Code of Maine Rules › 06 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 096 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - GENERAL › Chapter 419 - SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES: AGRONOMIC UTILIZATION OF RESIDUALS › Appendix 096-419-B - Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Standards

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1.
Special Definitions.
For the purposes of this
				  chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
A. Aerobic digestion is the biochemical decomposition of
				  organic matter in sewage sludge into carbon dioxide and water by microorganisms
				  in the presence of air.
B. Anaerobic digestion is the biochemical decomposition of
				  organic matter in sewage sludge into methane gas and carbon dioxide by
				  microorganisms in the absence of air.
C. Density of microorganisms is the number of microorganisms
				  per unit mass of total solids (dry weight) in the sewage sludge.
D. Land with a high potential for public exposure is land
				  that the public uses frequently. This includes, but is not limited to,
				  playgrounds, public parks, athletic fields, cemeteries, plant nurseries,
				  construction sites in urban areas, and turf farms.
E. Land with a low potential for public exposure is land that
				  the public uses infrequently. This includes, but is not limited to,
				  agricultural land, forests, and/or reclamation sites located in an unpopulated
				  or rural area; remote lands; or securely fenced land.
F. Pathogenic organisms are disease-causing organisms. These
				  include, but are not limited to, certain bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and
				  viable helminth ova.
G. pH means the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen
				  ion concentration, corrected to a standard temperature of 25 degrees
				  Celsius.
H. Specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) is the mass of oxygen
				  consumed per unit time per unit mass of total solids (dry weight basis) in the
				  sewage sludge.
I. Total solids are the materials in sewage sludge that
				  remain as residue when the sewage sludge is dried at 103 to 105 degrees
				  Celsius.
J. Unstabilized solids are organic materials in sewage sludge
				  that have not been treated in either an aerobic or anaerobic treatment
				  process.
K. Vector attraction is the characteristic of sewage sludge
				  that attracts rodents, flies, mosquitoes, or other organisms capable of
				  transporting infectious agents.
L. Volatile solids is the amount of the total solids in
				  sewage sludge lost when the sewage sludge is combusted at 550 degrees Celsius
				  in the presence of excess air.
2.
Class A Pathogen Reduction Process Standards.
Class A pathogen reduction standards must be met through one of the
				  following processes:
A.
Composting.
Through the process of composting,
				  the temperature of the residual is maintained at 55 degrees Celsius or higher
				  for three consecutive days. For windrow systems, this standard is presumed to
				  be met if the residual is generally maintained at 55 degrees or higher for 15
				  days or longer, and during the period when the compost is maintained at 55
				  degrees or higher, there is a minimum of five turnings of the compost
				  pile.
B.
Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion.
Liquid
				  residual is agitated with air or oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions and the
				  mean cell residence time of the residual is 10 days at 55 to 60 degrees
				  Celsius.
C.
Beta Ray Irradiation.
Residual is irradiated
				  with beta rays from an accelerator at dosages of at least 1.0 megarad at room
				  temperature (ca 20 degrees Celsius).
D.
Gamma Ray Irradiation.
Residual is irradiated
				  with gamma rays from certain isotopes, such as 60Cobalt and 137Cesium, at
				  dosages of at least 1.0 megarad at room temperature (ca 20 degrees
				  Celsius).
E.
Pasteurization.
The temperature of the
				  residual is maintained at 70 degrees Celsius or higher for 30 minutes or
				  longer.
F.
Heat Drying.
Residual is dried by direct or
				  indirect contact with hot gases to reduce the moisture content of the residual
				  to 10 percent or lower. Either the temperature of the residual particles
				  exceeds 80 degrees Celsius or the wet bulb temperature of the gas in contact
				  with the residual as the residual leaves the dryer exceeds 80 degrees
				  Celsius.
G.
Heat Treatment.
Liquid residual is heated to a
				  temperature of 180 degrees Celsius or higher for 30 minutes.
H.
Time and Temperature
. The temperature of the
				  residual must be maintained at a specific value for a period of time as
				  specified in one of the following:
(1) When the percent solids of the residual is seven percent
				  or higher, the temperature of the residual must be 50 degrees Celsius or
				  higher; the time period must be 20 minutes or longer; and the temperature and
				  time period must be determined the following equation (419.4), except when
				  small particles of residual are heated by either warmed gases or an immiscible
				  liquid:
EQUATION (419.4):
D = (131,700,000) ÷
				  100.1400t
Where: D=time in days
t=temperature in degrees Celsius.
(2) When the percent solids of the residual is seven percent
				  or higher and small particles of residual are heated by either warmed gases or
				  an immiscible liquid, the temperature of the residual must be 50 degrees
				  Celsius or higher; the time period must be 15 seconds or longer; and the
				  temperature and time period must be determined using equation (419.4).
(3) When the percent solids of the residual is less than
				  seven percent and the time period is at least 15 seconds, but less than 30
				  minutes, the temperature and time period must be determined using equation
				  (419.4).
(4) When the percent solids of the residual is less than
				  seven percent; the temperature of the residual is 50 degrees Celsius or higher;
				  and the time period is 30 minutes or longer, the temperature and time period
				  must be determined by using equation (419.5).
EQUATION (419.5)
D=50,070,000 ÷
				  100.1400t
Where: D=time in days
t=temperature in degrees Celsius.
I.
Alkaline Stabilization.
The pH of the residual
				  must be raised to above 12 and must remain above 12 for 72 hours. The
				  temperature of the residual must be above 52 degrees Celsius for 12 hours or
				  longer during the period that the pH of the residual is above 12. At the end of
				  the 72 hour period during which the pH of the residual is above 12, the
				  residual must be air dried to achieve a percent solids in the residual greater
				  than 50 percent.
J.
Other.
Other methods for the treatment of
				  residuals will be approved on a case by case basis, when the generator
				  demonstrates, at a minimum, that the proposed process can meet the following
				  standards, and under what operating conditions the following standards are met.
				  Once approved, the process must be operated under the conditions that are
				  established by the Department as meeting, at a minimum, the following Class A
				  pathogen reduction standards.
(1) The density of
Salmonella sp
. bacteria
				  in the residual must be less than three Most Probable Number per four grams of
				  total solids (dry weight basis).
(2) The density of fecal coliform in the residual is shown to
				  be less than 1000 Most Probable Number per gram of total solids (dry weight
				  basis).
(3) The density of enteric viruses in the residual after
				  pathogen treatment is less than one Plaque-forming Unit per four grams of total
				  solids (dry weight basis).
(4) The density of viable helminth ova in the residual after
				  pathogen treatment is less than one per four grams of total solids (dry weight
				  basis).
3.
Class B Pathogen Reduction Process Standards.
Class B pathogen reduction standards must be met through one of the
				  following processes:
A.
Alkaline Stabilization.
Sufficient alkali
				  material, such as lime, is added to the residual to raise the pH of the
				  residual to 12 after two hours of contact;
B.
Aerobic Digestion.
Residual is agitated with
				  air or oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions for a specific mean cell residence
				  time at a specific temperature. Values for the mean cell residence time and
				  temperature must be between 40 days at 20 degrees Celsius and 60 days at 15
				  degrees Celsius;
C.
Air Drying.
Residual is dried on sand beds or
				  on paved or unpaved basins. The residual dries for a minimum of three months.
				  During two of the three months, the ambient average daily temperature is above
				  zero degrees Celsius;
D.
Anaerobic Digestion.
Residual is treated in
				  the absence of air for a specific mean cell residence time at a specific
				  temperature. Values for the mean cell residence time and temperature must be
				  between 15 days at 35 to 55 degrees Celsius and 60 days at 20 degrees
				  Celsius;
E.
Composting.
In a compost system the minimum
				  temperature of all the residual is 40 degrees Celsius or higher for five days.
				  For four hours during the five days, the temperature in the compost pile
				  exceeds 55 degrees Celsius;
F.
Test Out.
Seven samples of the residual must
				  be less than either 2,000,000 Most Probable Number per gram of total solids
				  (dry weight basis) or 2,000,000 Colony Forming Units per gram of total solids
				  (dry weight basis) ; or
G.
Other.
Other methods for the treatment of
				  residuals will be approved on a case by case basis, when the generator
				  demonstrates that the proposed process meets the standards in section
				  4 of this chapter and 06-096 CMR ch.
				  400, sections
				  3 and
				  4.
4.
Class A Vector Attraction Reduction Standards.
Class A vector attraction reduction standard must be met through one of
				  the following process:
A. In an aerobic or anaerobic digestion process, the mass of
				  volatile solids in the residual must be reduced by a minimum of 38 percent (see
				  calculation procedures in "Environmental Regulations and Technology - Control
				  of Pathogens and Vector Attraction in Sewage sludge," EPA-625/R-92/013, 1992,
				  US. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268). This standard
				  does not apply to a composting process;
B. When the 38 percent volatile solids reduction requirement
				  in Appendix B.4.A (above) cannot be met for an anaerobically digested sewage
				  sludge, vector attraction reduction can be demonstrated by digesting a portion
				  of the previously digested sewage sludge anaerobically in the laboratory in a
				  bench-scale unit for 40 additional days at a temperature between 30 and 37
				  degrees Celsius. When at the end of the 40 days the volatile solids in the
				  sewage sludge at the beginning of that period is reduced by less than 17
				  percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved;
C. When the 38 percent volatile solids reduction requirement
				  in Appendix B.4.A (above) cannot be met for an aerobically digested sewage
				  sludge, vector attraction reduction can be demonstrated by digesting a portion
				  of the previously digested sewage sludge that has a percent solids of two
				  percent or less aerobically in the laboratory in a bench-scale unit for 30
				  additional days at 20 degrees Celsius. When at the end of the 30 days, the
				  volatile solids in the sewage sludge at the beginning of that period is reduced
				  by less than 15 percent, vector attraction reduction is achieved;
D. The specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) for residual
				  treated in an aerobic digestion process must be equal to or less than 1.5
				  milligrams of oxygen per hour per gram of total solid (dry weight basis) at a
				  temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. This standard does not apply to a composting
				  process;
E. Residual must be treated by composting or in another
				  aerobic process for 14 days or longer. During that time, the temperature of the
				  residual must be higher than 40 degrees Celsius and the average temperature of
				  the residual must be higher than 45 degrees Celsius;
F. The pH of residual must be raised to 12 or higher by
				  alkali addition and, without the addition of more alkali, must remain at 12 or
				  higher for two hours and then at 11.5 or higher for an additional 22
				  hours;
NOTE
: The pH does not have to be 11.5 at the
				  time of application.
G. The percent solids of residual that does not contain
				  unstabilized solids generated in primary wastewater treatment process must be
				  equal to or greater than 75 percent based on the moisture content and total
				  solids prior to mixing with other materials;
H. The percent solids of residual that contains unstabilized
				  solid generated in a primary wastewater treatment process must be equal to or
				  greater than 90 percent based on the moisture content and total solids prior to
				  mixing with other materials; or
I. Other methods for the treatment of residuals will be
				  approved on a case by case basis, when the generator demonstrates that the
				  proposed process meets the standards in section
				  4 of this chapter and 06-096 CMR ch.
				  400, sections
				  3 and
				  4.
5.
Class B Vector Attraction Reduction Standards.
Class B vector attraction reduction standards must be met through one of
				  the following residual handling practices:
A. Residual must be injected below the surface of the land.
				  No significant amount of the residual must be present on the land surface
				  within one hour after the residual is injected. When the residual that is
				  injected below the surface of the land is Class A with respect to pathogens,
				  the residual must be injected below the land surface within eight hours after
				  being discharged from the pathogen treatment process;
B. Residual applied to the land surface must be incorporated
				  into the soil within six hours after application. When the residual that is
				  incorporated into the soil is Class A with respect to pathogens, the residual
				  must be applied to or placed on the land within eight hours after being
				  discharged from the pathogen treatment process;
C. The pH of residual must be raised to 12 or higher by
				  alkali addition and, without the addition of more alkali, must remain at 12 or
				  higher for two hours and then at 11.5 or higher for an additional 22 hours;
				  or
D. Other methods for the treatment of residuals will be
				  approved on a case by case basis, when the generator demonstrates that the
				  proposed process meets the standards in section
				  4 of this chapter and 06-096 CMR ch.
				  400, sections
				  3 and
				  4.