Dioxin in sludge for Farm application

["Alex J. Sagady & Associates" <ajs@sagady.com>]

This "limit" seems high....anybody seen the risk assessment on this??

!/EPA PROPOSES DIOXIN STANDARD FOR BIOSOLIDS/SCROLL
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, DEC. 16, 1999

EPA PROPOSES DIOXIN STANDARD FOR BIOSOLIDS

EPA is proposing a standard for dioxins in biosolids. Biosolids are treated 
sewage sludge -- the byproduct of
municipal wastewater treatment - and can be recycled and applied as a 
fertilizer, disposed of in surface disposal
units, or incinerated. Today's proposal sets a limit of 300 parts per 
trillion toxic equivalents for dioxins in
biosolids that are recycled and applied to the land as fertilizer. 
Facilities preparing biosolids for land
application would also be required to follow new monitoring, record keeping 
and reporting requirements for dioxins
in biosolids that are to be land applied. Based on risk assessment results, 
the proposed rule does not contain
additional limits for dioxins in biosolids that are being placed in surface 
disposal units or incinerated. In
February 1993, EPA set limits for metals, pathogens and total hydrocarbons 
for land application, surface disposal
and incineration of biosolids. The Clean Water Act also requires regulation 
for pollutants not previously
regulated, and this new proposal satisfies this requirement. Treated and 
processed biosolids can be safely
recycled and applied to the land as fertilizer to improve and maintain 
productive soils and stimulate plant growth.
Only biosolids that have been treated to meet stringent federal and state 
standards can be approved for use as
fertilizer. Local governments decide whether to recycle biosolids as a 
fertilizer, incinerate them, or bury them
in landfills. The new biosolids proposal was signed on December 15, and is 
expected to be published in
the Federal Register soon. EPA will take comment for 60 days following 
publication in the Federal Register.
A fact sheet and a pre-publication version of the Federal Register notice 
are available at:
http://www.epa.gov/OST/standards, or by calling 1-800-490-9198. For 
additional information, the public can
call Arleen Plunkett in EPA's Office of Water at 202-260-3418.

R-150 # # #


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