Surveys of Pollutants in Sewage Sludge / Biosolids

Per the Clean Water Act Section 405(d), EPA must review the biosolids standards every two years. As part of this review, EPA works to identify pollutants in biosolids. Based on EPA’s biennial reviews and three national sewage sludge surveys, EPA identified over 350 pollutants in sewage sludge, including metals; dioxins and dioxin-like compounds; inorganic ions; certain organics (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, semivolatiles); polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants); pharmaceuticals; steroids and hormones; and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

The most recent survey, the Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey, is a valuable step in advancing the understanding of what is present in treated sewage sludge and in evaluating what potential harm those pollutants may pose to human health and the environment. It also fulfills an important commitment under the agency's priority focus areas for pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by providing the first national estimates of which compounds may be present in sewage sludge and at what concentrations.

Separate from EPA, in October 2000 the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA), now known as the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), also conducted a voluntary survey (AMSA Dioxins Sewage Sludge Survey, see report below) to determine current levels of dioxin-like compounds (i.e., polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dioxin-like coplanar PCBs) in biosolids (sewage sludge). These data were collected to assist U.S. EPA in developing an environmentally sound and technically correct dioxin decision for land-applied biosolids.

Survey documents are provided. If you have trouble accessing any content in the following documents, please contact Liz Resek (Resek.Elizabeth@epa.gov).

• [See Statistics Support Documentation for the 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume 1 ]
• [See Statistics Support Documentation for 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume II ]
• [See Sampling Procedures and Protocols for the National Sewage Sludge Survey ]
• Dioxins Statistical Support Document for the Development of Round 2 (PDF) (149 pp, 784 K, April 2002, EPA -822-R-02-034)   
• [See 2001 National Sewage Sludge Survey Report ] (September 2007, EPA-822-R-07-006)
• [See AMSA Dioxins Sewage Sludge Survey ]
• [See Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Sampling and Analysis Technical Report ] (January 2009, EPA-822-R-08-016)
• [See Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Statistical Analysis Report ] (April 2009, EPA-822-R-08-018)
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix A ]
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix B ]
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix C ]
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix D ]
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix E ]
• [See TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix F ]
• 2009 Nine POTW Study (PDF) (85 pp, 1 MB, August 2009, EPA-821-R-09-009)
  The primary objective of EPA’s Nine POTW Study (the Study) was to investigate the occurrence of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in untreated and fully treated wastewater at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
• [See Report on Elemental Analysis of Samples From the Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey ]

• Statistics Support Documentation for the 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume 1 (PDF)(286 pp, 11 MB, November 1992)
• Statistics Support Documentation for the 40 CFR Part 503 - Volume II (PDF)(359 pp, 20 MB, November 1992)
• Sampling Procedures and Protocols for the National Sewage Sludge Survey (PDF)(37 pp, 2 MB)
• AMSA Dioxins Sewage Sludge Survey (PDF)(166 pp, 431 K, October 2001)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix A (PDF)(309 pp, 523 K, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix B (PDF)(104 pp, 264 K, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix C (PDF)(7 pp, 52 K, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix D (PDF)(5 pp, 75 K, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix E (PDF)(37 pp, 277 K, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• TNSSS Statistical Analysis Report Appendix F (PDF)(19 pp, 1 MB, April 2009, EPA 822-R-08-018)
• Report on Elemental Analysis of Samples From the Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey (PDF)(27 pp, 821 K, August 2015, EPA 800-S-15-001)
  This report describes the sampling and analysis activities performed in a follow-up to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey (TNSSS) and presents summary level data from the elemental analyses of sewage sludge samples. The elemental analyses were conducted as a follow-up activity not associated with the original survey, but employing archived sewage sludge samples from the TNSSS for the analyses of specific elements.
• Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Sampling and Analysis Technical Report (PDF)(88 pp, 368 K)
• 2001 National Sewage Sludge Survey Report (PDF)(21 pp, 236 K)