[USCC] Compost made with biosolids vs biosolids

[Dan Hodges]

Bob:

An attempt to answer your question.  The Excellent Quality term is nowhere 
to be found in the 503 rule, but for purpose of your question I would assume 
that that is what you are producing.  The following paragraphs I have copied 
for EPA's guidance manual in bold below.  It all relates to the pollutant 
concentrations, the pathogen treatment and vector attraction reduction 
measures that are utilized.  Composting in accordance with the 503 rule 
should achieve vector attraction reduction in that process.  EPA's guidance 
manuals for Control of pathogen and vector attraction reduction, land 
application (referred to below), and the "A Plain English Guide to EPA Part 
503 Biosolids Rule can really be quite good in answering your question.

These guidance manuals can be located electronically on EPA's web site or at 
a web site such NBP.org.

Hope this helps.

Danny Hodges
Hodges Environmental Consulting
Yukon, Oklahoma

Exceptional Quality sewage sludge- Sewage sludge that meets the most 
stringent limits for the

three sludge quality parameters. In gauging sewage sludge quality, EPA 
determined that three

main parameters of concern should be considered: (1) pollutant levels, (2) 
the relative presence

or absence of pathogenic organisms, such as salmonella and E-Coli bacteria, 
enteric viruses, or

viable helminth ova, and (3) the degree of attractiveness of the sewage 
sludge to vectors, such

as flies, rats, and mosquitoes, that could potentially come in contact with 
pathogenic organisms

and spread disease. Given these three variables, there can be a number of 
possible sewage

8

Section One Introduction

sludge qualities. The term Exceptional Quality (EQ), which does not appear 
in the Part 503

regulation, is used to describe sewage sludge that meets the highest quality 
for all three of these

Sewage sludge quality parameters (i.e., ceiling concentrations and pollutant 
concentrations in

503.13 for metals, one of the Class A pathogen reduction alternatives, and 
one of the sewage

sludge processing vector attraction reduction options 1 through 8).

Land appliers who apply sewage sludge that is certified by the preparer as 
Class

503.15 and  503.32 A have no requirements relative to pathogens.  In 
addition to these you need to reference 503.33

Land Application of Sewage Sludge

A Guide for Land Appliers on the

Requirements of the Federal

Standards for the Use or Disposal of

Sewage Sludge, 40 CFR Part 503




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Engel" <rrengel at yahoo.com>
To: <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 11:28 AM
Subject: [USCC] Compost made with biosolids vs biosolids


I have a question that I have not been able to find in the EPA 503 
regulations.
At least not stated real clearly!
Once biosolids are composted at a approved facility and have undergone 
treatment are the land application guidlines for biosolids still applied?
It is my feeling that once composted they are not biosolids anymore but a 
complete new product bearing no resemblance to the feedstock used to make 
the compost.
Look forward to any answer and if you can refer to the regulation it would 
be great.
Bob Engel
Bob at gotcompost.com



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