Oregon Administrative Rules
Chapter 340 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Division 96 - SOLID WASTE: PERMITS SPECIAL RULES FOR SELECTED SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES, WASTE TIRE STORAGE SITES AND WASTE TIRE CARRIERS
Section 340-096-0030 - Special Rules Pertaining to Sludge and Land Application Disposal Sites
Universal Citation: OR Admin Rules 340-096-0030
Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 3, March 1, 2024
(1) Applicability:
(a) This rule applies to all land used for
the spreading, deposit, lagooning or disposal of sewage sludge, septage and
other sludges. Such land and facilities are defined as disposal sites by ORS
Chapter 459, and are also subject to the requirements of OAR Chapter 340,
Divisions 93, 95, and 97 as applicable, including the requirements for
obtaining a permit from the Department in accordance with OAR
340-093-0050 and
340-093-0070;
(b) Disposal of sewage sludges resulting from
a sewage treatment facility that is operating under a current and valid Waste
Discharge Permit, issued under ORS 468B.050, is exempted from obtaining a solid
waste disposal permit, provided that said sewage sludge disposal is adequately
covered by specific conditions of the Waste Discharge Permit. Such sewage
sludge disposal operations and sites shall comply with all other provisions of
OAR Chapter 340, Divisions 93 through 97 and other laws, rules and regulations
pertaining to solid waste disposal.
(2) Plans and Specifications for Sludge Disposal Sites:
(a) Detailed plans and
specifications for sludge disposal lagoons shall include, but not be limited
to, location and design of the physical features of the site, such as berms,
dikes, surface drainage control, access and on-site roads, waste water
facilities, inlet and emergency overflow structures, fences, utilities and
truck washing facilities, topography with contours not to exceed five foot
contour intervals, elevations, legal boundaries and property lines, and land
use;
(b) Plans and specifications
for land application units shall include, but not be limited to, physical
features of the site, such as, surface drainage, access and on-site roads,
fences, truck washing facilities, topography with contours not to exceed five
foot contour intervals, rates and frequency of sludge application, legal
boundaries and property lines and land use.
(3) Prohibited Methods of Sludge Disposal:
(a) Septage and raw sewage sludge shall not
be permitted to be disposed of by land spreading, unless it is specifically
determined and approved in writing by the Department or state or local health
agency having jurisdiction, that such disposal can be conducted with assured,
adequate protection of public health and safety and the environment;
(b) Except for "heat-treated" sewage sludges,
sewage sludges including septage, raw, non-digested and digested sewage
sludges, shall not be:
(A) Used as fertilizer
on root crops, vegetables, low growing berries or fruits that may be eaten
raw;
(B) Applied to land later than
one year prior to planting where vegetables are to be grown;
(C) Used on grass in public parks or other
areas at a time or in such a way that persons could unknowingly come in contact
with it;
(D) Given or sold to the
public without their knowledge as to its origin.
(c) Sludges shall not be deposited in
landfills except in accordance with operations plans that have been submitted
to and approved by the Department in accordance with OAR
340-094-0060(2)(d)
or
340-095-0030(2)(d).
(4) Sludge Lagoon and Land Application Unit Design, Construction and Operation:
(a) Location:
(A) Sludge lagoons shall be located a minimum
of 1/4 mile from the nearest residence other than that of the lagoon operator
or attendant;
(B) Sludge shall not
be spread on land where natural run-off could carry a residue into public
waters;
(C) If non-digested sludge
is spread on land within 1/4 mile of a residence, community or public use area,
it shall be plowed under the ground, buried or otherwise incorporated into the
soil within five days after application.
(b) Fences:
(A) Public access to a lagoon site shall be
controlled by man-proof fencing and gates which shall be locked at all times
that an attendant is not on duty;
(B) Public access to land application units
shall be controlled by complete perimeter fencing and gates capable of being
locked as necessary.
(c)
Signs. Signs shall be posted at land application units as required. Signs which
are clearly legible and visible shall be posted on all sides of a sludge
lagoon, stating the contents of the lagoon and warning of potential hazard to
health;
(d) Drainage. A sludge
disposal site shall be so located, sloped or protected such that surface
drainage will be diverted around or away from the operational area of the
site;
(e) Type of Sludge Lagoon.
Lagoons shall be designed and constructed to be nonoverflow and
watertight;
(f) Lagoon Freeboard. A
minimum of 3.0 feet of dike freeboard shall be maintained above the maximum
water level within a sludge lagoon unless some other minimum freeboard is
specifically approved by the Department;
(g) Lagoon Emergency Spillway. A sludge
lagoon shall be provided with an emergency spillway adequate to prevent
cutting-out of the dike, should the water elevation overtop the dike for any
reason;
(h) Sludge Removal from
Lagoon. Water or sludge shall not be pumped or otherwise removed from a lagoon,
except in accordance with a plan approved in writing by the
Department;
(i) Monitoring Wells.
Lagoon sites located in areas having high groundwater tables or potential for
contaminating usable groundwater resources may be required to provide
groundwater monitoring wells in accordance with plans approved in writing by
the Department. Said monitoring wells shall be sufficient to detect the
movement of groundwater and easily capable of being pumped to obtain water
samples;
(j) Truck Washing. Truck
washing areas, if provided, shall be hard surfaced and all wash waters shall be
conveyed to a catch basin, drainage and disposal system approved by the
Department or state or local health agency having jurisdiction;
(k) Records. The Department may require such
records and reports as it considers are reasonably necessary to ensure
compliance with conditions of a permit or OAR Chapter 340, Divisions 93 through
97. All records must be kept for a minimum of five years. In the case of a
change in ownership of the permitted facility, the new permittee is responsible
for ensuring that the records are transferred from the previous permittee and
maintained for the required five years.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 459.045, ORS 459A.025 & ORS 468.020
Stats. Implemented: ORS 459.005, ORS 459.015 & ORS 459.205
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Oregon may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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