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40 CFR Part 503: Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge
For those who want to go directly to the source, the Government Printing Office provides the full regulatory text of 40 CFR Part 503.
Guidance Documents
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- Environmental Regulations and Technology
Control of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage Sludge (EPA/625/R-92/013)
July 2003
This publication provides useful guidance for successful compliance with 40 CFR Part 503 Subpart D. This subpart contains the regulatory backbone of Class A and Class B pathogen requirements as discussed in this Web site as well as the foundation for the pathogen equivalency committee. - A
Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule
This guide is more broad and applies to all Subparts of 40 CFR Part 503. Subparts A through E cover general provisions, requirements for land application, requirements for sewage sludge placed on a surface disposal site, requirements for pathogen and vector attraction reduction and requirements for sewage sludge fired in a sewage sludge incinerator, respectively. Permitting questions and sampling and analysis guidance are also covered. - A
Guide to the Biosolids Risk Assessments for the EPA Part 503
Rule
This document details the risk assessment which was used as the basis of the 40 CFR Part 503 Regulations. - Process Design
Manual: Land Application of Sewage Sludge and Domestic Septage (PDF)
(301 pp, 5.52 MB) (EPA/625/K-95/001) September 1995
Considerations for land application of sewage sludge to agricultural land, forest land, reclamation sites, and public contact sites with regards to pH, nutrients, pathogens, etc. are presented. Special issues for septage, site evaluation guidelines, and monitoring, sampling, management, and cost considerations are also discussed. -
Biosolids Generation, Use and Disposal in the USA (PDF) (81 pp,
541 KB) (EPA/530/R-99/009) September 1999
Document describing current and possible future trends in the generation, use, recycling, and disposal of biosolids produced by publicly owned treatment works.
Additional Web Sites on Biosolids
- U.S. EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management
- National Biosolids Partnership
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Water Environment Federation's Science and Technology Resource Center
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New England Biosolids and Residuals Association
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Synagro-sponsored educational site
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National Institute of Health: The Beauty of Biosolids (1997 article)
Additional Related EPA Documents
- From Concept To Equivalency:
The 503 Regulations and The Pathogen Equivalency Committee (PDF)
(13 pp, 134 KB)
A paper produced for and published in the Proceedings of the 14th Annual U.S. Composting Council Conference and Trade show held in Albuquerque, NM, January 2006. The paper reviews composting method regulations, composting methods previously recommended as equivalent and the pathogen equivalency committee's role. Information on the equivalency recommendation process and some issues of concern with the process are addressed in detail. - Pathogen Equivalency Committee
(PEC) (PDF) (1 slide, 119 KB)
A poster providing information on the committee itself, some recently recommended processes and some processes currently in the recommendation process. This poster was prepared for a mandatory federal review of the U.S. EPA's Water Quality program out of which the PEC is funded. The review was conducted by the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) in January 2006. - Practices for Controlling
Pathogens in Biosolids: PEC's Role in Evaluating Innovative and Alternative
Procedures (PDF) (1 slide, 249 KB)
A poster providing information on the committee itself, and some detailed information on some recently recommended and current applications for equivalency. This poster was prepared for a peer review of the National Risk Management Research Laboratory's Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division where the PEC's chair resides. The review was conducted in August 2006. - Factors Affecting
Disinfection and Stabilization of Sewage Sludge (PDF) (17 pp,
178 KB)
A paper produced for and published in the Proceedings for the 79th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Conference held in Dallas, TX, October 2006. The paper contains a general review of sewage sludge disinfection and stabilization methods by stressor. Some information on recently recommended and currently in review equivalent processes is included. - USA's Practices for Controlling
Pathogens in Biosolids (PDF) (14 pp, 258 KB)
A paper produced for and published in the Proceedings for the Australian Water Association's Biosolids Specialty III Conference held in Melbourne, Australia, June 2006. This paper includes a critical evaluation of the current 40 CFR 503 regulations as well as some detailed information on some of the innovative disinfection methods brought to the PEC's attention in recent years.