(a) Sewage sludge.

(1) Bulk sewage sludge or sewage sludge sold or given away in a bag or other container shall not be applied to the land if the concentration of any pollutant in the sewage sludge exceeds the ceiling concentration for the pollutant in Table 1 of §503.13.

(2) If bulk sewage sludge is applied to agricultural land, forest, a public contact site, or a reclamation site, either:

(i) The cumulative loading rate for each pollutant shall not exceed the cumulative pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 2 of §503.13; or

(ii) The concentration of each pollutant in the sewage sludge shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 3 of §503.13.

(3) If bulk sewage sludge is applied to a lawn or a home garden, the concentration of each pollutant in the sewage sludge shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 3 of §503.13.

(4) If sewage sludge is sold or given away in a bag or other container for application to the land, either:

(i) The concentration of each pollutant in the sewage sludge shall not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 3 of §503.13; or

(ii) The product of the concentration of each pollutant in the sewage sludge and the annual whole sludge application rate for the sewage sludge shall not cause the annual pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 4 of §503.13 to be exceeded. The procedure used to determine the annual whole sludge application rate is presented in appendix A of this part.

(b) Pollutant concentrations and loading rates—sewage sludge—(1) Ceiling concentrations.

Table 1 of §503.13—Ceiling Concentrations

Open Table
Pollutant Ceiling concentration (milligrams per kilogram)1
Arsenic 75
Cadmium 85
Copper 4300
Lead 840
Mercury 57
Molybdenum 75
Nickel 420
Selenium 100
Zinc 7500

1Dry weight basis.

(2) Cumulative pollutant loading rates.

Table 2 of §503.13—Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rates

Open Table
Pollutant Cumulative pollutant loading rate (kilograms per hectare)
Arsenic 41
Cadmium 39
Copper 1500
Lead 300
Mercury 17
Nickel 420
Selenium 100
Zinc 2800

(3) Pollutant concentrations.

Table 3 of §503.13—Pollutant Concentrations

Open Table
Pollutant Monthly average concentration (milligrams per kilogram)1
Arsenic 41
Cadmium 39
Copper 1500
Lead 300
Mercury 17
Nickel 420
Selenium 100
Zinc 2800

1Dry weight basis.

(4) Annual pollutant loading rates.

Table 4 of §503.13—Annual Pollutant Loading Rates

Open Table
Pollutant Annual pollutant loading rate (kilograms per hectare per 365 day period)
Arsenic 2.0
Cadmium 1.9
Copper 75
Lead 15
Mercury 0.85
Nickel 21
Selenium 5.0
Zinc 140

(c) Domestic septage. The annual application rate for domestic septage applied to agricultural land, forest, or a reclamation site shall not exceed the annual application rate calculated using equation (1).

eCFR graphic ec15no91.192.gif

Where:

AAR = Annual application rate in gallons per acre per 365 day period.

N = Amount of nitrogen in pounds per acre per 365 day period needed by the crop or vegetation grown on the land.

[58 FR 9387, Feb. 19, 1993, as amended at 58 FR 9099, Feb. 25, 1994; 60 FR 54769, Oct. 25, 1995]


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