if any, remove
some pollutants
in the biosolids
Dispersion
Factor
The surrounding
structures and
terrain influence
how pollutants
are dispersed
in the air
Individuals at ground level in the surrounding area are exposed to some
fraction of the pollutants originally present in biosolids
86 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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1'••**. t;*
guidance for developing information about an incinerator's control efficiency
and dispersion factor, which are described briefly below:
Control efficiency measures the degree to which a biosolids
incinerator furnace in conjunction with an air pollution control system,
if used, remove a particular pollutant. For example, if a quantity of
biosolids fed to an incinerator contains 100 grams of lead, and 1 gram
of lead is released from the stack, the incinerator has a 99 percent
control efficiency for lead.
A dispersion factor \s the ratio of the increase in the concentration of
a pollutant in the air at or beyond the property line of an incinerator
site relative to the rate pollutants are emitted from the stack. The
dispersion factor is determined through an "air dispersion model," in
which particular site conditions are considered, such as type of terrain
or adjacent buildings, whether an area is urban or rural, the
temperature and velocity of the gas in the incinerator stack, and the
emission rate for the pollutant.
Control efficiency is determined through a performance test of the
incinerator, as specified by the permitting authority. Generally, the permitting
authority will require that the performance test be conducted under
conditions that represent normal operating circumstances. The incinerator
will be allowed to operate with more flexibility, however, if the performance
test covers a broader range of operational parameters. The control
efficiency determination is based on the concentrations of regulated metals
in the biosolids, the concentrations of regulated metals in the incinerator air
emissions, and documentation on the incinerator, as well as APCD
operating conditions (e.g., biosolids feed rate, exhaust flow rate, combustion
temperature, and biosolids characteristics), during the test.
The permitting authority should be consulted on which air dispersion model
to use. Air dispersion models range from simple screening tools to complex
computer models. Screening techniques, though inexpensive, tend to be
more conservative in their predictions, resulting in higher estimates of
pollutants emitted. Complex models require qualified air quality modelers to
perform analyses, but result in more accurate estimations. Guidance about
the appropriate model(s) to use is provided in Guideline on Air Quality
Models (Revised)(Appendix Wof 40 CFR Part 51), U.S. EPA,
EPA-450/2-78-027R, August 1993.
Stack height is an important consideration in determining a dispersion
factor. For incinerators with stack heights of 65 meters or less, the stack
height should be factored into the air dispersion model. For incinerators with
stack heights above 65 meters, the stack height measurement used in the
air dispersion model is based on "good engineering practices," as presented
in another regulation (40 CFR 51.100). Good engineering practices utilize
an equation that considers the size of the surrounding buildings to
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 87
-------
determine the correct value to use in the model. In general, the higher the
stack, the more dispersion occurs.
The incinerator operator usually determines the biosolids feed rate based
on the design capacity of the incinerator and the rate at which biosolids are
generated and must be disposed. The biosolids feed rate is needed to
calculate biosolids pollutant limits in the equations shown in Figures 4-1 and
4-5. Feed rate itself can be determined based on either (see Figure 4-3):
the average daily design capacity for all biosolids incinerators within a
site,
or
the average daily amount of biosolids fired in all incinerators within
the property line of a site for the number of days that the incinerator
operates during a 365-day period.
Biosolids incinerator operators will have more flexibility if they use the
design capacity to calculate the feed rate. This calculation results in stricter
pollutant limits than a calculation based on the average amount of biosolids
fired daily; however, basing the feed rate on design capacity allows
incinerator operators to increase their feed rate from a more typical
less-than-design-capacity operation to maximum-design-capacity operation
without exceeding the permitted pollutant limits. If, on the other hand, the
feed rate in the permit was calculated on the average daily amount of
biosolids fired and the operator wished to increase the feed rate, permission
generally would have to be obtained from the permitting authority.
Many incinerator facility operators are finding that they are not limited by
biosolids pollutant concentrations under the Part 503 rule. Figure 4-4
provides incinerator test data that are typical for most biosolids incineration
facilities. The figure shows allowable metal concentration rates that are
significantly higher than actual limits. Thus, incinerator operators should not
expect to encounter difficulty meeting the more strict pollutant limits that
were calculated based on incinerator design capacity.
Often the Part 503 rule requirements can be met for most metals even if
control efficiency is low, given the dispersion factors typically found in
the field.
Information about lead is also required to use the equation in Figure 4-1.
Emission standards have been set nationally for several substances. These
limits, known as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS, 40 CFR
50.12), protect human health and the environment from the possible harmful
effects of pollutants in air. The manager of a biosolids incinerator must use
the NAAQS for lead in the lead equation. The current NAAQS for lead is 1.5
micrograms per cubic meter (^ig/m3); if the NAAQS for lead changes in the
future, the number used in the equation also must change.
88 - *B* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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FIGURE 4-3
Examples of Two Methods for Calculating the Biosolids Feed
Rate for Use in the Pyollutant Limit Calculations
A site has three incinerators. Their design capacities are as follows:
Unit 1: 100 dry metric tons per day (dmt/day)
Unit 2: 100 dmt/day
Unit 3: 200 dmt/day
Part 503 allows the operator to choose one of two methods to calculate the
biosolids feed rate, which is used in the pollutant limit calculations:
Method 1—Design Capacity for All Incinerators
Calculate the total design capacity for all incinerators at the site:
Total capacity = 100 dmt/day + 100 dmt/day + 200 dint/day = 400
dmt/day
Method 2—Average Daily Feed Rate for All Incinerators
Case 1.
For the first 20 days of the year, unit 1 operated at 50 dmt/day; for the
first 100 days of the year, unit 2 operated at 50 dmt/day and unit 3
operated al 100 dmt/day.
Calculate the total amount of biosolids fired in a 365-day period:
Unit 1: 50 dmt/day x 20 days = 1,000 dmt (shut down 345 days)
Unit 2: 50 dmt/day x 100 days = 5,000 dmt (shut down 265 days)
Unit 3: 100 dint/day x 100 days = 10,000 dmt (shut down 265 days)
Total = 1,000 dmt + 5,000 dmt + 10,000 dmt = 16,000 dmt
Calculate the average daily amount of biosolids fired during the total
number of days the incinerators operated during a 365-day period:
. 16,000 dmt .,., .. , , ,.
Average = -,„„ , = 160 dnu'dav(rounded).
100 days
Case 2.
If the incinerators in the above example did not operate at the same
time, but instead operated sequentially, the average would be based on
the total number of days any incinerator al the site was operated,
which is 220 days. In that case, the average daily feed rate would be:
16,000 dmt
220 days
= 73 dmt/day (rounded).
For greater flexibility, the operator may want to consider using
Method 1 to calculate pollutant limits to have greater latitude in the
amount of biosolids fed to the incinerator.
ABFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 89
-------
FIGURE 4-4
Allowable vs. Actual Byiosolids Metal Concentrations*
i ; ,,, , -• -, .,,,'. L. „.„.,-..,,-.' ' » .! ' . -•.- '
Ananlc Beryllium Cadmium Chromium Lead Mercury Nickel
Source: Meeting the Challenge of Federal 503 Regulations for Sludge Incinerators, G.P. Van Durme,
P.M. Martin, and J.M. Rowan, 1993, Kansas Cily, MO.
* Data are for one of several sites investigated.
Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, and Nickel Pollutant Limits
As with lead, the pollutant limits for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and nickel
in biosolids fired in a biosolids incinerator are calculated using the equation
presented in Figure 4-5. Also, the control efficiencies, dispersion factor, and
biosolids feed rates must be determined to calculate the limits for these four
pollutants. (For an explanation of control efficiency, dispersion factor, and
feed rate, see the preceding discussion on the pollutant limit for lead.)
Instead of using a NAAQS, however, as is done for lead, risk specific
concentrations (RSCs) are used to calculate limits for arsenic, cadmium,
chromium, and nickel. RSCs, which are based on human health concerns,
represent the allowable increase in the average daily ground-level ambient
air concentrations of pollutants at or beyond the property line of the site
where the biosolids incinerator is located. RSCs for arsenic, cadmium, and
nickel are listed in Table 4-2.
In contrast, the RSC for chromium is based on either (1) the type of
incinerator used, or (2) analytical sampling and an equation (see Table 4-3).
The analysis involves sampling stack gas to determine the ratio of
hexavalent chromium to total chromium analytes. In lieu of testing,
90 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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FIGURE 4-5
Equation for Calculating the Pollutant Limits for Arsenic,
Cadmium, Chromium, and Nickel
The equation for determining the pollutant limits for arsenic, cadmium,
chromium, and nickel is:
C = RSC x
86,400
DFx(] -CE)xSF
(Eq. 5 of Section 503.43)
Where:
C
RSC
86,400
DF
CE
SF
The pollutant limit (allowable daily concentration of arsenic,
cadmium, chromium, or nickel in milligrams per kilogram
[mg/kg] of total solids, dry-weight basis)
Risk specific concentration (the allowable increase in the
average daily ground-level ambient air concentration for a
pollutant at or beyond the property line of the site in
micrograms per cubic meter [jig/m3] [from Table 4-2 or
Table 4-3])
Conversion factor (seconds per day)
Dispersion factor (in micrograms per cubic meter per gram
per second Ijug/rrrVg/sec]; based on an air dispersion model)
Control efficiency for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, or nickel
(in hundredths; based on a performance test)
Biosolids feed rate (in dry metric tons per day [dmt/day])
Example for Arsenic:
If:
the RSC is 0.023 |ig/m?
the dispersion factor is 3.4 |jg/m-Vg/sec
the control efficiency is 0.975
the biosolicls feed rate is 12.86 dmt/day
Then:
0.023 x/m x 86,400
arsenic —
3.4
x (1-0.975) x \2Mdmtiday
C arsenic = 1,818
If the dispersion factor were 0.6 instead of 3.4 (jg/mVg/sec, then the
allowable concentration for arsenic would be 3.4/0.6, or 5.667 times greater
at 10,300 mg/kg.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 91
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TABLE 4-2
Risk Specific Concentrations for Arsenic,
Cadmium, and Nickel
Arsenic
Cadmium
0.023
0.057
Nickel i 2.0
Source: Table 1 of Section 503.43.
incinerator operators can use the values given in Table 4-3, which are
based on incinerator type.
Limit Exceedance
If measurements in biosolids for beryllium and mercury (where required)
and lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, or nickel are higher than the
pollutant limits derived as discussed above, the biosolids incinerator will be
"in violation" until adjustments are made that allow the limits to be met. Such
adjustments include, but are not limited to, improvements in biosolids quality
through pretreatment efforts, reduction in the biosolids feed rate, or
improved furnace operations and/or the addition of APCDs to improve the
control efficiency. Better control efficiency will allow higher pollutant limits. If
significant furnace or APCD improvements are made, however, the
performance test must be repeated. Then the approved operating
conditions under which emissions were in compliance during the
performance test must be maintained whenever the incinerator is operating.
Total Hydrocarbons
Organic compounds that are emitted as a result of incomplete combustion
or the generation of combustion byproducts (e.g., benzene, phenol, vinyl
chloride) can be present in biosolids incinerator emissions. Because these
compounds can be harmful to the public health, the Part 503 rule regulates
the emission of organic pollutants from biosolids incinerators through an
operational standard that limits the amount of total hydrocarbons (THC)—or
carbon monoxide (CO)—allowed in stack gas. The Part 503 rule as
amended is structured to use THC or CO to represent all organic
compounds, as discussed below.
92 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 4-3
Risk Specific Concentration To Use When
Calculating the Pollutant Limit for Chromium
For the equation in Figure 4-5, use RSC from either option 1 (based on type of
incinerator) or option 2 (derived from the equation below), as specified by the
permitting authority.
Option 1: RSC From Table 2 of Section 503.43
Type of Incinerator
Fluidized bed with wet scrubber
Fluidized bed with wet scrubber
and wet electrostatic precipitator
Other types with wet scrubber
Other types with wet scrubber and
wet electrostatic precipitator
RSC
(micrograms per cubic meter)
0.65
0.23
0.064
0.016
or
Option 2 Equation: RSC Using Equation 6 of Section 503.43
RSC = 0.0085
Where:
r = The decimal fraction of the hexavalent chromium concentration in
the total chromium concentration measured in the exit gas from the
biosolids incinerator stack in hundredths. This is an analytical
measurement based on an average of representative samples.
Delay and Stay of Requirements for Total Hydrocarbon Measurement
According to a recent amendment of the Part 503 rule, for incinerators not
exceeding 100 ppmv (parts per million, volume basis) of CO in the exhaust
gas, EPA will allow continuous CO monitoring as a surrogate for THC
monitoring. Moreover, EPA has determined that operators of biosolids
incinerators will not have to monitor for THC or CO until either a permit has
been issued or other Federal action has been taken, such as Federal
Register notification, even if issuance does not occur until after February 19,
1995.
Total Hydrocarbon and Carbon Monoxide Measurement
The THC concentration (or CO) is used to represent all organic compounds
in the exit gas covered by the Part 503 rule. EPA does not require that
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 93
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of
biosolids themselves be monitored for THC (or CO), as is required for
metals (see discussions above on pollutant limits for beryllium and mercury,
lead, and arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and nickel). Instead, the stack gas
must be monitored for THC (or CO) because organic pollutants could be
present due to incomplete combustion of organic compounds or the
generation of byproducts of combustion.
The Part 503 rule allows a monthly average concentration of up to 100
pprriv of THC (or CO) in the stack gas. Thus, an incineration facility operator
firing biosolids must continuously monitor THC (or CO) levels in the stack
gas to ensure that the monthly average concentration of THC (or CO) is at
or below the limit. The monthly average THC (or CO) concentration is the
arithmetic mean of the hourly averages; the hourly averages must be
calculated based on at least two readings taken each hour that the
incinerator operates in a day (i.e., in a 24-hour period).
Residue from biosolids incineration ix used as water-absorbent
surface material on ballfields in Columbus, Ohio.
94 - AB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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THC (or CO) must be measured using a flame ionization detector with a
sampling line heated to 150°C or higher. The THC (or CO) concentration
measurement taken from the stack must be corrected for moisture content
and oxygen (as described below) before being compared to the 100 ppmv
limit.
The Agency will be issuing separate guidance on the procedures for the
analysis, installation, calibration, and maintenance of THC (or CO)
continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) systems.
Correction for 0 Percent Moisture
The THC (or CO) concentration in the stack gas must be corrected for 0
percent moisture, using the first equation in Figure 4-6. This correction is
required so that all THC (or CO) emissions can be evaluated on a
standardized basis. Once the correction factor for moisture is known, the
original THC (or CO) concentration must be multiplied by this correction
factor.
Correction to 7 Percent Oxygen
The THC (or CO) concentration in the stack exit gas also must be corrected
to 7 percent oxygen, using the second equation in Figure 4-6. This
correction is required so that all THC (or CO) emissions can be evaluated
on a standardized basis. Seven percent oxygen was chosen as the
standard correction because this amount of oxygen, which is representative
of 50 percent excess air, is frequently used for operational and
measurement purposes. Once the correction factor for oxygen is known, the
THC (or CO) concentration (which has already been corrected for moisture)
must be multiplied by this value.
After being corrected to 7 percent oxygen and for 0 percent moisture, the
THC (or CO) concentration may not be above 100 ppmv on a monthly
average basis. If the monthly average THC (or CO) concentration in the
stack gas measures above 100 ppmv, the biosolids incinerator is in violation
until adjustments are made to meet the limits. These adjustments can
include more careful control of furnace operations (and improvements of
other procedures, if necessary) to reduce the amount of THC (or CO)
released from the stack.
Management Practices for Biosolids Incineration
The management practices for biosolids incineration in the Part 503 rule
cover:
instrument operation and maintenance;
temperature requirements;
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 95
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FIGURE 4-6
Equations for Determining Correction Factors for 0 Percent
Moisture and to 7 Percent Oxygen for Total Hydrocarbons or
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
For the examples below, assume that the original THC (or CO monthly average)
is 40 pprtiv .
(1) 0 Percent Moisture
The equation for correcting the THC (or CO) measurement for 0 percent
moisture is:
Correction factor =
1
Where:
d-X)
(Eq. 7 of Section 503.44)
X = The decimal fraction of the percent moisture in the biosolids
incinerator exit gas in hundredths
Example:
If:
X = 0.12
Then:
Correction factor for moisture =
1
1-0.12
Correction factor for moisture =1.14
Multiply the original THC (or CO) measurement (in this case, 40 pprnv) by the
correction factor for moisture:
40ppmv x 1.14 = 45.6 ppmv
THC (or CO) concentration corrected for 0 percent moisture: 45.6 ppmv
(2) 7 Percent Oxygen:
The equation for correcting the THC (or CO) measurement to 7 percent oxygen is:
Correction factor for oxygen = •
14
(Eq. 8 of section 503.44)
(21-Y)
Where:
14 = The difference between the percent oxygen in air (21 percent)
and 7 percent oxygen
21 = The percent of oxygen in air
Y = The percent oxygen concentration in the biosolids
incinerator stack exit gas (dry volume/dry volume)
96 - AEF* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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FIGURE 4-6 (continued)
Equations for Determining Correction Factors for 0 Percent
Moisture and to 7 Percent Oxygen for Total Hydrocarbons or
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Example:
If:
Y = 10 percent
Then:
Correction factor for oxygen =
14
(21-10)
-= 1.27
Finally, multiply the THC or CO monthly average concentration (already
corrected for moisture) by the correction factor for oxygen:
45.6 pprnv x 1.27 = 58ppmv (rounded)
Therefore:
The THC or CO monthly average concentration in this example corrected for
0 percent moisture and to 7 percent oxygen is 58 ppmv
operation of air pollution control devices; and
protection of threatened or endangered species.
All but the last of these management practices are necessary to ensure that
the limits set for arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury,
nickel, and THC (or CO) (see preceding discussions) are met. The required
management practices are described in Figure 4-7 and discussed further
below.
Instrument Operation and Maintenance
Biosolids incinerator operators must use instruments to continuously
measure and record certain information, including:
THC (or CO) in the stack exit gas;
oxygen in the stack exit gas;
information used to calculate moisture content in the stack exit gas;
and
combustion temperature in the furnace.
Each of the instruments used for these measurements must be installed,
calibrated, operated, and maintained according to guidance provided by the
permitting authority. Examples of such instruments include extractive or in
situ oxygen analyzers, thermocouples to measure the temperature of a
saturated stream and combustion temperature, and dewpoint detectors
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 97
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FIGURE 4-7
Management Practices for Incineration of Biosolids
Instruments must be used that continuously measure and record THC (or
CO) concentrations, oxygen levels, and information needed to calculate
moisture content in the stack exit gas, and combustion temperature in the
furnace.
These instruments must be installed, calibrated, operated, and maintained
according to guidance provided by the permitting authority. Calibration
procedures are specified in the Agency's new CEM guidance.
The instrument used for THC (or CO) measurements must:
— use a flame ionization detector;
— have a sampling line heated to 150°C or higher at all times; and
— be calibrated at least once every 24-hour operating period using
propane.
The incinerator can be operated within the range of operating conditions set
during the performance test and allowed in the permit but it must not be
operated above the maximum combustion temperature set by the permitting
authority based on performance test conditions.
Conditions for operating the air pollution control devices must be followed;
these conditions are also set by the permitting authority based on
performance test conditions.
Biosolids may not be incinerated if incineration of biosolids is likely to
negatively affect a threatened or endangered species or its critical habitat as
listed in Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act. Critical habitat is any
place where a threatened or endangered species lives and grows during any
stage of its life cycle.
(known as wet bulb/dry bulb detectors) to obtain information used to
determine moisture content.
In addition, the instrument used for THC (or CO) measurements must:
utilize a flame ionization detector;
utilize a sampling line heated to 150°C or higher at all times; and
be calibrated using propane at least once every 24-hour operating
period.
Temperature Requirements
The maximum combustion temperature allowed in the incinerator furnace is
set by the permitting authority based on performance test data. A limit on
combustion temperature is necessary to ensure that the incinerator is
operating as it did during the performance test. If biosolids are incinerated at
higher temperatures than the allowed maximum temperature, the control
efficiency could change and the concentration of metals in the stack gas
98 - oER* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Biosolids incinerator ash, called flume sand, ix beneficially used
as a water-absorbent surface for a horse arena in Columbus, Ohio.
could increase. The incinerator would then be out of compliance until
operated below the maximum allowed temperature or until shown to be in
compliance with a new set of pollutant limits calculated using control
efficiencies relevant to the new set of operating conditions.
Air Pollution Control Devices
Conditions for operating air pollution control devices are determined by the
permitting authority from the performance test. These conditions (e.g., gas
flow rate and gas temperature) ensure that the APCDs are operating as
efficiently as possible. If they are not operating properly, the control
efficiency could change, which would affect the ability to meet pollutant
limits. Therefore, these values must be within the range established during
the performance test. Examples of operating parameters for APCDs that the
permitting authority might set are shown in Table 4-4.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 99
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TABLE 4-4
Operating Parameters for Air Pollution Control Devices
Based on the results of the performance test, the permitting authority sets permit conditions for certain
operating parameters of the APCDs. Examples of important operating parameters are listed below:
Air Pollution Example
Operating Parameter Control Device Measuring Instrument
Pressure drop
Liquid flow rate(s)
Gas temperature
(inlet and/or outlet)
Liquid/reagent flow
rate to atomizer
pH of liquid/reagent
to atomizer
Atomized motor power
(for rotary atomizer)
Compressed air pressure
(for dual fluid flow)
Compressed airflow rate
Opacity
Secondary voltage
(for each transformer/rectifier)
Secondary currents
(for each transformer/rectifier)
Venturi scrubber,
impingement scrubber,
mist eliminator,*
fabric filter
Venturi scrubber,
impingement scrubber,
mist eliminator,
wet electrostatic
precipitator (ESP)
Venturi scrubber,
impingement scrubber,
dry scrubber, fabric
filter, wet ESP
Dry scrubber (spray
dryer absorber)
Dry scrubber (spray
dryer absorber)
Dry scrubber (spray
dryer absorber)
Dry scrubber (spray
dryer absorber)
Dry scrubber (spray
dryer absorber)
Fabric filter
Wet ESP
Wet ESP
Differential pressure
gauge/transmitter
Orifice plate with
differential pressure
gauge/transmitter
Thermocouple/transmitter
Magnetic flow meter
pH meter/transmitter
Wattmeter
Pressure gauge
Orifice plate with differential
pressure gauge/transmitter
Transmissometer
Kilovolt meters/transmitter
Milliammeters/transmitter
Types of mist eliminators include the wet cyclone, vane demister, chevron demister, and mesh pad.
100 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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:j';JI"K4f.«?fSf'%f£^
Protection of Threatened or Endangered Species
The final management practice for biosolids incinerators in the Part 503 rule
does not allow biosolids to be incinerated if a threatened or endangered
animal or plant species or its "critical habitat" is likely to be adversely
affected. Threatened and endangered species are listed in the Endangered
Species Act. (The Threatened and Endangered Species List can be
obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's [FWS's] Publications
Office by calling 703-358-1711.)
Critical habitat is defined as any place where a threatened or endangered
species lives and grows during any stage of its life cycle. Any direct or
indirect action (or the result of any direct or indirect action) in a critical
habitat that diminishes the likelihood of survival and recovery of a listed
species is considered destruction or adverse modification of a critical
habitat. Individuals may contact the Endangered Species Protection
Program in Washington, DC, (703-358-2171) or the FWS Field Offices listed
in Appendix C for more information about threatened and endangered
species in their area. State departments governing fish and wildlife also
should be contacted for specific State requirements.
Frequency of Monitoring Requirements for Biosolids Incineration
The person firing biosolids in a biosolids incinerator must monitor at
specified intervals for certain metals in the biosolids; for the THC (or CO)
concentration, oxygen content, and information needed to determine
moisture in the stack exit gas; for combustion temperature in the furnace;
and for certain conditions of air pollution control device operation.
Representative samples of biosolids and stack gas must be collected and
analyzed using the methods listed in the Part 503 rule. These monitoring
requirements are summarized in Table 4-5 and are discussed below.
TABLE 4-5
Monitoring Requirements for Biosolids Incineration
Must monitor:
concentration of metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel) in biosolids
concentration of beryllium in the stack gas, unless the permitting authority approves a biosolids method
concentration of THC (or CO) in stack exit gas
oxygen concentration in stack exit gas
information needed to determine moisture content in stack exit gas
combustion temperature in the furnace
operating conditions of air pollution control devices (conditions are set by the permitting authority based
on performance test data)
biosolids feed rate
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -101
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Monitoring for Metals
Biosolids must be monitored for the concentration of metals for which
pollutant limits have been set, including arsenic, beryllium, cadmium,
chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel. The permitting authority will determine
how often the facility operator must monitor for beryllium and mercury. For
the other metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel), the
minimum frequency for monitoring is based on the amount of biosolids
incinerated (see Table 4-6). The greater the amount of biosolids incinerated,
the more frequently metals must be monitored.
Continuous Monitoring
As shown in Table 4-6, certain monitoring must be done continuously.
Continuous monitoring is required for THC (or CO) concentrations, oxygen
TABLE 4-6
Monitoring Frequency for Biosolids Incinerators
Pollutant/Parameter
Amount of Biosolids Fired (metric tons
per 365-day period, dry-weight basis)
Must Monitor at Least
Greater than zero but less than 290
Once per year
! Hqual to or greater than 290 but less
! than 1,500
Equal to or greater than 1,500 but less
than 15,(XX)
Once per quarter (four times per
year)
Once per 60 days
(six times per year)
Hqual to or greater than 15,000
i Once per month
(12 times per year)
NA
As often as permitting authority
requires
NA
Continuously; monthly averages
reported, which is the arithmetic
mean of hourly averages that
include at least 2 readings per hour.
NA
NA
Continuously
Continuously
NA
NA
Continuously
As often as permitting authority
requires
102 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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levels, and information used to calculate moisture content in the stack exit
gas. Continuous monitoring also is required for combustion temperature in
the furnace. Because monitors operating continuously require a certain
amount of downtime for periodic calibrating and maintenance, the person
operating the incinerator should consult the EPA's THC (or CO) CEM
guidance to determine how much downtime is acceptable.
Monitoring Conditions in Air Pollution Control Devices
Certain operating conditions must be monitored in air pollution control
devices, as discussed above. The specific conditions that must be
monitored are based on the type of APCDs in place and the operating
parameters that are important for maintaining the control efficiency
demonstrated in the performance test. The ultimate monitoring frequency
for APCDs will be specified in the permit.
Recordkeeping Requirements for Biosolids Incineration
The person who incinerates biosolids must develop and keep certain
records for a minimum of 5 years. The recordkeeping requirements, which
are listed in Table 4-7, include information on the pollutant limits,
management practices, and monitoring requirements.
Reporting Requirements for Biosolids Incineration
All Class 1 treatment works, treatment works serving a population of 10,000
or more, and treatment works with a 1 mgd or greater design flow, as
described in the first chapter of this guidance, have to report the type of
information contained in Table 4-7 every February 19th to the permitting
authority.
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -103
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TABLE 4-7
Recordkeeping Requirements for Biosolids Incineration
Records related to pollutant limits for metals:
concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel in biosolids
fed to the incinerator
information showing how the requirements for beryllium and mercury in
the NESHAPs are being met, if applicable
biosolids feed rate {for each incinerator, dry-weight basis)
stack height
dispersion factor
control efficiency for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel (for
each incinerator)
RSC for chromium (calculated using the equation in Table 4-3, if
applicable)
Records related to the THC (or CO) limit:
THC (or CO) monthly average concentrations in the stack exit gas
oxygen concentration in the stack exit gas
information used to measure moisture content in the stack exit gas
Records related to management practices and monitoring requirements:
combustion temperatures, including maximum daily combustion
temperature, in the furnace
measurements for required air pollution control device operating conditions
calibration and maintenance log for instruments used to measure:
— THC (or CO) levels in stack exit gas
— oxygen levels in stack exit gas
— moisture content in stack exit gas
— combustion temperatures in furnace
104 -
Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Common Questions and Answers
/"I; Incinerator manufacturers have indicated that 15 months is
\^£ necessary for the delivery of equipment. Add time for design, bid,
agency review, and construction, and the total time for new
construction could be close to 30 months. Are incinerators going to
be penalized for actions beyond their control?
A : The Clean Water Act allows 2 years for an incinerator owner/operator
./"* to attain compliance where construction of new pollution control
facilities is required to meet Part 503 requirements. The permitting authority
has no authority to extend this time frame. Incinerators that are not in
compliance at the end of the 2-year period will be in violation. Given the
reality of such situations, however, the permitting authority may choose to
put the incinerator under an enforceable compliance order that includes a
schedule for coming into compliance.
; What percent of incinerators currently can meet the 100-ppmv
THC (or CO) operational standard?
A : EPA estimates that 60 to 70 percent of multiple-hearth furnaces and
/I all fluidized-bed incinerators can meet this operational standard. Some
incinerator owner/operators may have to add afterburners or improve their
operations.
Q
A
: Is EPA planning to provide any training on how to measure THC
(or CO)?
: The THC (and CO) equipment manufacturers are willing to provide
such training. EPA does not have any plans to provide it beyond its
CEM guidance.
Q
: What does a THC (or CO) monitoring system cost?
: EPA has estimates, from some of the equipment manufacturers, of
$150,000 to $750,000 for the complete package, which incudes the
monitor, the computer, and the oxygen and moisture measuring instruments
(including installation).
e; If new construction is required to meet the THC (or CO) limit
(e.g., an afterburner), can monitoring and modeling for the
dispersion factor be delayed until after construction is completed?
: The Clean Water Act allows 2 years for an incinerator owner/operator
to attain compliance where construction of new pollution control
facilities is required to meet Part 503 requirements. The 2-year period,
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -105
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however, generally pertains only to requirements for which construction is
required — in this case THC (or CO) limits. The permitting authority has
some flexibility to work with owner/operators whose facilities are undergoing
construction, but the permitting authority cannot extend the compliance
dates. One option would be to put the incinerator under a compliance order
to install the necessary equipment and have the owner/operator perform the
necessary modeling after the installation.
/~\: It a facility has multiple incinerator units that share one stack,
how many THC (or CO) monitoring devices are required?
A: If physically permissible, only one monitoring system would be
necessary. However, such factors as length of run for the sample
tubing and the nature of the sensing device can have a significant influence
on the determination. Furthermore, some of the analytical determinations
that must accompany the THC (or CO) measurements, such as those
concerning moisture and temperature, may require separate
instrumentation for each stack.
106 - &B*V Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Chapter 5
Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Reduction Requirements
Why Are There Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction
Requirements?
Pathogens are disease-causing organisms, such as certain bacteria,
viruses, and parasites. Vectors are organisms, such as rodents and
insects, that can spread disease by carrying and transferring
pathogens. Subpart D of the Part 503 rule covers alternatives for reducing
pathogens in biosolids (including domestic septage), as well as options for
reducing the potential for biosolids to attract vectors.
The Subpart D alternatives concern the designation of biosolids as "Class
A" or "Class B" in regard to pathogens. These classifications indicate the
density (numbers/unit mass) of pathogens in biosolids where applicable.
The requirements for land application or surface disposal of biosolids vary
depending on the class of pathogen reduction achieved. Biosolids have to
meet applicable requirements for both pathogen and vector attraction
reduction to be in compliance with the rule.
This chapter describes the pathogen alternatives and vector attraction
reduction options in the Part 503 rule. For more detail, the reader is referred
to an EPA publication entitled, Control of Pathogens and Vector
Attraction in Sewage Sludge (EPA/625/R-92/013), December 1992.
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -107
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^'^v;O>:;,,
Anaerobic digesters in Columbus, Ohio, reduce pathogens and vector attraction to produce
Class B biosolids.
To Whom Do These Requirements Apply?
The pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements in Subpart D of
the Part 503 rule apply to biosolids, including domestic septage, and their
application to or placement on the land for beneficial use or disposal.
Domestic septage applied to nonpublic contact sites (i.e., agricultural land,
forests, and reclamation sites) is covered by a simplified portion of the rule
that is explained in a separate EPA guidance document (Domestic
Septage Regulatory Guidance: A Guide to the EPA 503 Rule,
EPA/832-B-92-005).
Depending on how biosolids are used or disposed and which pathogen
alternative and vector attraction reduction option are relied on, compliance
with the pathogen and vector attraction requirements of Subpart D is the
responsibility of persons who:
generate biosolids that are either land applied or surface disposed;
derive a material from biosolids that are either land applied or surface
disposed;
apply biosolids to the land;
place biosolids on a surface disposal site; and
own or operate a surface disposal site.
108 -
Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Pathogen Reduction Alternatives
The Part 503 pathogen reduction alternatives ensure that pathogen levels in
biosolids are reduced to levels considered safe for the biosolids to be land
applied or surface disposed. Subpart D includes criteria to classify biosolids
as Class A or Class B with respect to pathogens. These classifications are
based on the level of pathogens present in biosolids that are used or
disposed.
If pathogens (Salmonella sp. bacteria, enteric viruses, and viable helminth
ova) are below detectable levels, the biosolids meet the Class A
designation. Biosolids are designated Class B if pathogens are detectable
but have been reduced to levels that do not pose a threat to public health
and the environment as long as actions are taken to prevent exposure to
the biosolids after their use or disposal. When Class B biosolids are land
applied, certain restrictions must be met at the application site; other
requirements have to be met when Class B biosolids are surface disposed.
The land application restrictions allow natural processes to further reduce
pathogens in the biosolids before the public has access to the site. In
general, Class A corresponds to the existing 40 CFR Part 257 "Process to
Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP)" designation, and Class B roughly
corresponds to the existing 40 CFR Part 257 "Process to Significantly
Reduce Pathogens (PSRP)" designation. There are several important
differences in approach between the existing Part 257 and the new
Part 503 requirements for pathogen and vector attraction reduction:
1 Whereas Part 257 required the use of specifically listed or approved
treatment technologies to treat biosolids, the Part 503 rule provides
flexibility in how the pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements
are met. The pathogen reduction requirements of the Part 503 rule can be
met either by:
—using certain specified technologies to treat the biosolids as
before, or
—showing that the quality of the biosolids meets certain
performance results.
2 The Part 503 rule requires either pathogen or pathogen indicator
measurements for all Class A alternatives and pathogen indicator
measurements for the first of the three Class B alternatives.
3
The Part 503 rule separates pathogen reduction requirements from
vector attraction reduction requirements, as follows:
—The Class A and B designations refer only to the reductions
achieved in pathogens.
6B* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -109
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—Vector attraction reduction is governed by a separate set of
requirements described in a later section of this chapter.
—There is, however, still a requirement that both pathogen and
vector attraction reduction requirements be met, and for Class A
biosolids the pathogen reduction requirements must be met
before or at the same time as most of the vector attraction
reduction requirements, thereby minimizing the potential for
regrowth of pathogenic bacteria.
Class A Pathogen Requirements
The Part 503 rule lists six alternatives for treating biosolids so they can be
classified Class A with respect to pathogens. These alternatives are
summarized in Table 5-1 and are discussed in detail below. Any one of
these six alternatives may be met for the biosolids to be deemed Class A.
Two of these alternatives follow closely with 40 CFR Part 257 pathogen
requirements by allowing use of PFRPs and equivalent technologies.
TABLE 5-1
Summary of the Six Alternatives for Meeting
Class A Pathogen Requirements
In addition to meeting the requirements in one of the six alternatives listed
below, the requirements in Table 5-2 must be met for all six Class A alternatives.
Alternative 1: Thermally Treated Biosolids
Biosolids must be subjected to one of four time-temperature regimes.
Alternative 2: Biosolids Treated in a High pH-High Temperature Process
Biosolids must meet specific pH, temperature, and air-drying requirements.
Alternative.?: Biosolids Treated in Other Processes
Demonstrate that the process can reduce enteric viruses and viable
helminth ova. Maintain operating conditions used in the demonstration
after pathogen reduction demonstration is completed.
Alternative 4: Biosolids Treated in Unknown Processes
Biosolids must be tested for pathogens—Salmonella sp. or fecal coliform
bacteria, enteric viruses, and viable helminth ova—at the time the
biosolids are used or disposed, or, in certain situations, prepared for use or
disposal.
Alternative 5: Biosolids Treated in a PFRP
Biosolids must be treated in one of the Processes to Further Reduce
Pathogens (PFRP) (see Table 5-4).
Alternative 6: Biosolids Treated in a Process Equivalent to a PFRP
Biosolids must be treated in a process equivalent to one of the PFRPs, as
determined by the permitting authority.
110 - ABW Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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r-fe,
Table 5-2 lists several requirements that must be met for all six of the Class
A alternatives. Perhaps the most significant of the requirements is to avoid
regrowth of bacteria as indicated by the results of a fecal coliform or
Salmonella test.
Alternative 1 for Meeting Class A: Thermally Treated Biosolids
This alternative applies when specific thermal heating procedures are used
to reduce pathogens. Equations are used to determine the length of heating
time at a given temperature needed to obtain Class A pathogen reduction
(i.e., reduce the pathogen content to below detectable levels). The
equations take into consideration the solid-liquid nature of the biosolids
being heated, along with the particle size and how particles are brought into
contact with the heat. The equations also take into consideration that the
internal structure of the mixture can inhibit mixing. For example, a safety
factor is included in the equation for Regime C (see Table 5-3) that adds
more time for heating because less information is available about
operational parameters that could influence the degree of pathogen
destruction per unit of heat input. The rule identifies and provides equations
for four different acceptable heating regimes.
The minimum indicated boundary conditions (i.e., solids content, mixing with
the heat source, time of heating, and operating temperature) are given
TABLE 5-2
Pathogen Requirements for All Class A Alternatives
The following requirements must be met fora// six Class A pathogen
alternatives.
Either:
the density of fecal coliform in the biosolids must be less than 1,000 most
probable numbers (MPN) per gram total solids (dry-weight basis),
or
the density of Salmonella sp. bacteria in the biosolids must be less than
3 MPN per 4 grams of total solids (dry-weight basis).
Either of these requirements must be met at one of the following times:
— when the biosolids are used or disposed;
— when the biosolids are prepared for sale or give-away in a bag or
other container for land application; or
— when the biosolids or derived materials are prepared to meet the
requirements for EQ biosolids (see Chapter 2).
Pathogen reduction must take place before or at the same time as vector
attraction reduction, except when the pH adjustment, percent solids vector
attraction, injection, or incorporation options are met.
SEFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule -111
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below for each of the four thermal heating regimes. Any one of these four
thermal heating regimes may be used. The equation specified for a
particular heating regime is then used to calculate the actual time and
temperature for operating the system within the boundaries of the applicable
regime. In addition to the requirements for each regime, the requirements in
Table 5-2 must be met.
The four regimes are listed in Table 5-3; some example calculations follow.
Example 1: Biosolids contain 10 percent solids and are heated with a
biosolids dryer at 55°C. What is the required minimum time for achieving
Class A pathogen status? The minimum time would be 63 hours if the
operator followed Regime A in Table 5-3. Under Regime A the temperature
cannot be lower than 50°C or the time shorter than 20 minutes.
Time =
131,700,000
1^0.14 (temperature}
131,700,000 131.700,000
,0.14 (55)
50.118,723
= 2.6 days [63 hours]
TABLE 5-3
The Four Time-Temperature Regimes for Class A Pathogen Reduction
Under Alternative 1
Regime
Applies to:
Biosolids with 7% solids or
greater (except those covered
by Regime B)
Requirement
Temperature of biosolids
must be 50°C or higher
for 20 minutes or longer
Time-Temperature
Relationship*
D =
131,700,000
10
0.14r
(Equation 2 of Section
503.32)
Biosolids with 7% solids or
greater in the form of small
particles and heated by
contact with either warmed
gases or an immiscible liquid
Biosolids with less than 1%
solids
Temperature of biosolids
must be 50"C or higher
for 15 seconds or longer
Heated for at least 15
seconds but less than 30
minutes
D =
D =
131,700,000
10
0.14 f
131,700,000
10
0.14r
Temperature of sludge is
Biosolids with less than 7% < 50f'C or higher with at
solids least 30 minutes or longer
i contact time
i
D =
50,070,000
10
(U4(
(Equation 3 of Section
503.32)
D = time in days; t = temperature in degrees Celsius.
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Example 2: Biosolids contain 10 percent solids and are treated in a
biosolids dryer for about 1.5 minutes (0.001 day). What is the required
minimum temperature? The minimum temperature to achieve Class A
pathogen status would be 79°C if the operator followed Regime B in Table
5-3. Under this regime, the temperature cannot be lower than 50°C or the
time shorter than 15 seconds and the biosolids must be in the form of small
particles (e.g., from a steam drier) in intimate contact with the drying unit.
Otherwise, Regime A would apply.
_.. 131.700.000 ___.
Time = —— = 0.001
i rM. 14 (temperature )
0.001 [lo0-14'"™/"] = 131,700,000
Temperature = 79°C
Alternative 2 for Meeting Class A: Biosolids Treated in a High pH-
High Temperature Process
This alternative describes conditions of a specific temperature-pH process
that is effective in reducing pathogens to below detectable levels. The
process conditions required by the regulation are:
elevating the pH to greater than 12 (measured at 25°C) for
72 hours or longer;
maintaining the temperature above 52°C for at least 12 hours during
the period that the pH is greater than 12;
air drying to over 50 percent solids after the 72-hour period of
elevated pH; and
meeting all the requirements in Table 5-2.
Alternative 3 for Meeting Class A: Biosolids Treated in Other
Known Processes
This alternative requires comprehensive monitoring of enteric viruses and
viable helminth ova during each monitoring episode until demonstration has
shown that the process achieves adequate reduction of pathogens. The
presence of enteric viruses and viable helminth ova have to be shown in the
biosolids prior to pathogen treatment to document the effectiveness of the
treatment process.
The tests and requirements are:
Once shown to be present prior to treatment, the density of enteric
viruses in the biosolids after pathogen treatment must be less than 1
plaque- forming unit (PFU) per 4 grams of total solids (dry-weight
basis).
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -113
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Likewise, the density of viable helminth ova in the biosolids after
pathogen treatment must be less than 1 per 4 grams of total solids
(dry-weight basis).
All the requirements in Table 5-2 must be met.
Acceptable pathogen testing procedures are given in Chapter 6 and in the
document Control of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage
Sludge noted earlier in this chapter.
Alternative 3 is useful for demonstrating that a new process fully meets
Class A pathogen requirements under the tested set of operating
parameters. Subsequent testing for enteric viruses and viable helminth ova
is unnecessary whenever the tested set of operating parameters has been
met. It is important to realize that the tested set of operating parameters
may have included ranges of values.
If no enteric viruses or viable helminth ova are present before treatment,
then the tested batch of biosolids can be considered Class A. The tests,
however, must be repeated during each subsequent monitoring episode
until:
pathogens are detected before the process and demonstrated to
have been reduced to below detectable levels after the process, or
after 2 years of testing with no detection of pathogens before the
process, the permitting authority modifies the monitoring requirements
for enteric viruses and viable helminth ova. (The permitting authority
may choose not to modify the monitoring requirements, but if it does,
in no case could the monitoring frequency for enteric viruses and
viable helminth ova be less than once per year.)
Once the process has been demonstrated to process achieve the required
pathogen reduction, the process must be operated under the same
conditions that were used during the demonstration.
As already mentioned, monitoring for fecal coliform or Salmonella sp.
bacteria is always required in accordance with the requirements listed in
Table 5-2.
Alternative 4 for Meeting Class A: Biosolids Treated in
Unknown Processes
This alternative is used in situations where:
a biosolids treatment process is unknown, or
the biosolids were treated in a process operating under less-stringent
conditions than those under which the biosolids could qualify as Class
A under any of the other alternatives.
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This alternative requires that the biosolids be analyzed for Salmonella sp.
bacteria, enteric viruses, and viable helminth ova at each of the following
times:
when the biosolids (or materials derived from biosolids) are used or
disposed;
when biosolids are prepared for sale or for give-away in a bag or
other container for application to the land; or
when the biosolids are prepared to meet the EQ requirements (see
Chapter 2).
As in Alternative 3, the required test results for this alternative are:
The density of viruses in the biosolids must be less than 1 PFU per 4
grams of total solids (dry-weight basis).
The density of viable helminth ova in the biosolids must be less than 1
per 4 grams of total solids (dry-weight basis).
All the requirements in Table 5-2 must be met.
Although biosolids must meet the same pathogen test results as in
Alternative 3, Alternative 4 requires testing of each batch of the biosolids
that is used or disposed, rather than just monitoring the operating
parameters, after the demonstration that the process reduces pathogens.
Alternative 5 for Meeting Class A: Biosolids Treated in a PFRP
Alternative 5 provides continuity with the 40 CFR Part 257 regulation. This
alternative states that biosolids are considered to be Class A if:
they are treated in one of the PFRPs listed in Table 5-4, and
all requirements in Table 5-2 are met.
To meet these requirements, the biosolids treatment processes must be
operated according to the conditions listed in Table 5-4. This list is very
similar to the list of PFRP technologies in 40 CFR Part 257, with two major
differences:
All requirements related to vector attraction reduction have been
removed (see the vector attraction reduction requirements discussed
later in this chapter).
The three processes listed in Part 257 that are PFRP only if combined
with a PSRP (gamma ray irradiation, high-energy irradiation, and
pasteurization) are PFRPs under Part 503.
Under this alternative, treatment processes classified under 40 CFR Part
257 can continue to be operated; however, microbiological monitoring (as
described in Table 5-2) must now be performed to ensure that pathogen
density levels are below detection limits and that pathogen regrowth has not
resulted in detectable levels being present at the time of use or disposal.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 115
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TABLE 5-4
Processes to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRPs)
Listed in Appendix B of 40 CFR Part 503
1. Composting
Using either the within-vessel composting method or the static aerated
pile composting method, the temperature of the biosolids is
maintained at 55°C or higher for 3 days.
Using the windrow composting method, the temperature of the
biosolids is maintained at 55( C or higher for 15 days or longer. During
the period when the compost is maintained at 55°C or higher, the
windrow is turned a minimum of five times.
2. Heat Drying
Biosolids are dried by direct or indirect contact with hot gases to
reduce the moisture content of the biosolids to 10 percent or lower.
Either the temperature of the biosolids particles exceeds 80°C or the
wet bulb temperature of the gas in contact with the biosolids as the
biosolids leave the dryer exceeds 801 C.
3. Heat Treatment
Liquid biosolids are heated to a temperature of 180°C or higher
for 30 minutes.
4. Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion
Liquid biosolids are agitated with air or oxygen to maintain aerobic
conditions, and the mean cell residence time of the biosolids is
10daysat55°to60°C.
5. Beta Ray Irradiation
Biosolids are irradiated with beta rays from an accelerator at dosages
of at least 1.0 megarad at room temperature (ca. 20°C).
6. Gamma Ray Irradiation
Biosolids are irradiated with gamma rays from certain isotopes, such
as Cobalt 60 and Cesium 137, at room temperature (ca. 20°C).
7. Pasteurization
The temperature of the biosolids is maintained at 70°C or higher for
30 minutes or longer,
Alternative 6 for Meeting Class A: Biosolids Treated in a Process
Equivalent to a PFRP
Under Alternative 6, biosolids are considered to be Class A if:
they are treated by any process determined to be equivalent to a
PFRP by the permitting authority, and
all requirements in Table 5-2 are met.
116 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Composting can eliminate pathogens in biosolids (Columbus, Ohio).
The Part 503 rule gives the permitting authority responsibility for
determining equivalency. To be equivalent, a treatment process must be
able to consistently reduce pathogens to levels comparable to the
reduction achieved by listed PFRPs. The process must be equivalent in its
ability to achieve Class A status with respect to enteric viruses and viable
helminth ova as long as it is operated under the same conditions that
produced the required reductions.
Equivalency determinations can be made both on a site-specific and a
national basis. A site-specific equivalency determination only pertains to
one particular operation run at one location under the specified conditions. It
cannot be assumed to apply to the same process performed at a different
location, or for any modification of the process. A process that is able to
consistently produce the required pathogen reductions at different locations
across the country, however, may qualify for a recommendation of national
equivalency (i.e., a recommendation that the process will likely be
equivalent wherever it is operated in the United States).
The EPA's Pathogen Equivalency Committee (PEC) is available as a
resource to provide recommendations on equivalency determinations to the
permitting authority and guidance to the regulated community. See Control
of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage Sludge (noted earlier in
this chapter) for more details about the PEC.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -117
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Class B Pathogen Requirements
Class B pathogen requirements can be met using one of three alternatives,
as listed in Table 5-5 and described below. Unlike a Class A biosolids, in
which pathogens are at levels below detectable limits, Class B biosolids
may contain some pathogens. For this reason, the Class B requirements for
land application of biosolids also include site restrictions that prevent crop
harvesting, animal grazing, and public access for a certain period of time
until environmental conditions have further reduced pathogens. The land
application site restrictions for Class B biosolids are summarized in Table
5-6. Management practices rather than site restrictions prevent exposure to
the pathogens in biosolids for surface disposed Class B biosolids.
Alternative 1 for Meeting Class B: The Monitoring of Indicator
Organisms
Alternative 1 requires that seven samples of treated biosolids be collected
shortly before biosolids use or disposal, and that the geometric mean fecal
coliform density of these samples be less than 2 million colony-forming units
(CPU) or most probable number (MPN) per gram of biosolids (dry-weight
basis). EPA suggests that these seven samples be collected over a 2-week
period. This approach uses fecal coliform density as an indicator of the
average density of bacterial and viral pathogens. Acceptable pathogen
testing procedures are given in Chapter 6.
EPA recommends that seven samples be taken over the 2-week period
preceding use or disposal because the test methods used to determine
fecal coliform density (membrane filter methods and the multiple tube
dilution method) have poor precision and biosolids quality can vary. Using at
least seven samples should provide a sufficiently representative sampling of
the biosolids.
TABLE 5-5
Summary of the Three Alternatives for Meeting Class B
Pathogen Requirements
Alternative 1: The Monitoring of Indicator Organisms
Test for fecal coliform density as an indicator for all pathogens. The
geometric mean of seven samples shall be less than 2 million MPNs per
gram per total solids or less than 2 million CPUs per gram of total solids
at the time of use or disposal.
Alternative 2: Biosolids Treated in a PSRP
Biosolids must be treated in one of the Processes to Significantly Reduce
Pathogens (PSRP) (see Table 5-7).
Alternative 3: Biosolids Treated in a Process Equivalent to a PSRP
Biosolids must be treated in a process equivalent to one of the PSRPs, as
determined by the permitting authority.
118 - $EF* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 5-6
Site Restrictions for Class B Biosolids
Applied to the Land
Food Crops with Harvested Parts That Touch the Biosolids/Soil Mixture
Food crops with harvested parts that touch the biosolids/soil mixture and
are totally above the land surface shall not be harvested for [4 months
after application of biosolids.
Food Crops with Harvested Parts Below the Land Surface
Food crops with harvested parts below the surface of the land shall not be
harvested for 20 months after application of biosolids when the biosolids
remain on the land surface for 4 months or longer prior to incorporation
into the soil.
Food crops with harvested parts below the surface of the land shall not be
harvested for 38 months after application of biosolids when the biosolids
remain on the land surface for less than 4 months prior to incorporation
into the soil.
Food Crops with Harvested Parts That Do Not Touch the Biosolids/Soil
Mixture, Feed Crops, and Fiber Crops
Food crops with harvested parts that do not touch the biosolids/soil
mixture, feed crops, and fiber crops shall not be harvested for 30 days after
application of biosolids.
Animal Grazing
Animals shall not be grazed on the land for 30 days after application of
biosolids.
Turf Growing
Turf grown on land where biosolids are applied shall not be harvested for
1 year after application of the biosolids when the harvested turf is placed
on either land with a high potential for public exposure or a lawn, unless
otherwise specified by the permitting authority.
Public Access
Public access to land with a high potential for public exposure shall be
restricted for 1 year after application of biosolids.
Public access to land with a low potential for public exposure shall be
restricted for 30 days after application of biosolids.
Alternative 2 for Meeting Class B: Biosolids Treated in a PSRP
Class B Alternative 2 provides continuity with the 40 CFR Part 257
regulation. Under this alternative, biosolids are considered to be Class B if
they are treated in one of the PSRPs listed in Table 5-7. The listed
processes are similar to the PSRPs listed in the Part 257 regulation, except
that all conditions related to reduction of vector attraction have been removed.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -119
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TABLE 5-7
Processes to Significantly Reduce Pathogens (PSRPs) Listed
in Appendix B of 40 CFR Part 503
1. Aerobic Digestion
Biosolids are agitated with air or oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions
for a specific mean cell residence time at a specific temperature. Values
for the mean cell residence time and temperature shall be between 40 days
at 20°C and 60 days at 15°C.
2. Air Drying
Biosolids are dried on sand beds or on paved or unpaved basins. The
biosolids dry for a minimum of 3 months. During 2 of the 3 months, the
ambient average daily temperature is above 0°C.
3. Anaerobic Digestion
Biosolids are treated in the absence of air for a specific mean cell
residence time at a specific temperature. Values for the mean cell
residence time and temperature shall be between 15 days at 35°C to 55°C
and 60 days at 20°C.
4. Composting
Using either the within-vessel, static aerated pile, or windrow composting
methods, the temperature of the biosolids is raised to 40 'C or higher and
maintained for 5 days. For 4 hours during the 5-day period, the
temperature in the compost pile exceeds 55°C.
5. Lime Stabilization
Sufficient lime is added to the biosolids to raise the pH of the biosolids to
12 after 2 hours of contact.
Under this alternative, biosolids treated in processes included in 40 CFR
Part 257 are Class B with respect to pathogens. Unlike the comparable
Class A requirement, this alternative does not require microbiological
monitoring for regrowth of fecal coliform or Salmonella sp. bacteria.
Alternative 3 for Meeting Class B: Biosolids Treated in a Process
Equivalent to a PSRP
The Part 257 regulation allowed the biosolids to be treated in a process
determined to be equivalent to a PSRP. Under Alternative 3, biosolids
treated by any process determined to be equivalent to a PSRP by the
permitting authority are considered to be Class B biosolids.
Part 503 gives the permitting authority responsibility for determining
equivalency. The EPA Pathogen Equivalency Committee is available as a
resource to provide recommendations on equivalency determinations to the
permitting authorities. As with Class A, the Class B equivalency
120 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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determination can be made on either a site-specific or a national basis. See
Control of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage Sludge (noted
earlier in this chapter) for more details about the PEC.
Requirements for Reducing Vector Attraction
The pathogens in biosolids pose a disease risk when they are brought into
contact with humans or other susceptible hosts (plant or animal). Vectors,
which include flies, mosquitoes, fleas, rodents, and birds, can transmit
pathogens to humans and other hosts physically through contact or
biologically by playing a specific role in the life cycle of the pathogen.
Reducing the attractiveness of biosolids to vectors reduces the potential for
transmitting diseases from pathogens in biosolids.
The Part 503 rule contains 12 options, which are summarized in Table 5-8
and described below, for demonstrating reduced vector attraction for
biosolids. (Note: Option 12 only applies to domestic septage.) These
requirements are designed to either reduce the attractiveness of biosolids to
vectors (Options 1 through 8 and Option 12) or prevent vectors from coming
in contact with the biosolids (Options 9 through 11).
TABLE 5-8
Summary of Options for Meeting
Vector Attraction Reduction
Option I: Meet 38 percent reduction in volatile solids content.
Option 2: Demonstrate vector attraction reduction with additional anaerobic
digestion in a bench-scale unit.
Option 3: Demonstrate vector attraction reduction with additional aerobic
digestion in a bench-scale unit.
Option 4: Meet a specific oxygen uptake rate for aerobically digested biosolids.
Option 5: Use aerobic processes al greater than 40°C for 14 days or longer.
Option 6: Alkali addition under specified conditions.
Option 7: Dry biosolids with no unstabili/ed solids to at least 75 percent
solids.
Option 8: Dry biosolids with unstabilized solids to at least 90 percent solids.
Option 9: Inject biosolids beneath the soil surface.
Option 10: Incorporate biosolids into the soil within 6 hours of application
to or placement on the land.
Option 11: Cover biosolids placed on a surface disposal site with soil or
other material at the end of each operating day. (Note: Only for
surface disposal.)
Option 12: Alkaline treatment of domestic septage to pH 12 or above for 30
minutes without adding more alkaline material.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -121
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Open-air windrow composting operation near Los Angeles, California.
Option 1: Reduction in Volatile Solids Content
Under this option, vector attraction is reduced if the mass of volatile solids in
the biosolids is reduced by at least 38 percent during the treatment of the
biosolids. This percentage is the amount of volatile solids reduction that is
attained by anaerobic or aerobic digestion plus any additional volatile solids
reduction that occurs before the biosolids leave the treatment works, such
as through processing in drying beds or lagoons, or by composting.
Option 2: Additional Digestion of Anaerobically Digested Biosolids
Frequently, biosolids have been recycled through the biological wastewater
treatment section of a treatment works or have resided for long periods of
time in the wastewater collection system. During this time, they undergo
substantial biological degradation. If the biosolids are subsequently treated
by anaerobic digestion for a period of time, they are adequately reduced in
vector attraction. Because they will have entered the digester already
partially stabilized, however, the volatile solids reduction after treatment is
frequently less than 38 percent.
Under these circumstances, the 38 percent reduction required by Option 1
might not be possible. Option 2 allows the operator to demonstrate vector
attraction reduction by testing a portion of the previously digested biosolids
in a bench-scale unit in the laboratory. Vector attraction reduction is
demonstrated if after anaerobic digestion of the biosolids for an additional
40 days at a temperature between 30° and 37°C, the volatile solids in the
122 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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biosolids are reduced by less than 17 percent from the beginning to the end
of the bench test.
Option 3: Additional Digestion of Aerobically Digested Biosolids
This option is appropriate for aerobically digested biosolids that cannot meet
the 38 percent volatile solids reduction required by Option 1. This includes
biosolids from extended aeration plants, where the minimum residence time
of biosolids leaving the wastewater treatment processes section generally
exceeds 20 days. In these cases, the biosolids will already have been
substantially degraded biologically prior to aerobic digestion.
Under this option, aerobically digested biosolids with 2 percent or less solids
are considered to have achieved vector attraction reduction if, in the
laboratory after 30 days of aerobic digestion in a batch test at 20°C, volatile
solids are reduced by less than 15 percent. This test is only applicable to
liquid aerobically digested biosolids.
Option 4: Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR) for Aerobically
Digested Biosolids
Frequently, aerobically digested biosolids are circulated through the aerobic
biological wastewater treatment process for as long as 30 days. In these
cases, the biosolids entering the aerobic digester are already partially
digested, which makes it difficult to demonstrate the 38 percent reduction
required by Option 1.
The specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) is the mass of oxygen consumed
per unit time per unit mass of total solids (dry-weight basis) in the biosolids.
Reduction in vector attraction can be demonstrated if the SOUR of the
biosolids that are used or disposed, determined at 20°C, is equal to or less
than 1.5 milligrams of oxygen per hour per gram of total biosolids
(dry-weight basis). This test is based on the fact that if the biosolids
consume very little oxygen, their value as a food source for microorganisms
is very low and therefore microorganisms are unlikely to be attracted to
them. Other temperatures can be used for this test, provided the results are
corrected to a 20°C basis. This test is only applicable to liquid aerobic
biosolids withdrawn from an aerobic process.
Option 5: Aerobic Processes at Greater Than 40°C
This option applies primarily to composted biosolids that also contain
partially decomposed organic bulking agents. The biosolids must be
aerobically treated for 14 days or longer, during which time the temperature
always must be over 40°C and the average temperature must be higher
than 45°C.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 123
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This option can be applied to other aerobic processes, such as aerobic
digestion, but Options 3 and 4 are likely to be easier to meet for the other
aerobic processes.
Option 6: Addition of Alkaline Material
Biosolids are considered to be adequately reduced in vector attraction if
sufficient alkaline material is added to achieve the following:
raise the pH to at least 12, measured at 25°C, and without the
addition of more alkaline material, maintain a pH of at least 12 for 2
hours; and
maintain a pH of at least 11.5 without addition of more alkaline
material for an additional 22 hours.
The conditions required under this option are designed to ensure that the
biosolids can be stored for at least several days at the treatment works,
transported, and then used or disposed without the pH falling to the point
where putrefaction occurs and vectors are attracted.
Option 7: Moisture Reduction of Biosolids Containing
No Unstabilized Solids
Under this option, vector attraction is considered to be reduced if the
biosolids do not contain unstabilized solids generated during primary
treatment and if the solids content of the biosolids is at least 75 percent
before the biosolids are mixed with other materials. Thus, the reduction
must be achieved by removing water, not by adding inert materials.
It is important that the biosolids not contain unstabilized solids because the
partially degraded food scraps likely to be present in such biosolids would
attract birds, some mammals, and possibly insects, even if the solids
content of the biosolids exceeded 75 percent.
Option 8: Moisture Reduction of Biosolids Containing
Unstabilized Solids
The ability of any biosolids to attract vectors is considered to be adequately
reduced if the solids content of the biosolids is increased to 90 percent or
greater, regardless of whether this increase was for biosolids from primary
treatment. The solids increase should be achieved by removal of water and
not by dilution with inert solids. Drying to this extent severely limits biological
activity and strips off or decomposes the volatile compounds that attract
vectors.
The way dried biosolids are handled, including their storage before use or
disposal, can create or prevent vector attraction. If dried biosolids are
exposed to high humidity, the outer surface of the biosolids will gain in
moisture content and possibly attract vectors. This should be properly
guarded against.
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Option 9: Biosolids Injection
Vector attraction reduction can be demonstrated by injecting the biosolids
below the ground surface. Under this option, no significant amount of
biosolids can be present on the land surface within 1 hour of injection, and if
the biosolids are Class A with respect to pathogens, they must be injected
within 8 hours after discharge from the pathogen-reducing process.
The reason for this special consideration for Class A biosolids (assuming
vector attraction has not been reduced by some other means) is that
pathogens could regrow and Class A biosolids have no site restrictions to
provide crop, grazing, and access protection.
Injection of biosolids beneath the soil places a barrier of earth between the
biosolids and vectors. The soil removes water from the biosolids, which
reduces the mobility and odor of the biosolids. Odor is usually present at the
site during the injection process but quickly dissipates when injection is
complete.
Option 10: Incorporation of Biosolids into the Soil
Under this option, biosolids must be incorporated into the soil within
6 hours of application to or placement on the land. Incorporation is
accomplished by plowing or some other means of mixing the biosolids into
the soil. If the biosolids are Class A with respect to pathogens, the time
between processing and application or placement must not exceed 8
hours—the same as for injection under Option 9.
Option 11: Covering Biosolids
Under this option, biosolids placed on a surface disposal site must be
covered with soil or other material at the end of each operating day. Daily
covering reduces vector attraction by creating a physical barrier between
the biosolids and vectors. Covering also helps meet pathogen requirements
by allowing environmental conditions to reduce pathogens.
Option 12: Alkaline Treatment for Domestic Septage
This option pertains only to vector attraction reduction for domestic septage.
Under this option, the pH of domestic septage must be raised to at least 12
and remain at pH 12 or above for a minimum of 30 minutes during which no
additional alkaline material may be added.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -125
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Common Questions and Answers
Q
: Are there any labs certified to perform the necessary pathogen
tests?
A
: Yes, and the correct analytical methods for pathogens are referenced
in Part 503.
}: For Class A pathogen Alternatives 1 and 2 (which use high
, temperatures to eliminate pathogens), is it necessary to verify the
reduced level of viruses or helminth ova?
:No.
: How often does a permittee have to show compliance with the
vector attraction reduction requirements?
A: Compliance has to be shown at the same frequency as pollutant
monitoring when vector attraction reduction Options 1 through 8 are
met.
'. Vector attraction reduction Options 2 and 3, which involve
additional anaerobic or aerobic digestion, are tied to Option 1,
which requires a specified reduction in volatile solids. Is it necessary
to fail Option 1 before going on to Options 2 and 3?
A: Failure is not essential. The additional digestion approaches specified
in Option 2 for biosolids treated anaerobically and Option 3 for biosolids
treated aerobically can be followed without regard to the Option 1 volatile
solids reduction requirements.
Q
: Does the regulation address odor?
A: Not specifically. Volatile solids are a surrogate. No EPA standards
address odor. Odor may be covered under State or local nuisance laws
or under air regulations. Odor also may be covered as a special
requirement under State or local public health and general welfare
provisions.
126 - AB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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; Are both Class AorB biosolids, in regard to pathogens,
V/ protective of public health and the environment, even though
biosolids with Class B pathogen status may still contain pathogens
and biosolids with Class A status do not?
A: Biosolids with either Class A or Class B pathogen status are protective
of human health and the environment because of the added site
restrictions and management practices that are required for biosolids with
Class B pathogen status, which may contain pathogens. Stated as a
generally correct rule of thumb:
Class A = Class B + Site Restrictions + Management Practices.
AEWV Guide to the Part 503 Rule -127
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Chapter 6
Sampling and Analysis
The Part 503 rule requires sampling and analysis of biosolids for
certain pollutants (metals) and pathogens and for vector attraction
reduction if the biosolids are land applied, placed on a surface
disposal site, or incinerated. The rule prescribes the frequency for
monitoring and lists analytical methods that must be used to analyze
different types of samples. The rule does not, however, provide specific
instructions on how to sample. This chapter provides general information on
sampling biosolids; gives an overview of sampling requirements concerning
biosolids incinerator emissions; discusses the methods required by the Part
503 rule for analyzing biosolids samples; and lists publications that provide
detailed information about biosolids sampling and analysis.
Guidance for Sampling Biosolids
A number of considerations relate to the care that must be taken in
sampling and analyzing biosolids as well as the number of samples that
must be taken to be representative. These factors include the size of the
sample of biosolids material that is actually being analyzed, the accuracy of
the analytical technique, the presence of other materials that might interfere
with the analysis, the stability of the analyte being determined, and the
potential reduction in volatile solids content of the biosolids when analyzed.
Since this chapter provides only general information on sampling and
analyzing biosolids, persons responsible for complying with the Part 503
rule should seek additional guidance. Sources of guidance include EPA's
POTW Sludge Sampling and Analysis Guidance Document, the EPA
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -129
-------
Sewage Sludge Sampling Video, and Environmental Regulations and
Technology: Control of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage
Sludge (see References), as well as the general Part 503 sampling
requirements (summarized in Table 6=1) and the references to specific
required analytical protocols listed in Table 6-7. Other guidance documents
also are listed at the end of this chapter, if additional information is needed,
the reader can contact the Regional EPA permitting authority and, where
applicable, the State biosolids contact person.
Who Must Sample?
in most cases, the preparer of biosoiids (usually the owner/operator of a
treatment works) will be responsible for sampling the biosolids for metals,
pathogens, and, where applicable, for vector attraction reduction. Often the
generator is also the preparer, land applier, surface disposer, or incinerator
of the biosolids. Sometimes a person other than the generator is the
preparer (e.g., a person who provides additional processing that may alter
the quality of the biosolids before their use or disposal). That preparer may
also be required to sample the additionally processed biosolids before they
are land applied, surface disposed, or incinerated. Also, the owner/operator
of a surface disposal site is responsible for sampling metals under certain
circumstances: when needed to meet site-specific limit requirements, or
when the boundary of an active biosolids unit is less than 150 meters from
the property line of the surface disposal site (see Chapter Three).
How Often Should Sampling Be Done?
The Part 503 rule includes tables listing minimum monitoring frequencies for
biosolids that will be land applied, placed on a surface disposal site, or
incinerated. Frequency of monitoring requirements range from once a year
for facilities using or disposing of relatively small amounts of biosolids to
once a month for facilities using or disposing of larger amounts of biosolids.
Table 6-2 lists the frequency of monitoring requirements in Part 503.
Monitoring must take place at least as often as the table indicates to
demonstrate compliance with Part 503 pollutant limits and pathogen and
vector attraction reduction requirements.
A number of factors were considered in establishing the frequency of
monitoring requirements for the Part 503 rule. The intent was to avoid
imposing any undue burden on persons preparing smaller quantities of
biosolids. Also, the intent was to require sufficiently frequent monitoring,
representative sampling, and quality-assured and -controlled analytical
procedures so that the data collected accurately represent the metal content
and pathogen and vector attraction reduction status of the biosolids being
used or disposed.
130 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-1
Summary of Biosolids Sampling Considerations"
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Factors To Consider in Developing a Sampling Program
Prepare:, land applier, surface disposer, or incinerator of biosolids.
Biosolids:
Metals (land application, surface disposal, incineration).
Pathogens and vector attraction reduction (land application and surface disposal
sites only).
Nitrogen (land application only).
Biosolids incinerator emissions:
Total hydrocarbons (or carbon monoxide), oxygen, temperature, information needed to
determine moisture content, and mercury and beryllium, when applicable.
Other:
Methane gas in air (surface disposal sites only).
From once a year to once a month, depending on the amount of biosolids used or disposed
(see Table 6-2).
Take either:
Grab samplesh (individual samples) for pathogens and percent volatile solids
determinations,
or
Composite samples (several grab samples combined) for metals.
No fixed number of individual samples required (except for Class B pathogens, Alternative
1, take 7 samples). Enough material must be taken for the sample to be representative. Take
a greater number of samples if there is a large amount of biosolids or if characteristics of
biosolids vary a lot. See Table 6-4 for guidance (e.g., continuous, instantaneous, or monthly
averages required).
Before use or disposal. If biosolids are used or disposed before sampling results are
available, and the results subsequently show that a regulatory limit is exceeded the
responsible person will be in noncompliance with Part 503. See also Table 6-3.
Usually at site of preparer (e.g., treatment works). Sometimes samples must be collected at
land application or surface disposal sites.
Sample from moving biosolids when possible to obtain a well-mixed sample. If you must
sample from a stationary location, the sample should represent the entire area. Appropriate
sampling points differ for liquid or dewatered biosolids (see Table 6-5).
See Table 6-6.
Part 503 requires that specific analytical methods be used for different types of samples (see
Table 6-7).
a All information in (his table is discussed in more detail in the text of"this chapter.
h Guidance, not a Part 503 rulo requirement.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 131
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TABLE 6-2
Frequency of Monitoring for Land Application, Surface
Disposal, and Incineration of Biosolids
Greater than zero but less than 290 i Once per year
Equal to or greater than 290 but
less than 1,500
Once per quarter (four times per year)
Equal to or greater than 1,500 but
less than 15,000
Once per 60 days (six times per year)
Equal to or greater than 15,000
Once per month (twelve times per year)
Amount of hiosolids (other than domestic septagc) land applied, placed on an active hiosolids unit, or
fired in an incinerator— dry-weight basis.
Monitoring frequency should anticipate the potential for changes in metals
concentration, pathogen density, and vector attractiveness in biosolids. In
general, metals contents will change little unless there is a significant
reduction in the volatile solids content of the biosolids. In contrast, bacterial
pathogens (not enteric viruses and viable helminth ova) can regrow in
biosolids under certain conditions. Moreover, the extent of vector attraction
reduction achieved using Alternatives 6 (pH adjustment) or Alternatives 7 or
8 (drying) may change.
Monitoring frequency also should take into account when biosolids are
actually being used or disposed. The rule assumes, especially in regard to
preparers of large amounts of biosolids, that the biosolids will be used or
disposed consistently throughout the year. If biosolids are being stored for a
number of months before use or disposal, a large mass could accrue.
Although the Part 503 rule does not require analysis until the biosolids are
used or disposed, the preparer, land applier, or disposer might want to take
composite samples for analysis throughout the storage period so that
sampling results are more representative and the operation affords better
process control. Remember, however, that the fecal coliform and
Salmonella sp. determinations (for Class A and B pathogen alternatives,
where applicable) have to be made sufficiently close to the time biosolids
are actually used or disposed to be indicative of whether the potential for
regrowth has been controlled.
In general, if a person is operating in such a manner that the biosolids being
used or disposed meet applicable Part 503 requirements, continuing in this
manner of operation would tend to minimize the likelihood of subsequent
noncompliance. Thus, a monitoring program that enables one to ensure that
critical operating parameters continue to be met is good practice.
132 - AB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Given the varying nature of the many different processes that need to be
monitored for and controlled, it is not possible to provide one simple
guidance suggestion for when to monitor for various Part 503 required
parameters. Table 6-3 summarizes additional important monitoring
considerations for each of the various parameters.
How Many Samples Should Be Taken?
Although the Part 503 rule establishes frequency of monitoring
requirements for biosolids, it does not specify how many samples need to
be taken. (There is one exception—for Class B, Alternative 1 pathogen
requirements, the regulation states that seven samples must be collected.)
Is one sample enough for most monitoring? Are 20 too many? The
appropriate number of samples to take depends on conditions at each site.
More than one sample is usually necessary to accurately represent a
particular stream or batch of biosolids. The key is to obtain a
representative sample, as is required by the Part 503 rule.
In general, the more samples taken, the greater the chance that the
sampling results will be representative of the biosolids at a particular facility.
Also, the larger the amount of biosolids a facility uses or disposes, the
greater the number of samples that will be needed to obtain a representative
sample. A greater number of samples should be taken if the characteristics
of the biosolids vary considerably (e.g., if the solids content or pathogen
levels vary significantly from one batch to another). Table 6-4 provides
guidance on the types of biosolids samples that must be collected to assess
the level of metals and pathogens, and to monitor other parameters. The
type of parameter limit (e.g., instantaneous, monthly averages) will affect the
determination of how many samples should be taken.
Important factors to consider when determining how many samples to take
include:
Standard deviation. Find out the extent of the variation from the
average result (the mean). This concept is known as the standard
deviation. The standard deviation is determined by taking the square
root of the arithmetic average of the squares of the deviations from
the mean in a frequency distribution. The greater the standard
deviation, the greater the number of individual samples that should be
taken to get a representative sample.
Addition of commercial/industrial pollutants to sewage system.
Determine whether pollutants are being added (or "cycled") into the
sewage system by commercial or industrial processes. If cycling of
pollutants is occurring, it is advisable to collect more samples to
ensure that they include the high pollutant levels (or "spikes") that can
come from commercial or industrial discharges.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -133
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TABLE 6-3
Monitoring Considerations for Key Parameters
Parameter
Validity of Analytical Data over Time and
When Sampling/Analysis Must Occur
Metals
METALS
Data remain valid for biosolids if no significant change in volatile solids.
Determine monitoring frequency in accordance with monitoring frequency
requirements.
Applies to
All Class A Pathogen
Reduction
Alternatives (PRA):
PATHOGENS CLASS A
Because regrowth of fecal coliform and Salmonella sp. can occur, monitoring
should be done sufficiently close to the time of biosolids use or disposal so data
are available and no additional regrowth occurs:
(a) before land application or suface disposal, or
(b) when biosolids are prepared for sale or give-away in a bag or other container
for land application, or
(cj when biosolids are prepared to meet EQ requirements.
Once destroyed, enteric viruses and viable helminth ova do not regain viability.
Additional Information on Each Class A Pathogen Category
Class A PRA 1:
Thermal Treatment,
Moisture, Particle Size
& Time Dependent
Data remain valid as long as biosolids remain dry before use.
Time, temperature, and moisture content should be monitored continuously to
ensure effectiveness of treatment.
Class A PRA 2:
High pH, High
Temperature
Monitor to ensure that pH 12 (at 25°C) is maintained for more than 72 hours.
Class A PRA 3:
Enteric Virus & Viable
Helminth Ova To
Establish Process
Class A PRA 4:
Enteric Virus & Viable
Helminth Ova for
Unknown Process
To establish a process, determine with each monitoring episode until the process
is shown to consistently achieve this status. Then monitor process at sufficient
frequency to ensure its validity.
Do not know whether enteric virus or viable helminth ova were present and
destroyed or just not detected. Monitor representative sample of biosolids material:
(a) to be used or disposed, or
(b) when prepared for sale or give-away in a bag or other container for land
application, or
(c) when prepared to meet EQ requirements.
Class A PRA 5:
PFRP
Monitor at sufficient frequency to show compliance with time and temperature or
irradiation requirements in Table 5-6.
Class A PRA 6:
PFRP Equivalent
Monitor at sufficient frequency to show compliance with PFRP or equivalent
process requirements.
134 - oEFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-3 (continued)
Monitoring Considerations for Key Parameters
Class BPRAl:
Fecal Coliform
PATHOGENS CLASS B
Measure the geometric mean of 7 samples taken over a 2-week period sufficiently
close to the time of use or disposal so that (i) data are available and (ii) no
additional regrowth occurs before use or disposal.
Class B PRA 2:
Monitor at sufficient frequency to show that the PSRP requirements in Table 5-7
are met.
Class B PRA 3:
Monitor at sufficient frequency to show that the equivalent PSRP requirements
are met.
Vector Attraction
Reduction (VAR) 1:
38% Volatile Solids
Reduction (VSR)
VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION
Once achieved, no further attractiveness to vectors. If a batch process, determine
VSR for each batch. If for a continuous process, determine VSR based on
material being put in and withdrawn. Monitor at sufficient frequency to verify that
the necessary VSR operating conditions are met.
VAR 2
for Anaerobic
Digestion:
If Cannot Meet VAR 1
Lab Test
VAR 3
for Aerobic Digestion:
If Cannot Meet VAR 1
Lab Test
VAR 4:
SOUR Test for
Aerobic Processes
Once achieved, no further attractiveness to vectors. If a batch process, determine
VSR for each batch. If unable to show VSR, then conduct lab test. Monitor at
sufficient frequency to verify that biosolids are meeting the necessary operating
conditions.
VAR 5:
Aerobic >40°C
Monitor at sufficient frequency to show that biosolids are achieving an average
temperature of 45°C over a 2-week period.
VAR 6:
Adding Alkaline
Material
Determine pH over time for each batch. VAR has been achieved as long as the pH
does not drop such that putrefaction begins prior to land application or surface
disposal.
VAR 7:
Moisture Reduction
No Unstabilized
Primary Solids
To be achieved only by the removal of water. VAR has been achieved as long as
the moisture level remains below 30%.
VAR 8:
Moisture Reduction
Primary Unstabilized
Solids
To be achieved only by the removal of water. VAR has been achieved as long as
the moisture level remains below 10%.
(continued on next page)
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -135
-------
TABLE 6-3 (continued)
Monitoring Considerations for Key Parameters
No significant amount of biosolids remains on soil surface within 1 hour after
injection.
VAR 9:
Injection into Soil
VAR 10: Biosolids must be incorporated into soil within 6 hours after being placed on the
Incorporation into Soil soil surface.
VAR 11:
Covered with Soil
Surface Disposal
VAR 12:
Domestic Septage
pH Adjustment
Surface disposed biosolids must be covered daily.
Preparer must ensure that pH is 12 for more lhan 30 minutes for each batch of
domestic septage treated with alkaline material.
Results of previous samples. If previous sampling results show that
biosolids contain pollutants or pathogens at levels close to the
regulatory limits specified in Part 503, then consider taking a greater
number of samples to determine if the biosolids are approaching or
have reached the regulatory limit. The closer the biosolids come to
the regulatory limits, the more critical sampling results become.
Whether the biosolids are well mixed. Well-mixed biosolids provide
a more representative sample. If a particular batch or stream of
biosolids is well mixed, then fewer samples need to be taken. If the
biosolids are not well mixed, then more samples should be taken.
Special methods have been developed by EPA's Office of Wastewater
Management to determine how many samples should be collected when
biosolids must be sampled at land application or surface disposal sites
rather than where generated. These methods involve the use of
mathematical concepts such as sample means, standard deviations, and
confidence intervals, which are explained in EPA's POTW Sludge
Sampling and Analysis Guidance Document (see References).
How Is Sampling Done?
There are two basic types of samples: grab samples and composite
samples. Because a grab sample is a single sample collected at a specific
time and location, it is representative of the composition of a material being
sampled only at that particular moment and place.
The other type of sample, the composite sample, is made up of several grab
samples taken over a period of time and/or from different locations. In most
cases, a composite sample is more representative than a grab sample
because the composite can reveal information about the composite's
subsamples of material from several locations and time periods. Thus,
136 -
Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-4
Types of Limits for Which Sampling Must Be Done
Land Application
Pollutant Limits:
Ceiling Limit Concentrations
! (Table 2-1 in this document,
or Table 1 in Part 503.13)
Pollutant Concentrations—
PC or EQ biosolids (Table
2-1 in this document, or
Table 3 in Section 503.13)
Nitrogen
CPLR (Table 2-1 in this
document, or Table 2 in
Section 503,13)
APLR (Table 2-1 in this
document, or Table 4 in
Section 503.13)
Surface Disposal
Methane gas
Metals
Instantaneous—may not be
exceeded
Monthly averages
Representative value used to j
determine agronomic rale
May not be exceeded at any
site
May not be exceeded during
a 365-day period
Continuously monitored in
air;
instantaneous—may not be
exceeded
I Instantaneous—may not be
exceeded
Incineration
Metals (except beryllium
and mercury)
Total hydrocarbons (THC)
or Carbon-monoxide (CO)
Oxygen
Temperature
Moisture
Daily concentration; if
required to report once per
month, average of each day
operated during the month
Continuously monitored;
monthly average is reported,
which is the arithmetic mean
i of hourly averages with a
minimum of 2 readings per
hour
Continuously monitored
Continuously monitored
Continuously monitored
(continued on next page)
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 137
-------
TABLE 6-4 (continued)
Types of Limits for Which Sampling Must Be Done
"T
Pathogens (or
Indicators):
Class A Pathogens:
Fecal coliform
Salmonella sp.
Enteric virus
Land Application
and Surface
Disposal
Class B Pathogens:
Fecal coliform
Viable helminth ova
Part 503 rule specifies a density of
< 1,000 fecal coliform/g total solids
(dry-weight basis). Guidance
(EPA/625/R-92/013) suggests the
geometric mean of a minimum of 7
individual grab samples taken over a
14-day period, similar to the fecal
coliform determination for Class B.
Part 503 rule specifies a density of <3
MPN Salmonella sp./4 g total solids
(dry-weight basis). Guidance
(EPA/625/R-92/013) suggests the
arithmetic mean of a minimum of 7
individual grab samples taken over a
14-day period.
Part 503 rule specifies a density of <1
PFL74 g total solids (dry-weight basis).
Guidance (EPA/625/R-92/013)
suggests that one composite sample of
7 grab samples be made over a 14-day
period and that the arithmetic mean of
4 duplicate analyses of that composite
be determined.
Part 503 rule specifies a density of <1
viable ova/4 g total solids (dry-weight
basis). Guidance (LP/V625/R-92/013)
suggests that one composite sample of
7 grab samples be made over a 14-day
period and that the arithmetic mean of
4 duplicate analyses of that composite
be determined.
Pan 503 rule specifies the geometric
mean of 7 individual samples.
Guidance suggests that they be taken
over a 14-day period; the rule states
that the geometric mean may not
exceed <2 million MPN or CFUs/g
total solids (dry-weight basis).
Note: CPUs = colony-forming units
MPN = most probable number
138 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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whenever possible and appropriate, composite sampling should be
conducted (e.g., for metals). Take several grab samples, combine them,
and then send the composite sample to a laboratory for analysis.
Although composite samples taken over one to several weeks and properly
stored are generally more representative than composite samples gathered
over a short timeframe, certain tests require a composite sample that has
been gathered over a short period of time. This is because tests of biosolids
for certain analytes, such as pathogens, can become invalid due to ease of
contamination, regrowth, or rapid die-off.
When Should Samples Be Taken?
Part 503 states that biosolids must meet the requirements of the rule at the
time of their use or disposal or at the time they are prepared if distributed in
bags or meeting EQ status. Sampling and analysis should take place before
use or disposal so that analytical results can be available ahead of time.
Biosolids could be sampled and analyzed for metals content a considerable
period of time before use or disposal, provided no significant additional
reduction in volatile solids content has occurred. Certain pathogen and
vector attraction reduction determinations, however, would need to be made
close to the time of use or disposal to meet the rule's requirements. In some
cases (e.g., with some of the pathogen and vector attraction reduction
alternatives) sampling may need to be conducted over the applicable period
of time to show that reduction of parameters has been achieved. See also
Tables 6-3 and 6-4.
Waiting to establish sampling results before use or disposal is critical to
avoid exceeding limits if the levels of one or more pollutants or pathogens in
the biosolids being tested are close to the regulatory limits or if there is a
high potential for pollutant spikes. If initial sampling results for a particular
biosolids material indicate that pollutant levels are well below the regulatory
limits, later sampling results might also be expected to show that pollutant
levels will not exceed those limits. If, however, you suspect that pollutant
levels are close to the regulatory limits, then waiting for results before using
or disposing of the biosolids will avoid a situation in which a detected
exceedance results in noncompliance.
Establishing compliance before use or disposal also helps ensure that a
particular batch of biosolids is available for additional sampling if necessary.
For example, suppose that a batch of biosolids was land applied before
sampling results were returned from the laboratory and that when the
sampling results became available, they indicated unusually high levels of a
pollutant in excess of the regulatory limit. Resampling might be appropriate
to determine whether a laboratory error was made. If biosolids have already
been used or disposed prior to an exceedance determination, the permitting
authority would have to decide what actions to take to ensure protection of
&SA Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 139
-------
"' c
A laboratory technician analyzes samples of composted biosolids in Aurora, Illinois.
public health and the environment. The enforcement authority also would
have to make a determination about actions it might take that could lead to
penalties and fines.
Where Should the Samples Be Taken?
In general, more representative sampling occurs when the biosolids being
sampled are moving rather than stationary. The movement of biosolids
tends to cause mixing and thus a more uniform entrainment of solids and
pollutants. Depending on the type of biosolids material (liquid, dewatered, or
dried) and the treatment process, certain sampling points will provide better
samples. Table 6-5 lists some of the better places to sample biosolids.
Liquid biosolids should generally be sampled from pipelines, or preflushed
pipeline ports. Whenever possible, the sampling locations should be as far
downstream in the treatment works as possible to take advantage of the
maximum mixing that will occur and to capture the most representative
sample of biosolids that will be used or disposed. For example, sampling
before digestion would not be representative of the pathogen or metals
levels that would be present after digestion. Sometimes liquid biosolids may
need to be sampled from lagoons. This should be done in such a way that
the floating, suspended, and sediment layers of the biosolids are all
included. The sample can be obtained using a liquid waste sampler, known
as a coliwasa (described in EPA Solid Waste Method 846), or, if the
biosolids are quite thick, by using a coring device.
140 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-5
Sampling Points for Biosolids
Anaerobically Digested
Collect sample from taps on the discharge side of positive displacement pumps.
Aerobically Digested
Collect sample from taps on discharge lines from pumps. If batch digestion is
used, collect sample directly from the digester. Cautions:
1. If biosolids are aerated during sampling, air entrains in the sample. Volatile
organiccompounds may be purged with escaping air.
2. When aeration is shut off, solids may settle rapidly.
Thickened
Heat Treated
Collect sample from taps on the discharge side of positive displacement pumps.
Collect sample from taps on the discharge side of positive displacement pumps
after decanting. Be careful when sampling heat-treated biosolids because of:
1. High tendency for solids separation.
2. High temperature of sample (temperature >60°C as sampled) can cause
problems with certain sample containers due to cooling and subsequent
contraction of entrained gases.
Dewatered, Dried,
Composted, or
Thermally Reduced
Dewatered by Belt
Filter Press,
Centrifuge, Vacuum
Filter Press
Dewatered by
Biosolids Press
(plate and frame)
Dewatered by
Drying Beds
Compost Piles
Collect sample from material collection conveyors and bulk containers. Collect
sample from many locations within the biosolids mass and at various depths.
Collect sample from biosolids discharge chute.
Collect sample from the storage bin; select four points within the storage bin,
collect equal amount of sample from each point and combine.
Divide bed into quarters, grab equal amounts of sample from the center of each
quarter and combine to form a composite sample of the total bed. Each composite
sample should include the entire depth of the biosolids material (down to the sand).
Collect sample directly from front-end loader while biosolids are being
transported or stockpiled within a few days of use.
A more representative sample of dewatered biosolids (e.g., with a solids
content of 10 to 40 percent) can be obtained by sampling from moving
conveyor belts or front-end loaders that are moving a pile of biosolids (i.e.,
biosolids from drying beds, outdoor drying windrows, compost storage piles,
or dried-out lagoons should be sampled, if possible, when moved). If the
biosolids sample must be taken with the biosolids in place, samples from
the entire area should be taken and combined (e.g., samples from a
compost pile should be taken at various depths and along the length of the
pile and then mixed together).
&BVK Guide to the Part 503 Rule -141
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In most cases, biosolids are sampled at the end of a treatment process, just
prior to their use or disposal. In some instances, sampling may need to be
carried out at a storage, surface disposal, or land application site because of
the possibility of a change in pollutant, pathogen levels, or vector
attractiveness during the period between treatment and use or disposal.
What Types of Sampling Equipment Should Be Used?
Sampling equipment (e.g., coring devices, coliwasas, pitchers, conduits,
shovels, trowels, containers) must be made of materials that will not
contaminate or react with the biosolids. Suitable sampling equipment
materials generally include glass, stainless steel, and plastic (Teflon,
polyethylene, polypropylene). Any steel equipment used must not be
galvanized or zinc coated because it will contaminate the sample.
Moreover, all equipment should be kept clean to avoid contamination. For
samples used to demonstrate compliance with Class A pathogen
requirements, sampling equipment should be sterilized prior to sampling.
Requirements for sample containers are often listed in the description of the
analytical method (see below).
How Large a Sample Is Needed? How Long Can the Sample Be Stored?
It is important both to collect the correct amount of biosolids needed to
perform sample analysis and to preserve and store samples properly. Table
6-6 lists appropriate containers, sample sizes, and preservation and storage
times for sampling biosolids for metals and pathogens. Wide-mouthed
containers are recommended for biosolids sampling.
What If a Test Result Does Not Meet the Part 503 Requirements?
To answer this question, it is important to clarify, first of all, that no violation
occurs unless biosolids have been used or disposed and pollutant contents
exceed regulatory requirements. Second, it is necessary to clarify whether a
monthly average determination (e.g., for pollutant concentration limits or
Class B pathogen status for land application) or an instantaneous
determination (e.g., ceiling concentration limit for land application) is at
issue. Land application would be in compliance even if some of the daily or
weekly biosolids metal determinations included in the monthly average
exceeded the pollutant concentration regulatory limits but the averages did
not. Likewise, land application would be in compliance, even if one or more
of the 7 fecal coliform densities exceeded the Part 503 regulatory limit,
provided the geometric mean of all 7 densities did not.
Consider the same question for land application ceiling concentration limits.
What if one of several samples of the mass of biosolids being analyzed was
above the Part 503 regulatory limit? Does this mean that the particular batch
of biosolids is out of compliance and cannot be land applied? The answer is
142 - &B* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-6
Proper Conditions for Biosolids Sampling
Parameter
Wide-Mouthed
Container
Preservative3
Maximum Storage
Time"
Minimum Volume1*
Solid and
semi-solid samples
Liquid (mercury
only)
Liquid (all other
liquid metals)
P,G
P,G
P,G
Cool,4°C
HNOatopH <2
HNO3 to pH <2
>" " •"""' "" "1
6 months
1 28 days
6 months
300 mL
500 mL
1 ,000 mL
Pathogens
Vector attraction
reduction
G,P,B,SS
|
1 . Cool in ice and
waterto<10"Cif
analysis delayed
>1 hr, or
2. Cool promptly
to <4°C. or
3. Free/.e and store
samples to be
analyzed for
viruses at 0"Cd
Varies11
6 hours
24 hours (bacteria
and viruses)
1 month (helminth
ova)
2 weeks
Varies"
1-4 liters'
1-4 liters0
a Preservatives should be added to sampling containers prior to actual sampling episodes. Storage t;mcs commence upon addition of
sample to sampling container. Shipping of preserved samples to the laboratory may he, hut is generally not, regulated under
Department of Transportation ha/ardous materials regulations.
h Varies with analytical method. Consult 40 CFR Pans 136 and 503.
c Reduced at the laboratory to approx. 3(X) mL samples.
''.Do not frcc/c bacterial or helminth ova samples.
P = Plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon)
G = Glass (non-etched Pyrcx)
B = Prcsterilized bags (for dewatered or free-flowing hiosolids)
SS = Stainless steel (not steel- or /inc-coated)
Source: 40 CFR Part 136, and EPA, December 1992.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 143
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yes, the material could not be land applied unless treated to reduce the
ceiling concentration below the regulatory limit.
If a sample result were discovered to exceed certain limits after the biosolids
are land applied for any of the above cases, the biosolids would be out of
compliance and the responsible person would be subject to enforcement
actions. The permitting authority will decide what action to take when a
requirement is not met. If the failure is substantial, the permitting authority
might withhold approval for—or may no longer allow—land application,
surface disposal, or incineration of the biosolids. If the failure is slight, the
permitting authority might allow reasonable efforts to be made to bring the
process into compliance.
Determining the accuracy of a given sample result affects the ability to
achieve compliance. In many sampling efforts, some results might not
accurately represent the material being sampled as well as other samples
would (these are known as outliers). Some outliers may indicate
noncompliance when other, more representative samples show compliance.
Also, laboratory errors may indicate sample failure when in fact the sample
should have passed. To account for outliers and lab errors, the person
doing the monitoring should take a greater number of samples over a long
timeframe. If most samples in a rigorous sampling effort show compliance, it
is more likely that a single sample failure is an outlier or due to laboratory
error. It should be noted, however, that a large number of samples is
needed to prove that a sample result is an outlier.
Other Sampling Considerations
Other factors that need to be considered when developing sampling
procedures for biosolids include:
Regrowth potential for bacteria. Under certain conditions, some
types of bacteria may regrow in biosolids. The possibility for regrowth
depends on whether conditions such as temperature, pH, and other
factors make the biosolids an advantageous food source for the
bacteria. Because of this potential, the Part 503 rule requires
sampling for fecal coliform or Salmonella sp. bacteria as close as
possible to the time of biosolids use or disposal for the Class A and B
pathogen alternatives where such determinations are required.
Proper quality assurance and quality control procedures. QA/QC
procedures appropriate for collecting samples for metals and for
performing microbiological analysis should be defined and followed.
(EPA's POTW Sludge Sampling and Analysis Guidance
Document provides guidance on sampling and QA/QC procedures.
See also, lists of contacts at the end of this document.)
144 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Packaging procedures. Ensure that packaging does not alter the
biosolids' character or quality. Shipping containers should be kept
upright, tightly sealed, cushioned, insulated, and refrigerated to keep
the sample at approximately 4°C but without freezing the sample.
Shipping time. The sample should reach the lab within 24 hours to
ensure that proper temperature conditions are maintained. U.S.
Department of Transportation regulations prohibit shipping acidified
samples without the proper manifest and hazard markings. Use of
acidified samples should be avoided because shipping is costly.
Proper sample documentation. Documentation is important for
ensuring QA/QC. Documentation includes clearly marked labels with
all appropriate identifying information; a chain-of-custody record that
documents the transfer of the sample material from person-to-person;
and a log book that records all sampling activities.
Personnel safety. Personnel handling biosolids samples should take
precautions to minimize contact with pathogens and pollutants that
may be present in biosolids. Rubber or latex gloves and waterproof
garments should be worn to prevent direct contact. Personnel should
follow procedures that limit the production of explosive gases within
the samples; preserving and refrigerating samples suppresses
biological activity that produces such gases. In addition, sampling
personnel should take precautions to avoid injury when sampling
high-pressure biosolids lines or lines containing high-temperature,
thermally conditioned biosolids.
Sampling Emissions for Biosolids Incineration
Another type of sampling required by Part 503 concerns metals in biosolids
fired in an incinerator and total hydrocarbon (THC) (or carbon monoxide—
CO) emissions from the incinerator's exhaust stack. Methods for sampling
biosolids incinerator emissions are very detailed and should be performed
by experienced professionals.
Chapter Four provides a brief discussion of the performance testing
required for biosolids incinerators. Testing personnel will sample biosolids,
sample the stack gases, and document the operating conditions of the
furnace during the test (i.e., temperature, pressure, voltage, and operation
of air pollution control devices). The performance test, which is run to
represent normal incinerator operating conditions, generates information
that is used to establish acceptable operating conditions for the incinerator
and to calculate maximum pollutant levels for the biosolids fired in the
incinerator.
Maintaining compliance with the required THC (or CO) regulatory limits is
also discussed in Chapter Four of this document.
AEWV Guide to the Part 503 Rule -145
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Analytical Methods for Biosolids Samples
The Part 503 rule requires that specific methods be used for analyzing
biosolids samples for metals, pathogens, and vector attraction reduction.
Table 6-7 lists these methods.
Sources of Additional Information on Sampling and Analysis of
Biosolids
Environmental Regulations and Technology: Control of Pathogens
and Vector Attraction in Sewage Sludge
U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH. Phone
(614) 292-6717. EPA/625/R-92/013, December 1992.
POTW Sludge Sampling and Analysis Guidance Document
U.S. EPA, Permits Division, Washington, DC. 1st edition, August 1989.
NTIS PB 93-227957. Phone (800) 553-6847. Revised 2nd edition
scheduled for publication in September 1994.
146 - <&EFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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TABLE 6-7
Analytical Methods for Biosolids Sampling8
Enteric Viruses
ASTM Designation: D 4994-89, Standard Practice for
Recovery of Viruses from Wastewater Sludges, Annual
Book of ASTM Standards: Section 11. Water and
Environmental Technology, ASTM, Philadelphia, PA,
1992.
Fecal Coliform
Part 9221 E or Part 922 D, Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18th edition,
American Public Health Association, Washington, DC,
1992.
Helminth Ova
Yanko, W.A., Occurrence of Pathogens in Distribution
and Marketing Municipal Sludges, EPA/600/1-87/014,
1987. PB 88-154273/AS, National Technical
Information Service, Springfield, VA; (800) 553-6847.
Inorganic Pollutants
Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste,
Physical/Chemical Methods, EPA Publication SW-846,
3rd edition (1986) with Revision I. 2nd edition. PB
87-120291, National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, VA. 3rd edition Doc. No.
955-001-00000-1, Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Salmonella sp. Bacteria
Part 9260 D, Standard Methods for Examination of
Water and Wastewater, 18th edition, American Public
Health Association, Washington, DC, 1992; or, Kenner,
B.A. and H.P. Clark, Detection and Enumeration of
Salmonella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, J. Water
Pollution Control Federation, 46(9):2163-2171, 1974.
Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate
Part 2710 B, Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Wastewater, 18th edition, American Public
Health Association, Washington, DC, 1992.
Total, Fixed, and Volatile Solids
Part 2540 G, Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Wastewater, 18th edition, American Public
Health Association, Washington, DC, 1992.
Percent Volatile Solids Reduction Calculation11
Environmental Regulations and Technology—Control
of Pathogens and Vectors in Sewage Sludge,
EPA/625/R-92/013, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 1992; (614) 292-6717.
a These analytical methods are required by the Part 503 rule.
b This analytical method is provided as guidance in the Part 503 rule.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -147
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Common Questions and Answers
^: Most facilities will not wait several weeks for laboratory results
^ before shipping biosolids off site for use or disposal. What action
will be taken when the laboratory results show that biosolids that have
already been land applied actually exceeded pollutant ceiling
concentration limits?
I : The preparer will be in violation for noncompliance. The ceiling
- concentration limits in Part 503 are instantaneous, not-to-exceed
values; thus, exceeding the concentrations is a violation. If the biosolids
quality is unusually close to the ceiling concentration limits, the facility may
need to require pretreatment or to take other suitable steps to enhance the
quality. EPA will enforce the rule as is warranted, using all remedies at its
disposal, including injunctive relief and/or penalty actions.
f j|: Are there any measures in the Part 503 rule that deal with small
\^* communities that cannot afford to achieve immediate compliance
for monitoring biosolids and are not able to receive financial aid?
t: There are no specific provisions in the Part 503 rule that deal with the
financial status of a preparer. In developing the frequency of monitoring
requirements, however, EPA based the stipulations on the amount of
biosolids being used or disposed. Therefore, smaller facilities that use or
dispose of smaller amounts of biosolids will generally be required to monitor
less frequently than larger facilities.
/ \; Do Part 503 frequency of monitoring requirements apply in the
' ' same manner to biosolids that are being stored for a significant
period of time prior to land application as to those biosolids that are
being land-applied throughout the year generally in accordance with
their generation or preparation ?
t: The frequency of monitoring requirements in the Part 503 rule were
established for biosolids that are being land-applied generally in
accordance with their generation or preparation. The overriding
consideration for monitoring biosolids that have been stored for a period of
months prior to being land-applied over a short time period is to obtain a
representative sample that reflects the current status of the biosolids.
148 - «ER* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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;: How should biosolids be monitored that have been stored for a
*v_ number of months prior to being land applied during a short time
period compared to biosolids that are being land applied generally in
accordance with their generation or preparation? How frequently
should you monitor? What is the potential for liability if the biosolids
being land-applied fail to meet the ceiling limits, pollutant
concentration limits, or pathogen and vector attraction reduction
requirements?
: : The following two cases are given to help answer the frequency of
-> monitoring questions. In both of the following cases the assumption is
made that the facility generates or prepares over 15,000 DMT of biosolids
during the year. In Case 1 the biosolids are land applied 12 months during
the year generally in accordance with their generation/preparation, and in
Case 2 they are stored for 11 months and then land applied during the 12th
month. The answer for Case 1 is as described in the frequency of
monitoring tables in the Part 503 rule. The answer to Case 2 involves the
need for taking a sample that is truly representative of the mass of biosolids
that is about to be land applied. The exact method chosen to gain a
representative sample for Case 2 will depend on a careful examination of
the circumstances.
Pollutant Ceiling Limits
For Case 1 the answer is rather straightforward. The frequency of
monitoring table in the Part 503 rule requires facilities that are generating or
preparing and land applying 15,000 DMT of biosolids throughout the year to
take one representative sample for analysis each month. If any analyzed
sample exceeded the ceiling limits in a given month, the biosolids
represented by that sample could not be land applied unless that batch of
biosolids underwent further treatment to reduce the content of the
exceedant pollutant to below its ceiling limits. If the exceedant batch of
biosolids was added to other non-exceedant batches, then the entire
combined batch of biosolids would have to undergo treatment and
additional sampling and analysis to show its compliance with pollutant
ceiling limits.
For Case 2, the answer is different. The generator, preparer, or land applier,
in conjunction with the permitting authority, could decide on more than one
approach for frequency of monitoring—as long as sample(s) taken were
representative. One approach (Case 2A) might be to take one or more
representative composite samples of the entire 15,000 DMT batch of stored
biosolids for analysis. Another approach (Case 2B) might be to take 12
monthly representative samples as the biosolids are being generated or
prepared and put into storage. Other approaches might also be appropriate.
SERA Guide to the Part 503 Rule -149
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Failure to meet pollutant ceiling limits for Case 2A monitoring would require
additional treatment and testing to show compliance. If you were following
the monthly sampling and analysis Case 2B option, what would happen if
one of your monthly samples exceeded the ceiling limits? The batch of
biosolids that the sample represented could not be land applied unless you
provided additional treatment to reduce the pollutant levels in the exceedant
batch to below the ceiling limits. If the exceedant batch was added to other
non-exceedant biosolids of batches, then the entire mixture of batches
would have to undergo additional treatment, sampling, and analysis to show
that the pollutant ceiling limits were not exceeded.
Additional treatment processes that could be used to reduce the pollutant
content in the exceedant biosolids to below the ceiling limits for either Case
1 or 2 could involve composting, lime treatment, or blending with biosolids
that contain lower levels of pollutants.
Pollutant Concentration Limits
Assume in Case 1 that you were trying to meet the pollutant concentration
limits so that the biosolids could be used with a PC or EQ classification.
Assume also that weekly composite samples were taken and analyzed as a
basis for determining the average monthly pollutant concentrations.
Could the PC or EQ classification for your biosolids be retained if the
pollutant levels in any of the weekly composite samples exceeded the
pollutant concentration limits? As long as the average of all of those
samples taken within a given month did not exceed the pollutant
concentration limit, your biosolids would still have a PC or EQ
classification—provided they also met necessary pathogen and vector
attraction reduction requirements. (Remember that you must report the
results of all analyses made.)
Assume in Case 2 that you were trying to meet the pollutant concentration
limits and use the biosolids with a PC or EQ classification. As for Case 2
pollutant ceiling limits, you, in conjunction with the permitting authority, could
decide on more than one approach for taking a representative sample of the
stored biosolids. For Case 2A suppose that your sampling and analysis
was performed just prior to the month the biosolids were being land applied,
and that you took more than one representative sample during that month.
Suppose further that one of the representative samples exceeded one of
the pollutant concentration limits. Would your 15.000 DMT of biosolids meet
the pollutant concentration limits as long as the average of all those
representative samples taken during that month meet the limits? Yes.
Depending on the circumstances, however, you might be required to remix
the 15,000 DMT of biosolids and take and test several more representative
samples to demonstrate compliance with the pollutant concentration limits.
150 - oB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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For Case 2B, suppose that all biosolids generated by the facility were
commingled during the 11-month storage period and that at least one of the
monthly samples exceeded the pollutant concentration limits. Assume
further that all the stored biosolids were land applied during the 12th month.
Could the biosolids be classified as PC or EQ if the mean of the 12 monthly
analyzed samples did not exceed the pollutant concentration limits? Yes.
Depending on the circumstances, however, you might be required to remix
the 15,000 DMT of biosolids and take and test several more representative
samples to demonstrate compliance with the pollutant concentration limits.
Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate (CPLR) Monitoring
Assume that you analyzed for pollutant concentrations as described
immediately above and found that the concentration of metal pollutants in
your tested biosolids exceeded those concentrations listed in Section
503.13, Table 3, but were less than the ceiling limits in Section 503.13,
Table 1. By whatever monitoring method you used to sample
representatively and determine pollutant contents, you would have to keep
track of and meet all other Part 503 requirements for land applying those
biosolids.
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction
For both Cases 1 and 2, the current guidance for determining if biosolids
meet Class B pathogen requirements (where pathogen indicator
measurements are applicable) is to take a minimum of seven samples for
analysis that are representative of the material that will be used or disposed.
As long as the geometric mean of the pathogen indicator concentration
does not exceed the limit, the biosolids meet the Class B pathogen
classification. Guidance also suggests that the same seven samples could
be used to determine vector attraction reduction (VAR) for those VAR
processes that require analysis. Similar steps could be taken to determine
biosolids compliance with Class A pathogen status.
It is important that the samples of the biosolids be taken and analyzed for
pathogen and VAR close enough to the time of land application to be
reflective of current status, but not so close that the results are not available
until after the biosolids have been land applied. If the delayed results
showed that the land applied biosolids were not in compliance, then you
would be subject to a potential enforcement action.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -151
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References
A Guide to the Biosolids Risk Assessment Methodology for the EPA
503 Rule. U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Management.
EPA/832-B-93-005. Available late in 1994.
Biosolids Recycling: Beneficial Technology for a Better Environment.
U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Management. EPA/832-R-93-009. June
1994.
Domestic Septage Regulatory Guidance: A Guide to the EPA 503 Rule.
U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Management. EPA/832-B-92-005.
September 1993.
Environmental Regulations and Technology: Control of Pathogens
and Vector Attraction in Sewage Sludge. U.S. EPA, Office of Research
and Development. EPA/625/R-92/013. December 1992.
Guidance for Writing Permits for the Use or Disposal of Sewage
Sludge (Draft). U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Management. March 1993.
Final available late in 1994.
Guideline on Air Quality Models (Revised) (Appendix W of 40 CFR Part
51). U.S. EPA, EPA/450/2-78-027R. August 1993.
Land Application of Sewage Sludge: A Guide for Land Appliers on the
Record Keeping and Reporting Requirements of the Federal
Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, 40 CFR Part 503.
U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Enforcement and Compliance.
EPA/831-B-002b. June 1994.
Methods Manual for Compliance with the BIF (Boilers and Industrial
Furnaces) Regulations. U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste.
EPA/530/SW-91-010. December 1990.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -153
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POTW Sludge Sampling and Analysis Guidance Document. U.S. EPA,
Permits Division, Washington, DC. 1st edition, August 1989. NTIS:
PB93-227957. Revised 2nd edition expected in 1994.
Preparing Sewage Sludge for Land Application or Surface
Disposal—A Guide for Preparers of Sewage Sludge on the Monitoring,
Record Keeping, and Reporting Requirements of the Federal
Standards for Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, 40 CFR Part 503.
U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Enforcement and Compliance.
EPA/813-B-93-002a. NTIS: PB94-102415. September 1993.
Process Design Manual: Land Application of Sewage Sludge and
Domestic Septage. U.S. EPA, Center for Environmental Research
Information, Cincinnati, OH. Expected to be available in early 1995.
Process Design Manual: Surface Disposal of Sewage Sludge and
Domestic Septage. U.S. EPA, Center for Environmental Research
Information, Cincinnati, OH. Expected to be available in early 1995.
Sewage Sludge Sampling Video. U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater
Enforcement and Compliance. 1993. Available from the Office of Water
Resource Center (202-260-7786) or EPA Regional Offices.
Surface Disposal of Sewage Sludge: A Guide for Owners/Operators of
Surface Disposal Facilities on the Monitoring, Record Keeping, and
Reporting Requirements for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, 40
CFR Part 503. U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Enforcement and
Compliance. EPA/831-B-93-002C. June 1994.
Technical Support Document for Incineration of Sewage Sludge. U.S.
EPA, Office of Water. NTIS: PB93-110617. 1993.
Technical Support Document for Land Application of Sewage Sludge,
Volumes 1 and 2. U.S. EPA, Office of Water. NTIS: PB93-110583 and
PB93-110575. 1993.
Technical Support Document for Reduction of Pathogens and Vector
Attraction in Sewage Sludge. U.S. EPA, Office of Water. NTIS:
PB93-110609. 1993.
Technical Support Document for Surface Disposal of Sewage Sludge.
U.S. EPA, Office of Water. NTIS: PB93-110591.1993.
154 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Most of the EPA references are available from the following:
Office of Water Resource Center (OWRC)
202-260-7786 (phone)
U.S. EPA
401 M. Street, SW. (RC-4100)
Washington, DC 20460
Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI)
513-569-7562 (phone)
513-569-7585 (fax)
26 West Martin Luther King
Cincinnati, OH 45268
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
800-553-6847 (phone)
703-487-4650 (phone)
703-321-8547 (fax)
U.S. Dept. of Commerce
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Education Resource Information Center (ERIC)
614-292-6717 (phone)
614-292-0263 (fax)
C/O West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6064
Morgantown, WV 26506-6064
6EFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule -155
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Appendix A
Permit Application Requirements
Permits that are issued to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) must
include standards for biosolids use or disposal. In addition, EPA may issue
biosolids permits to other "treatment works treating domestic sewage"
(TWTDS) (i.e., other facilities that generate, change the quality of, or
dispose of biosolids). Please note that this document refers to these permits
as "biosolids permits" instead of "sewage sludge permits," just as it refers to
sewage sludge as biosolids throughout this appendix to recognize and
emphasize that these wastewater products can be used beneficially.
The EPA's biosolids management program regulations establish a
framework for permitting biosolids use or disposal. The regulations require
submission of a permit application that provides the permitting authority with
sufficient information to issue an appropriate permit.
A permit application must include information on the entity's identity,
location, and regulatory status, as well as information on the quality,
quantity, and ultimate use or disposal of the biosolids.
Because the biosolids permitting regulations were promulgated several
years before the Part 503 standards, they describe the required application
information in broad, almost generic terms. EPA has developed an interim
application form and the Agency is planning to revise the permit application
regulations to reflect specifically the Part 503 standards.
The deadlines for submitting permit applications were revised in 1993 and
are as follows:
&EP* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -157
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Applicants requiring site-specific pollutant limits in their permits (e.g.,
biosolids incinerators) and persons requesting site-specific limits (e.g.,
some surface disposal sites) were required to submit applications by
August 18, 1993.
All other applicants with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permits are required to submit biosolids permit
applications at the time of their next NPDES permit renewals.
So-called biosolids-only (non-NPDES) facilities that are not applying
for site-specific limits, and are not otherwise required to submit a full
permit application, only need to submit limited screening information
and must have done so by February 19, 1994.
The permit application information that must be submitted depends on the
type of facility and which biosolids use or disposal practices the facility
employs. Questions on permit applications should be directed to the
appropriate State and EPA Regional Biosolids Coordinators listed in
Appendix B.
Biosolids-Only Entities
Some of the limited screening information submitted by a person with a
biosolids-only operation (i.e., biosolids from a non-discharging treatment
works that treats domestic sewage) typically will include the:
name, address, and phone number of the person who prepares the
biosolids;
name and address of the person who either owns or leases the land;
location of the land either by street address or by latitude and
longitude;
indication of whether the entity is a privately owned treatment works
(POTW), Federally owned treatment works, blending or treatment
operation, surface disposal site, or biosolids incinerator;
the amount of biosolids generated (and/or received from another
facility), treated, and used or disposed;
available data on pollutant concentrations in the biosolids;
treatment to reduce pathogens and vector attraction properties of the
biosolids;
identification of other facilities receiving the biosolids for further
processing or for use or disposal; and
information on sites where the biosolids are used or disposed.
158 - AB¥V Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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Other Entities Submitting Full Permit Applications
A full permit application includes much more comprehensive information
than the limited screening information described above for [biosolids]-only
entities. Some of the information contained in a full permit application
typically will include the following:
A. General Information:
name, address, and phone number of the person who prepares the
biosolids;
name and address of the person who either owns or leases the land;
location of the land either by street address or by latitude and
longitude;
indication of whether the entity is a POTW, Federally owned
treatment works, blending or treatment operation, surface disposal
site, or biosolids incinerator;
indication of whether the entity is a Class I sludge management
facility (i.e., a pretreatment POTW or another facility designated Class
I by the permitting authority);
the NPDES permit number (if any) and the number and type of any
relevant Federal, State, or local environmental permits or construction
approvals applied for or received;
whether any biosolids use or disposal occurs on Native American
lands;
a topographic map showing biosolids use or disposal facilities and
water bodies 1 mile beyond the property boundary and drinking water
wells 1/4 mile beyond the property boundary;
data on methods used to determine pathogen and vector attraction
reduction status; and
data on pollutant concentrations in the biosolids.
B. Information on Generation of Biosolids or Preparation of a
Material from Biosolids:
the amount of biosolids generated;
if biosolids are received from off site, the amount received, the name
and address of the offsite facility, and any treatment the biosolids
have received;
description of any treatment at the applicant's facility to reduce
pathogens and vector attraction properties of the biosolids;
description of any bagging and distribution activities for the biosolids;
and
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -159
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if biosolids are provided to another facility for further treatment, the
amount provided, the name and address of the receiving facility, and
any treatment occurring at the receiving facility.
C. Information on Land Application of Bulk Biosolids (if the facility's
biosolids are land applied):
the amount of bulk biosolids applied to the land;
the nitrogen content of bulk biosolids applied to the land;
the name and location of land application sites, and a copy of the land
application plan if all sites have not been identified;
the name and address of the owner and the person who applies bulk
biosolids to each site;
the site type and the type of crop or other vegetation grown;
description of any processes at each land application site to reduce
vector attraction properties of the biosolids;
ground-water monitoring data, if available;
if bulk biosolids are subject to cumulative pollutant loading rates,
information on how the necessary tracking and notification
requirements will be met; and
if bulk biosolids are applied to the land in a different State, information
on how the permitting authority in the receiving State will be notified.
D. Information on Surface Disposal of Biosolids (if the facility's
biosolids are placed on a surface disposal site):
the amount of biosolids placed on surface disposal sites; and
the name, address, contact person, and permit number(s) for each
surface disposal site, regardless of whether the applicant is the
owner/operator.
In addition, the following information is required for each active
biosolids unit that the applicant owns or operates:
the amount of biosolids placed on the active biosolids unit;
whether the active biosolids unit has a liner and leachate collection
system and, if so, a description of each;
if biosolids are received from off site, the amount received, the name
and address and permit number(s) of the offsite facility, and any
treatment the biosolids have received;
description of any processes used at the active biosolids unit to
reduce vector attraction properties of the biosolids;
demonstration that the active biosolids unit will not contaminate an
aquifer;
160 - AB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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• description of methane monitoring and closure plans; and
• if the applicant is requesting site-specific pollutant limits, information
to support such a request.
E. Information on Incineration of Biosolids (if the facility's biosoiids
are fired in a biosoiids incinerator):
* the name, address, contact person, mailing address, location, and
relevant permit number(s) of each biosoiids incinerator in which the
applicant's biosoiids are fired;
« the amount of biosoiids from the applicant's facility that is incinerated;
* information to demonstrate compliance with National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for beryllium and
mercury for each biosoiids incinerator the applicant owns or operates;
* information on the other regulated metal pollutants (arsenic,
cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel) for biosoiids that are
incinerated;
» information to demonstrate compliance with the operational standard
for total hydrocarbons (or carbon monoxide) for each biosoiids
incinerator the applicant owns or operates;
• the dispersion factor, control efficiency, and operating parameters for
each biosoiids incinerator the applicant owns or operates; and
• identification of monitoring equipment and air pollution control
equipment used on each incinerator the applicant owns or operates.
All permit applications must be signed and certified. The permitting authority
may request additional information to assess biosoiids use or disposal
practices, determine whether to issue a permit, or to identify appropriate
permit requirements.
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -161
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Appendix B
Federal and State Biosolids Contacts'
EPA Regional Biosolids' Coordinators
REGION 1 REGION 3
Thelma Hamilton (WMT-ZIN) Ann Carkhuff (3WM55)
JFK Federal Bldg. 841 Chestnut St.
One Congress St. Philadelphia, PA 19107
Boston, MA 02203 (215) 597-9406
(617) 565-3569 Fax (215) 597-3359
Fax (617) 565-4940
REGION 4
REGION 2 w I,-,,
Vmce Miller
Alia Roufaeal Water Division
Water Management Division 345 Courtland St., NE.
26 Federal Plaza Atlanta, GA 30365
New York, NY 10278 (404) 347-3012 (ext. 2953)
(212) 264-8663 Fax (404) 347-1739
Fax (212) 264-9597
'Also known as Sewage Sludge Contacts or Coordinators.
6B* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -163
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REGION 5
AshSajjad(5WQP-16J)
Water Division
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
(312)886-6112
Fax (312) 886-7804
REGION 8
Bob Brobst (BWM-C)
Water Management Division
999 18th St., Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2405
(303)293-1627
Fax (303) 294-1386
REGION 6
Stephanie Kordzi (6-WPM)
Water Management Division
1445 Ross Ave., # 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214)665-7520
Fax (214) 665-6490
REGION 9
Lauren Fondahl
Permits Section
75 Hawthorne St. (W-5-2)
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)744-1909
Fax (415) 744-1235
REGION?
John Dunn
Water Management Division
726 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913)551-7594
Fax(913)551-7765
REGION 10
Dick Hetherington (WD-184)
Water Management Division
1200 Sixth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
(206)553-1941
Fax (206) 553-1775
164 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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U.S. EPA Regions
Region—State
4—Alabama
10—Alaska
9—Arizona
6—Arkansas
9—California
8—Colorado
1—Connecticut
3—Delaware
3—Washington, DC
4—Florida
4—Georgia
9—Hawaii
10—Idaho
5—Illinois
5—Indiana
7—Iowa
7—Kansas
4—Kentucky
6—Louisiana
Region—State
1—Maine
3—Maryland
1—Massachusetts
5—Michigan
5—Minnesota
4—Mississippi
7—Missouri
8—Montana
7—Nebraska
9—Nevada
1—New Hampshire
2—New Jersey
&—New Mexico
2—New York
4—North Carolina
8—North Dakota
5—Ohio
6—Oklahoma
10—Oregon
Region—State
3—Pennsylvania
1—Rhode Island
4—South Carolina
8—South Dakota
4—Tennessee
6—Texas
8—Utah
1—Vermont
3—Virginia
10—Washington
3—West Virginia
5—Wisconsin
8—Wyoming
9—American Samoa
9—Guam
2—Puerto Rico
2—Virgin Islands
Guide to the Part 503 Rule -165
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State Biosolids* Contacts
ALABAMA ARKANSAS
Cliff Evans
Municipal Branch
Water Quality Program
Alabama Dept. of Env. Mgmt.
1751 Cong. W.L Dickinson Dr.
Montgomery, AL 36130
(205)271-7816
ALASKA
Bill Pagan (Technical Assistance)
Alaska Dept. of Env. Conservation
Room 103
410 Willoughby Avenue
Juneau, AK 99811
(907)465-5142
Dick Marcum (Permits)
Alaska DEC, Suite 105
410 Willoughby Avenue
Juneau, AK 99811
(907)465-2614
ARIZONA
Melanie Barton
Solid Waste Section
Arizona Dept. of Environmental
Quality
3033 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602)207-4319
Daniel Clanton
Arkansas Dept. of Pollution
Control Ecology
P.O. Box8913
Little Rock, AR 72219
(501)570-2826
Jamal Sulaimian
Arkansas Dept. of Pollution
8001 National Drive
Little Rock, AR 72209
(501)562-7444
CALIFORNIA
Mark Bradley
State Water Resources Control
Board
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95801
(916)654-6498
Scott McFarland
CA Integrated Waste Mgmt. Board
8800 Cal Centre Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916)255-2931
COLORADO
Phil Hegeman
Water Quality Control Division
Colorado Dept. of Public Health and
the Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 692-3598
'Also known as Sewage Sludge Contacts or Coordinators.
166 - *B*V Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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CONNECTICUT
Bob Norwood and Warren Herzig
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Water Compliance Unit
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
(203) 424-3746
(203) 424-3801
FLORIDA
Juliene Gissendanner
Domestic Waste Section
Florida Dept. of Env. Regulation
Twin Towers Office Building
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
(904) 488-4525
DELAWARE
Ron Graeber
Waste Utilization Program
Large Wastewater Systems Branch
Dept. of Natural Resources and
Environmental Control
P.O. Box 1401, 89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19903
(302) 739-4761
Bob Zimmerman/Jenny McDermott
Branch Administrators
Waste Utilization Program
Division of Water Resources
Dept. of Natural Resources and
Environmental Control
P.O. Box 1401, 89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19903
(302) 739-5731
GEORGIA
Nancy Prock
Municipal Permitting Program
Environmental Protection Div.
Georgia DNR
4244 International Pkwy., Suite 110
Atlanta, GA 30354
(404) 362-2680
HAWAII
Dennis Tulang
Wastewater Branch
Hawaii Dept. of Health
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801
(808) 586-4294
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Ronald Eng
Water Resources Management
Division
2100 M.LK. Ave., SE., Suite 203
Washington, DC 20032
(202)404-1120
IDAHO
Jerry Yodder
Permits & Enforcement
Division of the Environment
Dept. of Health and Welfare
1410 North Hilton
Boise, ID 83706-1253
(208) 334-5856
6EFA Guide to the Part 503 Rule -167
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ILLINOIS
S. Alan Keller
Illinois EPA, Permits Section
P.O. Box 19276
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
(217)782-0610
INDIANA
Dennis Lassiter
Permits Section
Indiana Dept. of Env. Mgmt.
P.O. Box6015
105S. Meridian
Indianapolis, IN 46206-6015
(317)232-8732
IOWA
Billy Chen
Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
Henry A. Wallace Bldg.
900 East Grand
DesMoines, IA 50319
(515)281-4305
KANSAS
Ed Dillingham
Kansas Dept. of Health &
Environment
Forbes Field Building 283
Topeka, KS 66620
(913)296-5513
KENTUCKY
Art Curtis
Facilities Construction Branch
Division of Water
Kentucky Dept. of Natural
Resources & Environmental
Protection Cabinet
Frankfort Office Park -14 Reilly Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502)564-4310
Bob Bickner/Mark Crim
Facilities Construction Branch
Division of Water
Kentucky Dept. of Natural
Resources & Environmental
Protection Cabinet
Frankfort Office Park -14 Reilly Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502)564-6716
LOUISIANA
J. Kilren Vidrine
Water Pollution Control Div.
Louisiana Dept. of
Environmental Quality
P.O. Box82215
Baton Rouge, LA 70884-2215
(504) 765-0534
Hoa Van Hguyen
Solid Waste Div.
Louisiana Dept. of
Environmental Quality
P.O. Box82178
Baton Rouge, LA 70884-2178
(504) 765-0249
168 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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MAINE
MINNESOTA
David Wright
Maine DEP-Sludge Residuals Unit
State House, Station 1 7
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-2651
MARYLAND
Simin Tigari
Sewage Sludge Div.
Haz. & Solid Waste Mgmt. Admin.
MD Dept. of the Environment
2500 Broening Hwy.
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410)631-3375
MASSACHUSETTS
Dennis (Rick) Dunn
MADEP
1 Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617)556-1130
MICHIGAN
Barry R. Burns
Permits Section
Michigan DNR Surface W.Q. Div.
Knapp's Center, Second Floor
P.O. Box 30273
Lansing, Ml 48909
(517)335-3301
Bob Deatrick
Hydrogeologic Review Unit
Groundwater Section
Michigan DNR
P.O. Box 30241
Lansing, Ml 48909
(517)373-8411
Jorja A. DuFresne
Municipal Section
Water Quality Division
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
(612)296-9292
MISSISSIPPI
Glen Odom - Chief Delegator
Municipal Permit Compliance Branch
Surface Water Quality Div.
Office of Pollution Control
Mississippi Dept. of Env. Qual.
P.O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289-0385
(601)961-5171
MISSOURI
Ken Arnold
Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 176
205 Jefferson Street
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(314)751-6825
MONTANA
Pat Burke
Water Quality Bureau
Dept. of Health & Environ. Sciences
Cogswell Building
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-7343
Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 169
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NEBRASKA
Rick Bay
Engineering Division
Nebraska Dept. of Environ. Control
P.O. Box 94877, Statehouse Station
Lincoln, NB 68509-8922
(402)471-4200
Rudy Fiedler (Technical Assistance)
Engineering Division
Nebraska Dept. of Environ. Control
Suite 400, The Atrium, 1200 N. Street
P.O. Box 98922
Lincoln, NB 68509-8922
(402)471-4239
NEVADA
Mahmood Azad
Nevada Division of
Environmental Protection
333 West Nye Lane
Carson City, NV 89710
(702)687-4670x3141
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Selena Makofsky
Sludge & Septage Mgmt. Section
Dept. of Environmental Services
P.O. Box 95 — Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301
(603)271-3398
NEW JERSEY
Mary Jo Aiello, Chief
Bureau of Pretreatment &
Wastewater Facilities Regulation
Program
NJ DEPE (CN-029)
Trenton, NJ 08625-0029
(609) 633-3823
NEW MEXICO
Arun Dhawan
Construction Programs Bureau
New Mexico Environment Dept.
P.O. Box2611
1190 St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87502
(505) 827-2809
NEW YORK
Sally Rowland
Residuals Management Section
Division of Solid Waste
NY State DEC
50 Wolf Road
Room 422
Albany, NY 12233-4014
(518)457-7336
NORTH CAROLINA
Dennis Ramsey/Donald Safrit
Water Quality Section
NC Dept. of Environmental
Management
512 N.Salisbury St.
Raleigh, NC 27626-0535
(919)733-5083
Allen Wahab, Supervisor
Local Planning Management Unit
North Carolina Department of
Environmental Management
P.O. Box 29535
Raleigh, NC 27626-0535
(919)733-6900
170 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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NORTH DAKOTA
Gary Bracht
Environmental Health Section
Division of Water Quality
North Dakota Dept. of Health
1200 Missouri Avenue, P.O. Box 5520
Bismark, ND 58505-5520
(701)221-5210
OREGON
Mark Ronayne
Municipal Waste Section
Dept. of Environmental Quality
811 S.W. 6th Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 229-5279
OHIO
David Jensuk
Div. of Surface Water
Ohio EPA
P.O. Box 1049
1800 WaterMark Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43216-0149
(614) 644-2021
Mark Stump
Div. of Surface Water
Ohio EPA
P.O. Box 1049
1800 WaterMark Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43216-0149
(614) 644-2001
Dan Harris (co-disposal, monofill)
Div. of Solid & Infectious
Waste Mgmt.
Ohio EPA
P.O. Box 1049
1800 WaterMark Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43266-0149
(614)644-2621
OKLAHOMA
Danny Hodges
Water Quality Service
Oklahoma State Dept. of Health
1000 N.E. Tenth
Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1299
(405)271-7362x127
PENNSYLVANIA
Steve Socash
Bureau of Waste Mgmt.
PADER
P.O. Box 8472
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472
(717)787-7381
R.B. Patel
Division of Water Quality Mgmt.
PADER
P.O. Box 8472
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472
(717)787-8184
RHODE ISLAND
David Chopy
Rl Division of Water Resources
291 Promenade Street
Providence, Rl 02908-5756
(401)277-3961
SOUTH CAROLINA
Michael Montebello
Domestic Wastewater Division
South Carolina Dept. of Health
& Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-5300
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -171
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SOUTH DAKOTA
Bill Geyer
SD Dept. of the Environment
& Natural Resources
Joe Foss Building
523 East Capital
Pierre, SD 57501-3181
(605) 773-3351
UTAH
Lisa Rogers
Div. of Water Quality
UT Dept. of Env. Quality
P.O. Box144870
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870
(801)538-6146
TENNESSEE
John McCurran
Div. of Water Pollution Control
TN Dept. of Environment and
Conservation
401 Church Street, 6th Floor Annex
Nashville, TN 37243-1534
(615)532-0625
VERMONT
Katie Gehr
Wastewater Mgmt. Div.
Dept. of Environmental Conservation
103 South Main Street
Sewing Building
Waterbury, VT 05671-0405
(802)241-3822
TEXAS
Stephen M. Bell
Construction Grants Div.
Texas Water Development Board
P.O. Box 13231, Capitol Sta.
Austin, TX 78711-3231
(512)463-8491
Paul Curtis
Texas Natural Resources
Conservation Commission
P.O. Box13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
(512)239-4580
VIRGINIA
Cal M. Sawyer (Technical
Assistance)
Division of Wastewater Engr.
Virginia Dept. of Health
109 Governor Street
Madison Building
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 786-1755
Martin Ferguson (Permits)
Dept. of Environmental Quality
Office of Resource Mgmt.
P.O. Box 11143
Richmond, VA 23230-1143
(804) 527-5030
172 - offlA Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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WASHINGTON
Kyle Dorsey
Solid & Haz, Waste Program
Dept. of Ecology (PV-11)
Rowe 6, Building 4
4224 6th Ave.,SE
Oiympia, WA 98404-8711
(206) 459-6356
WISCONSIN
Greg Kester
Bureau of Wastewater Mgmt,
(WW/2)
Wisconsin DNR
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, Wl 53707
(608) 267-7611
WEST VIRGINIA
Clifton Browning
Div. of Water Resources
West VA DNR
1201 Greenbrier Street
Charleston, WV 25311
(304)558-2108
WYOMING
Larry Robinson
Water Quality Division
Dept. of Environmental Quality
Herschler Bldg., 4th Floor West
122 West 25th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7075
SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule -173
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Appendix C
U.S. Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service
Regional Contacts
SERA Guide to the Part 503 Rule - 175
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APPENDIX C
U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Contacts
Region
Jurisdiction
I
Regional Directors
California, Hawaii, Idaho,
Nevada, Oregon,
Washington, American
Samoa, Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, I
Guam, and the Pacific Trust
Territories
Assistant Regional Directors
Law Enforcement
Michael J. Spear
Hastside Federal Complex
911 N.E. llth Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97232-4181
(503)231-2234
David L. McMullen
Hastside Federal Complex
911 N.fi. llth Avenue
Portland. Oregon 97232-4181
(503)231-6125
Arizona, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa.
Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, and
Wisconsin
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, N.
Carolina, S. Carolina,
Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and
the U.S. Virgin Islands
Connecticut, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts.
New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island, Vermont,
Virginia, and W. Virginia
John Rogers
P.O.Box 1306
Albuquerque, New Mexico
87103
(505)766-2321
Sain Marler
P.O. Box 45
Federal Bdg, Fort Snelling
Twin Cities, Minnesota 551
(612)725-3563
James W. Pulliam, Jr.
1875 Century Blvd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
(404) 679-4000
Ronald E. Lambertson
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley. Massachusetts 01035
(413)253-8300
John E. Cross
P.O. Box 329
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505)766-2091
William Zimmerman (Acting)
Box 45
Federal Bldg, Fort Snelling
Twin Cities. Minnesota 55111
(612)725-3530
Monty Halcomb
1875 Century Blvd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
(404) 679-7057
Albert Hester
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, Massachusetts 01035
(413)253-8274
Colorado, Kansas, Montana,
Nebraska, N. Dakota,
S. Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming
Ralph Moraenweck
P.O. Box 25486
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
(303)236-7920
Terry Gross
P.O. Box 25486
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
(303) 236-7540
Alaska
Walter O. Stiegiltz
1100 E.Tudor Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
(907)785-3542
R. David Purinton
P.O. Box 92597
Anchorage, Alaska
99509-2597
(907)786-3311
176 - SB* Guide to the Part 503 Rule
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COMMENTS REQUESTED ON THIS PART503 RULE GUIDANCE
Please let us know what you think about this guidance. Please offer any suggestions you might
have for future improvement using this comment sheet. Please send your comments to us at
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, Municipal
Technology Branch (4204), Washington, DC 20460.
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3. Please also indicate what you do not like about the guidance.
4. Please offer suggestions for improvement of the guidance.
5. Please offer suggestions for development of other materials that you believe would be helpful.
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