Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
The following operating requirements apply to septage land
application sites:
A.
Approved
Wastes. Only wastes described in this subsection and approved in the
license may be applied to a septage land application site:
(1) Septage. Septage as defined in this
Chapter may be land applied. The Department may require that septage from
non-residential sources be tested for heavy metals, volatile organic compounds,
semi-volatile organic compounds, or any other potentially hazardous
substances.
(2) Contaminated
Grease. Contaminated grease may be applied to a septage land application site,
subject to the following conditions:
(a)
Sampling and Analysis. Sewage contaminated grease must be sampled and analyzed
in accordance with Appendix A. Analysis results must not exceed limits
established in Appendix A.
(b)
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction. Contaminated grease to be land
applied must meet the septage utilization site pathogen reduction and vector
attraction reduction requirements in subsection 6(B).
(c) Operating Requirements. The following
operating requirements must be followed when contaminated grease is land
applied:
(i) Contaminated grease must be
either injected into the soil or applied to the land surface and immediately
incorporated into a minimum of eight (8) inches of soil by plowing. The plowed
area must be re-seeded with a conservation grass seed mixture within
twenty-four (24) hours after plowing.
(ii) Contaminated grease may be applied at a
rate not to exceed 12,000 gallons per acre per year. Contaminated grease may be
co-applied with septage provided that the total volume of contaminated grease
and septage does not exceed 12,000 gallons per acre per year.
(3) Grit and Spent
Septic System Beds. Grit and spent septic system beds may be applied to a
septage land application site, subject to the following conditions:
(a) Alkaline Mixing. Grit or spent septic
system beds to be land applied must be thoroughly mixed with alkaline material
at a ratio of 7:1 (grit : alkaline material) by weight.
(b) Operating Requirements.
(i) Grit or spent septic system beds must be
applied evenly to the land surface at a depth not to exceed three (3) inches
and must be immediately incorporated into a minimum of eight (8) inches of soil
by plowing. The plowed area must be re-seeded with a conservation grass seed
mixture within twenty-four (24) hours after plowing.
(ii) The natural drainage of the soil may not
be significantly altered by the disposal of grit or spent septic system
beds
(iii) No area of a septage
land application site may be used for disposal of grit or spent septic system
beds more than once every five years.
(iv) Septage may not be applied to an area of
a septage land application site during the year in which grit or spent septic
system beds has been applied.
B.
Septage Pathogen Reduction and
Vector Attraction Reduction. Pathogen reduction and vector attraction
reduction is accomplished by different means at septage utilization and
non-utilization sites:
(1) Septage
Utilization Sites. Septage to be land applied at a septage utilization site
must be stabilized with the following pathogen reduction and vector attraction
reduction method:
(a) The pH of septage must
be raised to a minimum of 12 by adding alkaline material. Alkaline material and
septage must be thoroughly blended into a homogeneous mixture.
(b) Without adding more alkaline material,
the pH of the mixture must be maintained at a minimum pH of 12 for a period of
thirty minutes.
(c) The pH of the
mixture must be a least 12 at the time of land application.
(2) Septage Non-utilization Sites.
At septage non-utilization sites, pathogen reduction and vector attraction
reduction are accomplished by a combination of remote site location and public
access restriction. For all septage non-utilization sites, access restriction
requirements are presented in subsection 6(K). For vector attraction reduction,
a septage non-utilization site must always maintain the required setback
distance to dwellings or occupied buildings as set forth in Table 1.
C.
Annual Soil Nutrient
Sampling and Analysis. A minimum of one composite, representative
topsoil sample per eight (8) acres of septage land application area must be
collected each year by a Maine Certified Soil Scientist, laboratory technician
or other qualified professional. The samples must be analyzed for the
following:
(1) pH;
(2) available phosphorus;
(3) available potassium;
(4) available calcium;
(5) available magnesium;
(6) available nitrogen
(7) cation exchange capacity
(C.E.C.);
(8) percent C.E.C.
saturation with potassium;
(9)
percent C.E.C. saturation with calcium;
(10) percent C.E.C. saturation with
magnesium; and
(11) percent organic
matter
D.
Application Rates. Septage may only be land applied if the crops to be
grown at the site require additional nitrogen. Septage must be applied at or
below the maximum rates specified in this subsection. The applicant must
initially determine the amount, in pounds per acre, of nitrogen required for
the crop to be grown at the site. A listing of nitrogen requirements for
typical crops is presented in Appendix B. Appendix C presents sample
calculations for septage application. Septage application rates on various soil
drainage classes are presented below:
(1)
Well-drained, Moderately well-drained, and Somewhat poorly-drained soils.
Septage may be applied at a rate not to exceed 380 gallons of septage per pound
of nitrogen required per acre per year for the crop to be grown at the
site.
(2) Excessively-drained, and
somewhat excessively-drained and poorly-drained soils. Septage may be applied
at a rate not to exceed 190 gallons of septage per pound of nitrogen required
per acre per year for the crop to be grown at the site.
(3) Other Nutrient Amendments. If any other
nitrogen-containing materials are to be mixed with septage, the entire mixture
is considered septage and must be handled in accordance with this
Chapter.
E.
Timing of Septage Application
(1)
Utilization Sites. Septage must be land applied at times when nitrogen
application is recommended for the crop to be grown.
(2) Non-utilization Sites. In general,
septage must be land applied at times when nitrogen application is recommended
for the crop to be grown. If the applicant proposes to apply septage at times
other than typically recommended, then the applicant must provide specific site
management strategies to address septage land application to avoid nitrogen
contamination and nuisance odor conditions.
F.
Septage Screening at Septage
Utilization Sites. Prior to land application at a septage utilization
site, septage must be screened to remove foreign objects. Screen openings may
not exceed 0.5 inches in size. Screenings must be adequately de-watered, mixed
with sufficient lime to reduce odors and disposed at a licensed solid waste
disposal facility.
G.
Vegetation Control and Harvesting. Vegetation at sites must be
maintained according to the following criteria:
(1) Crop Harvesting
(a) Septage Utilization Site. Crops at a
septage utilization site must be harvested in accordance with standard
agricultural or silvicultural practices.
(b) Septage Non-utilization Site. Vegetation
grown at a septage non-utilization site must not be allowed to exceed twelve
(12) inches in height and must be cut a minimum of three times per year, unless
the site is forested, in which case the area shall be adequately thinned of
underbrush to allow proper septage application and trees shall be harvested in
accordance with standard silvicultural practices.
(2) Solids Build-Up. If solids buildup occurs
at the site such that vegetative growth is impaired, the site must be harrowed
to incorporate the solids into the soil and the disturbed area must be
re-seeded immediately. No septage may be applied to the disturbed area until a
full, healthy, vegetative cover is re-established.
H.
Seasonal On-Site Conditions.
Septage may not be applied to a site immediately prior to or during heavy
rainfall, or when the soil is unvegetated, frozen, snow-covered or
water-saturated. The water table at all land application sites may not be less
than fifteen (15) inches below the ground surface at the time of septage land
application if septage is surface applied. If septage is injected or
incorporated, a minimum of fifteen (15) inches separation must be maintained
between the water table surface and the lower limit of incorporation or
injection.
I.
Buffer
Zones. All buffer areas between a site boundary and a surface water must
be inspected at the beginning of the spreading season and at least monthly
during the spreading season. All eroded areas must be immediately seeded and
mulched. All areas which show evidence of channelized flow must be repaired and
re-contoured to create unchannelized flow or sheet flow in the area to allow
even distribution of runoff.
J.
Site Use Restrictions
(1) Septage
Utilization Sites. Septage utilization site use is restricted as follows:
(a) Food Crops. Food crops may not be
harvested for a minimum of thirty eight (38) months after the last application
of septage.
(b) Feed and Fiber
Crops. Feed and fiber crops may not be harvested from the land for a minimum of
thirty (30) days after the last application of septage.
(c) Grazing. Domestic animals must not be
allowed to graze on the site for a minimum of thirty (30) days after the last
application of septage.
(d) Turf.
Commercial turf grown on a site must not be harvested for a minimum of one year
after the last application of septage.
(e) Topsoil. Topsoil may not be mined from a
site for a minimum of one year after the last application of septage.
(f) Other. If the crop grown on a septage
utilization site is not grown as a feed or fiber crop, then the crop must be
harvested annually and composted or disposed at a licensed solid waste
facility, unless the site is forested, in which case, trees may not be
harvested for a minimum of thirty (30) days after the last application of
septage.
(2) Septage
Non-utilization Sites. Food, feed and fibber crops, and commercial turf may not
be grown at; topsoil may not be mined from; and trees may not be harvested from
a septage non-utilization site during the license period or for thirty eight
(38) months after license expiration. Vegetation, other than trees, at a
septage non-utilization site must be harvested a minimum of three times
annually and composted or disposed at a licensed solid waste disposal
facility.
K.
Public Access Restriction.
(1) Septage
Utilization Sites. Public access to a septage utilization site must be
restricted during active use by posting legible signs at all vehicle access
points. Signs must be worded such that public access is prohibited. Lettering
on signs must be a minimum of two (2) inches in height. The top of the signs
must be between four (4) feet and eight (8) feet above the ground
surface.
(2) Septage
Non-utilization Sites. Public access to a septage non-utilization site must be
restricted for the duration of the license by providing the following:
(a) Fence. A fence must be installed a
minimum of fifteen (15) feet beyond the site boundary. The fence must be of
sufficient construction to delineate the restricted area.
(b) Locked Gates. Lockable gates must be
installed at all vehicular access points and kept locked when the site is not
being actively used for septage land application.
(c) Signs.Legible signs must be posted at all
vehicle access points and every 100 feet along the site boundary or fenceline.
Signs must read as follows: "Notice - Septage Land Application Area - Keep Out"
or similar wording. Lettering on signs must be a minimum of two (2) inches in
height. The top of the signs must be between four (4) feet and eight (8) feet
above the ground surface.
L.
Traffic. The facility must
average less than ten (10) vehicle trips per hour to and from the facility in
any eight hour period unless otherwise approved by the Department.
M.
Hours of Operation. Land
application of septage may only occur between the hours of 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM,
prevailing time.
N.
Dust
Control. The site operator must control any fugitive dust from the
facility which may impact off-site receptors.
O.
Suspension of Land Application Site
Use. Application of septage to a site must be suspended when:
(1) The pH of the soil exceeds 7.5 pH
units;
(2) The calcium saturation
of the soil exceeds eighty (80) percent of the soil cation exchange capacity
(C.E.C.);
(3) The magnesium
saturation of the soil exceeds forty (40) percent of the soil cation exchange
capacity (C.E.C.); or
(4) The
potassium saturation of the soil exceeds seven (7) percent of the soil cation
exchange capacity (C.E.C.)
P.
Operating Plan. All sites
must meet the requirements of this section and be operated in conformance with
a Department-approved operating plan. The operating plan must include all
information that would enable supervisory personnel, operating personnel, and
persons evaluating the operation of the facility, to determine what sequence of
operation, plans, diagrams, policies, procedures and legal requirements must be
followed for orderly and successful operation on a daily and yearly basis. The
plan must address all items contained in this Section. This plan must be
updated as necessary to address operational changes.
