# Cost Estimates for Siloxane



# Monitoring December 6, 2012 David Tobias

# Data Sources

• EPA Office of Water Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey

• Estimates of EPA and SEHSC proposals based on estimated costs provided by Environment Canada



## • Cost estimate from academic that is highly experienced in siloxane monitoring

# Office of Water Sewage Sludge Survey

• During 2006 and 2007, OW sampled 74 WWTPs in 35 states

• A total of 84 samples of sewage sludge were collected, one from 64 POTWs, as well as two samples at the remaining ten facilities

• Samples were analyzed for 145 pollutants including four anions, 28 metals, four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, two semi

- volatiles, 11 flame retardants, 72 pharmaceuticals, and 25 steroids and hormones. The study’s analytical complexity was much greater than ECA proposals; thus the OW study’s analytical costs per sample were likely greater than what would be expected from ECA proposals.

• EPA awarded competitive

- bid analytical contracts to three outside laboratories for analysis of these chemicals

• Total Price ~ $1.3 million. This estimate includes labor, travel to sampling sites, sampling and handling, shipping samples to analytical labs, sample analyses, report writing, and contract management. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/biosolids/upload/2009_01_15_biosolids_t nsss - tech.pdf

# Environment Canada’s Siloxane Monitoring Program Estimated Costs

• Sampling labor costs

– Travel at $500/day per worker

– Labor at $500/day/person for 2 workers for 2 days/site



### • Analytical cost/sample $250

• Stable isotope labeled standards cost $18k



### • Lab supplies total cost $35k

• Analytical laboratory labor costs

– Canadian study was performed in

- house and had relatively low labor costs, similar to a university i.e. post

- docs.

# Preliminary Cost Estimate of SEHSC Proposal Based on Environment 

# Canada Experience

• Sampling travel costs $9k, 9 sites 2 workers

• Sampling labor costs $18k, 9 sites 2 workers

• 55 samples analyzed

• Laboratory supplies and analytical standards $35k

• Estimated $700k in labor costs

– Estimate based on number of workers involved in Canadian project and higher costs for non

- university labor, 8 workers for 6 working months at $15k/month each

• SEHSC proposal estimated to cost ~ $800k

# Preliminary Cost estimate of EPA 

# Proposal Based on Environment Canada Experience

• Sampling travel costs $25k, 25 sites 2 workers

• Sampling labor costs $50k, 25 sites 2 workers

• 148 samples analyzed

• Laboratory supplies and analytical standards $194k

• Estimated $1,800k in labor costs

– Estimate based on number of workers involved in Canadian project and higher costs for non

- university labor, 10 workers for 12 working months at $15k/month each

• EPA proposal estimated to cost ~$2,100k

# Cost estimate for EPA Proposal Based on University Researcher Experience

• Cost estimate received from Prof Kannan Kurunthachalam at the Wadsworth Center SUNY Albany

• He has performed previous work on siloxanes in POTWs and consumer products

• Analytical work, travel, sample collection and labor, estimated to cost ~ $500k for EPA proposal

• The large difference ($2,100 k vs. $500 k) in cost estimates for the EPA monitoring proposal is driven by the estimate of much higher labor costs in the private sector versus academia, on the level of the labor cost for government staff or government contractors.

# Summary

• For comparison purposes, OW Sewage Sediment Survey cost ~ $1.3 million

– 74 sites, 84 samples, 145 analytes and increased analytical complexity, 1 medium (sewage sludge). Includes labor, travel to sampling sites, sampling and handling, shipping samples to analytical labs, sample analyses, report writing, and contract management.
• Obtained cost estimates by using information from Environment Canada (EC) and a quote from an academic researcher

Costs from EC experience Cost from University Researcher SEHSC proposal 9 sites, 55 samples $800 k
EPA proposal 25 sites, 148 samples $2,100 k $500 k