Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 23/12/1999

Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend management standards for sewage sludge by adding a numeric concentration limit for dioxin and dioxin-like compounds (``dioxins'') in sewage sludge that is applied to the land, and monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements for dioxins in sewage sludge that is land applied. Today's action also presents the results of risk assessments for dioxins in sewage sludge that is applied to the land, placed in surface disposal units, or incinerated. Based on these risk assessments, the Agency is not proposing additional numeric standards or management practice requirements for dioxins in sewage sludge that is placed in surface disposal units or incinerated. EPA is proposing a standard for dioxins in sewage sludge that is applied to the land in order to protect public health and the environment from unreasonable risks of exposure to dioxins. The Agency's risk assessment for land application of sewage sludge estimates that sewage sludge with concentrations of dioxins above the proposed limit may present an unreasonable cancer risk to specific highly exposed individuals. The purpose of this standard would be to prohibit l