Principal Biosolids Guidance (EPA/625/R-92/013)

  1.1 What is Sewage Sludge?
  1.2 U.S. Regulation of Treated Sewage Sludge (Biosolids)
  1.3 Implementation Guidance
  1.4 Definitions
  1.5 Pathogen Equivalency Committee
  1.6 What is in this Document?

  2.1 What are Pathogens?
  2.2 Pathogens in Sewage Sludge
  2.3 General Information on Pathogens
  2.4 Protecting Public Health – The Part 503
  2.5 Frequently Asked Questions

  3.1 Introduction
  3.2 Pathogen Reduction Requirements
  3.3 Vector Attraction Reduction (VAR) Requirements [503.33]
  3.4 Applicability of the Requirements [503.15 and 503.25]
  3.5 Frequency of Monitoring
  3.6 Sampling Stockpiled of Remixed Biosolids
  3.7 Record-keeping Requirements [503.17 and 503.27]
  3.8 Reporting Requirements for Sewage Sludge [503.18 and 503.28]
  3.9 Permits and Direct Enforceability [503.3]

  4.1 Introduction
  4.2 Vector Attraction Reduction to Occur With of After Class A Pathogen Reduction [503.32(a)(2)]
  4.3 Monitoring of Fecal Coliform or Salmonella sp. to Detect Growth of Bacterial Pathogens [503.23(a)(3)-(8)]
  4.4 Alternative 1: Thermally Treated Sewage Sludge [503.32(a)(3)]
  4.5 Alternative 2: Sewage Sludge Treated in a High pH-High Temperature Process (Alkaline Treatment) [503.32(a)(4)]
  4.6 Alternative 3: Sewage Sludge Treated in Other Processes [503.23(a)(5)]
  4.7 Alternative 4: Sewage Sludge Treated in Unknown Processes [503.32(a)(6)]
  4.8 Alternative 5: Use of PFRP [503.32(a)(7)]
  4.9 Alternative 6: Use of a Process Equivalent to PFRP [503.32(a)(8)]
  4.10 Frequency of Testing

  5.1 Introduction
  5.2 Sewage Sludge Alternative 1: Monitoring of Fecal Coliforms [503.32(b)(2)]
  5.3 Sewage Sludge Alternative 2: Use of a Process to Significantly Reduce Pathogens (PSRPs) [503.32(b)(3)]
  5.4 Sewage Sludge Alternative 3: Use of Processes Equivalent to PSRP [503.32(b)(4)]
  5.5 Site Restrictions for Land Application of Biosolids [503.32(b)(5)]
  5.6 Domestic Septage [503.32(c)]

  6.1 Introduction
  6.2 Aerobic Digestion
  6.3 Anaerobic Digestion
  6.4 Air Drying
  6.5 Composting
  6.6 Lime Stabilization
  6.7 Equivalent Processes

  7.1 Introduction
  7.2 Composting
  7.3 Heat Drying
  7.4 Heat Treatment
  7.5 Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion
  7.6 Beta Ray and Gamma Ray Radiation
  7.7 Pasteurization
  7.8 Equivalent Processes

  8.1 Introduction
  8.2 Option 1: Reduction in Volatile Solids Content [503.33(b)(1)]
  8.3 Option 2: Additional Digestion of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge [503.33(b)(2)]
  8.4 Option 3: Additional Digestion of Aerobically Digested Sewage Sludge [503.33(b)(3)]
  8.5 Option 4: Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR) for Aerobically Digested Sewage Sludge [503.33(b)(4)]
  8.6 Option 5: Aerobic Processes at Greater than 40°C [503.33(b)(5)]
  8.7 Option 6: Addition of Alkali [503.33(b)(6)]
  8.8 Option 7: Moisture Reduction of Sewage Sludge Containing No Unstabilized Solids [503.33(b)(7)]
  8.9 Option 8: Moisture Reduction of Sewage Sludge Containing Unstabilized Solids [503.33(b)(8)]
  8.10 Option 9: Injection [503.33(b)(9)]
  8.11 Option 10: Incorporation of Sewage Sludge into the Soil [503.33(b)(10)]
  8.12 Option 11: Covering Sewage Sludge [503.33(b)(11)]
  8.13 Option 12: Raising the pH of Domestic Sludge [503.33(b)(12)]
  8.14 Number of Samples and Timing
  8.15 Vector Attraction Reduction Equivalency

  9.1 Introduction
  9.2 Laboratory Selection
  9.3 Safety Precautions
  9.4 Requirements for Sampling Equipment and Containers
  9.5 Sampling Frequency and Number of Samples Collected
  9.6 Sampling Free-Flowing Sewage Sludges
  9.7 Sampling Thick Sewage Sludges
  9.8 Sampling Dry Sewage Sludges
  9.9 Control of Temperature, pH, and Oxygenation After Sample Collection Samples for Microbial Tests
  9.10 Sample Composting and Size Reduction
  9.11 Packaging and Shipment
  9.12 Documentation
  9.13 Analytical Methods » See Note Under Appendices F and G
  9.14 Quality Assurance

  10.1 Introduction
  10.2 Process Conditions
  10.3 Schedule and Duration of Monitoring Events
  10.4 Comparison of Feed Sludge and Sludge Products
  10.5 The Effect of Sludge Processing Additives on Monitoring
  10.6 Collecting Representative Samples
  10.7 Regulatory Objectives and Number of Samples that Should be Tested

  11.1 Introduction
  11.2 Overview of the PEC’s Equivalency Recommendation Process
  11.3 Basis for PEC’s Equivalency Recommendations
  11.4 Guidance on Demonstrating Equivalency for PEC Recommendations
  11.5 Guidance on Application for Equivalency Recommendations
  11.6 Pathogen Equivalency Committee Recommendations » NOTE: Several new equivalencies have been recommended by the PEC since the latest edition of   EPA/625/R-92/013. See the Equivalent Processes page for a more current listing.
  11.7 Current Issues

  Appendices
  A. EPA Regional and State Biosolids Coordinators and Listing of EPA Pathogen Equivalency Members (PDF) (8 pp, 436 Kb)
  B. Subpart D of the Part 503 Regulation (PDF) (5 pp, 453 Kb)
  C. Determination of Volatile Solids Reduction by Digestion (PDF) (7 pp, 473 Kb)
  D. Guidance on Three Vector Attraction Reduction Tests (PDF) (6 pp, 99 Kb)
  E. Determination of Residence Time for Anaerobic and Aerobic Digestion (PDF) (4 pp, 357 Kb)
  F. Sample Preparation for Fecal Coliform Tests and Salmonella sp. Analysis (PDF) (4 pp, 366 Kb) » NOTE: Updated EPA methods for fecal coliform and Salmonella sp. were finalized in June 2005 which incorporate the information in this Appendix. The methods are scheduled to be legally available for regulatory compliance under 40 CFR 503 by the end of August. Facilities testing under 503 will be recommended to use the new methods, but not required by federal regulations. It may be useful to refer directly to these methods instead of this Appendix. For fecal coliform enumeration, see EPA Methods 1680 (PDF) (51 pp, 1.11 Mb) or 1681 (PDF) (50 pp, 889 Kb). For Salmonella sp., see EPA Method 1682 (PDF) (48 pp, 1 Mb).
  G. Kenner and Clark (1974) Analytical Method for Salmonella sp. Bacteria (PDF) (9 pp, 425 Kb) » NOTE: An updated EPA method for Salmonella sp. has recently been finalized. See the note above.
  H. Method for the Recovery and Assay of Total Culturable Viruses from Sludge (PDF) (16 pp, 355 Kb)
  I. Test Method for Detecting, Enumerating, and Determining the Viability of Ascaris Ova in Sludge (PDF) (7 pp, 510 Kb)
  J. The Biosolids Composting Process (PDF) (6 pp, 366 Kb)