Pennsylvania Code
Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part I - Department of Environmental Protection
Subpart D - Environmental Health and Safety
Article VIII - Municipal Waste
Chapter 271 - MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT-GENERAL PROVISIONS
Subchapter J - BENEFICIAL USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE BY LAND APPLICATION
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
Section 271.914 - Pollutant limits

Universal Citation: 25 PA Code ยง 271.914

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024

(a) Sewage sludge other than residential septage.

(1) Sewage sludge may 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.

(2) If sewage sludge, other than sewage sludge that meets the criteria of § 271.911(b)(1) or (3) (relating to special requirements), is applied to agricultural land, forest, a public contact site or a reclamation site, the cumulative loading rate for each pollutant may not exceed the cumulative pollutant loading rate for the pollutant in Table 2.

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

(4) If sewage sludge is sold, given away or otherwise distributed, in a bag or other container for application to the land, the concentration of each pollutant in the sewage sludge may not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in Table 3.

(b) Tables.

(1) Ceiling concentrations.

TABLE 1-CEILING CONCENTRATIONS

PollutantCeiling Concentration (Milligrams per Kilogram)1
Arsenic75
Cadmium85
Copper4,300
Lead840
Mercury57
Molybdenum75
Nickel420
PCBs8.6
Selenium100
Zinc7,500
1 Dry weight basis

(2) Cumulative pollutant loading rates.

TABLE 2-CUMULATIVE POLLUTANT LOADING RATES

Pollutant Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate (Kilograms per Hectare)English Units (Pounds per Acre)
Arsenic4136
Cadmium3934
Copper1,5001,320
Lead300264
Mercury1715
Nickel420370
Selenium10088
Zinc2,8002,464

(3) Pollutant concentrations.

TABLE 3-POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS

PollutantMonthly Average Concentrations (Milligrams per Kilogram)1
Arsenic41
Cadmium39
Copper1,500
Lead300
Mercury17
Nickel420
PCBs4
Selenium100
Zinc2,800
1 Dry weight basis.

(4) Revisions to concentrations or loading rates. A new or revised pollutant concentration or loading rate published in the Federal Register as a modification to 40 CFR 503.13(b) (relating to pollutant limits) is incorporated by reference.

(c) Residential septage. The annual application rate for residential septage applied to agricultural land, forest or a reclamation site may not exceed the annual application rate calculated using Equation (1).

Click to view image

Where:

AAR = Annual Application Rate in gallons per acre per 365-day period.

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

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 271.821 (relating to application for general permit); 25 Pa. Code § 271.911 (relating to special requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 271.913 (relating to general requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 271.917 (relating to frequency of monitoring); 25 Pa. Code § 271.918 (relating to recordkeeping); and 25 Pa. Code § 271.919 (relating to reporting).

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