Dioxin standards for compost ?

[philip@prcn.org (Philip Fleischer)]

MacMillan Bloedel Powell River Division has a permit application
before the BC Ministry of Environment to allow them to run some
field trials on some alternative disposal methods for pulp mill
wastes.  The wastes include grate ash and primary and secondary
sludge.

(The mill is an ECF convert though not 100% converted at this
point.)

Primary sludge is 96% water and has a dioxin TEQ in the 50 to 700
pg/g range (min and max from the sequence of months for which
measurements are available.)

They propose to make compost and spread it around here in the field
trial and, if this works, go into 'production'.

They will add mineral nitrogen to the sludge.  The sludge contains
contaminants other than dioxin.  The metals have been measured and
they appear to be within standards for metal content for compost.
No other compost standards are mentioned.

Does anyone know of any standards or guidelines for dioxin in
compost?


Philip Fleischer
philip@prcn.org