EPA BiosolidsProgram Update
Rick Stevens Office of Water
Michigan Water Environment AssociationBay city, MI
February 21, 2008
2
Office of the Assistant Administrator
Assistant Administrator,Benjamin Grumbles
Management & OperationsStaff
Water Policy Staff
Resources ManagementStaff
Communications Team
American Indian Environmental Office
Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water
Water Security Division
Drinking Water Protection Division
Office of Science & TechnologyDirector, Ephraim S. King
Deputy Dir, Suzanne Rudzinski
Office of Wastewater Management
Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds
Engineering & Analysis Division
Director, Mary T. Smith
Municipal Support DivisionAssessment & Watershed
Protection Division
Health & Ecological Criteria Division
Director, Edward Ohanian
Standards & Health Protection Division
Director, Denise Keehner
Water Permits DivisionOceans & Coastal
Protection Division
Wetlands Division
Senior Policy Advisor
Standards & Risk Management Division
Office of WaterOffice of Water
• Water Quality Criteria
• Drinking and recreational waters
• Nutrients / Sediment
• Biosolids
• Emerging Contaminants
Program AreasHealth & Ecological Criteria Division
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
4
Emerging Contaminants in Water*
Pesticides
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care
Products
Endocrine Disrupting
Compounds
PFOA
PBDEs
Prions
Nanomaterials
*Not an exhaustive list.
Pathogens
CAS Registry*
31 million organic and inorganic substances
Updated daily with ~4000 new substance records
*American Chemical Society’s Chemical Abstracts Service
Estimating the Universe of ECsChemicals
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
6
Known– Viruses
• Hepatitis• Adenovirus 12• Norovirus
– Bacteria• Salmonella spp. (to include S. enterica)• Escherichia coli• Enterococcus spp.• Campylobacter spp.
– Parasites• Giardia • Cryptosporidium
Emerging– E. coli strains:
• Escherichia coli O157:H7 [enterohemorrhagic/Shiga-toxin producing; EHEC or STEC]
• Antibiotic-resistant (focus on vancomycin- and methicillin-)– Analogous Salmonella typhimurium strains
Estimating the Universe of ECsPathogens
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
7
EU Definition:
– New chemicals produced to offer improvements in industry, agriculture, medicine, and common conveniences.
– New reasons for concern for existing contaminants.
– New capabilities enabling improved examination of contaminants.
Emerging Contaminants (ECs)What are they?
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
8
What’s in a Name
What to call these ‘compounds’ without negatively branding them as “worry” or “concern”
Emerging Contaminants of Concern
Emerging Substances of Concern
Compounds of Potential Concern
Pollutants of Potential Concern
Compounds of Emerging Concern
Emerging Contaminants
Microconstituents
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
9
“Even with respect to their environmental impacts, the trace amounts released to the environment from biosolids land application are insignificant…”
Source: Viewpoint in a November/December 2006 WEF Newsletter
Biosolids Micro/Trace ConstituentsThe Latest Hype?
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
10
• ECs illustrate the connection of individuals’ activities with their environment
• A large number of chemicals are getting into the environment with known and unknown concentrations and effects
• Detection of these chemicals is likely to increase– Analytical methods are developed– Look
• Numerous reports of intersex fish and other species have triggered Congressional and public interest
• No evidence of adverse human health effects
So Why the Interest?
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
11
• To ensure that Part 503 standards are protective
• The US population is expected to double in 72 years
• What to do with increased volume of residuals
• 55% current production is land-applied
Key Biosolids Issues
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
12
• <1% of nearly 470 million acres of agricultural land
• US is essentially self supportive in food production…indications of potential concern
o Reaching food-production capacityo Loss of arable land and population increase
• Biosolids helps replenish OM, nutrients, buffer pH
• Less a nuisance and more a resource• Must first address the technical, regulatory and
communication challenges
Key Biosolids Issues
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
13
Current knowledgeand future concerns
• Are biosolids a human health or environmental concern?
• Do we understand all the risks?
• Do we have all the needed risk assessment tools?
• Do we fully understand how well treatment of biosolids eliminates health and environmental risks?
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
14
EPA’s Biosolids Action Plan
• In setting priority actions, we considered certain questions:o Would the action provide a link for detecting
and quantifying pollutantso Would the action help ensure protectiveness of
Part 503o Would the action address scientific and policy
complexities posed by land application
• We also considered input form a variety of sourceso NAS recommendationso Public comments / WERF Research Summito EPA priorities
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
15
EPA’s Biosolids Action PlanThree categories / objectives
1. Advancing our understanding of science, technology, and risks
2. Ensuring implementation of laws and regulations
3. Communicating the best available information related to public fears and perceptions …applying
science & technology to protect water quality
16
Summary of SelectBiosolids Activities
Current
• Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey – includes 100 PPCPs
• Analytical techniques for virus and helmith• Reactivation / sudden increase• Incident tracking and rapid response• Quantitative microbial risk assessment• Antimicrobial resistance and HGT• Wastewater modeling for predicting pollutant
concentrations• Biennial review cycles
20032005 and 2007
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
Risk-Based StandardsHEI/RME Scenario Ag Land-ApplicationExposure-Risk Model
S o i l+
B i o s o l i d s
11
33
22
44
55
667788
99
1010
1111
1212
13131414
PLANT
HUMAN
GROUNDWATER
HUMANHUMAN
AIR
PLANT
GARDENER
CHILD
PLANT
ANI
MAL
PLANT
ANIMAL
HUMANPL
AN
T
ANI
MAL
SOILBIOTA
SOILBIOTA
DUST
HUMAN
WATER
HUMAN
HUMAN
14 - Pathway Risk Assessment
19
Summary of SelectBiosolids Activities
Needed• Research effective pathogen destruction or appropriate
indicators and pathogens• Do Part 503 operational standards work• Analytical capabilities for a host of pathogens and
other pollutants• Pathogen uptake by plants• Global warming issues• Appropriate measures of biosolids stability• Complex or aggregate mixtures• Biennial Review cycles 2009, 2011…• Promulgate Part 503 rule changes• Better understanding of odor generation & control• Aggressively encourage and implement EMS• Develop better risk communication tools
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
20
Communication ChallengeVoluntary vs. Involuntary
The public sees voluntary risk differently than involuntary risk
Voluntary
Ingestion
Bathing
Use
Disposal
Involuntary: finding them in our environment in trace
amounts
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
21
Behavior:– Ingest / use– Excretion– Bathing– Disposal
May make their way into soil and water:– Wastewater– Biosolids– Irrigation– Effluent
Communication ChallengeWe All Contribute
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
voluntary
voluntary leading to
involuntary
22
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
Courtesy of CH2M Hill
Focusing on Source Control
23
Key MessageFocus on Source Control
Everyone contributes
Clear linkages between individual behaviors and the presence of trace constituents
We all should strive to minimize the amount of material we introduce into the water environment
Think about product choices and source control
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
24
White House Office of NationalDrug Control Policy
Prescription Drug
Abuse Guidance
25
Key MessageStrategic Risk Communication
We need better expertise in communicating complex technical material to citizens• Process of scientific methods and strategies• Someone verse in ‘best practice’ SRC:
o Up on the research literatureo Analysis of information needso Empirical evaluation of SRC impacts
SRC success is satisfaction of the people involved that they have been adequately informed within the limits of available knowledge, and their needs are met.
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
No documented evidence to indicate that Part 503 has failed to protect public health
However, additional scientific work is needed to reduce persistent uncertainty about the potential for adverse health effects from exposure to biosolids
~60 recommendations
NAS / NRC Report, July 2002
The Agency: Developed an Action Plan: 14 projects
10.5 completed 3.5 ongoing
What have we been doing sinceNAS report (issued 2002)
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
27
Field Study• The application and study at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury, NC commenced at a time of the year that is typical for the application of biosolids using routine agronomic practices• This research was not designed to investigate health-related incidents and therefore does not constitute a health effects research study• Measured air emissions, biosolids, and related environmental and other conditions associated with the test application• The goal of this research study was to investigate air and soil sampling methods and approaches and to optimize them if necessary in order to develop a protocol
28
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
29
Exposure Measurements WorkshopAbstract
The final Agency response to the NRC report was published in the Federal Register in 2003
One of these projects was to conduct a Biosolids Exposure Measurement Workshop
This workshop was held March 16-17, 2006, Cincinnati, OH.
This document is a summary of the workshop.– It describes presentations given by 16 experts– It concludes with a list of research needs– In the long-run, the goal of this workshop is to help
enable the Agency to better assess the risk associated with the land application of biosolids. …applying
science & technology to protect water quality
30
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
Just completed report
31
PPCP Inventory Development
• Sought to look at PPCP research conducted in the U.S.
– What chemicals have researchers tested for?– Where? (location, media)– What analytical methods were used?– What concentrations did they find?
• Will aid EPA’s regulatory or guidance development activities
– Drinking/recreational water regulations– Use and disposal of sewage sludge– Ambient aquatic life criteria
• Will significantly expand EPA’s existing PPCP scientific inventory
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
32
Preliminary FindingsPPCP Inventory
• 1537 Samples• 176 PPCP• 14 Media Types
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
33
No. of PPCP in Biosolids, Wastewater & Treatment Related Media
123
42
21 18 179
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Media
Nu
mb
er o
f P
PC
P D
etec
ted Wastewater
Drinking water(tap)
Biosolids &Sludge
AgriculturalRunoff
Raw drinkingwater
Animal waste
34
What We Found So FarPPCP Inventory
• Analytical methods are highly variable• Many found at ppt-ppb levels in the
environment• Locations are often vague or missing• Results aren’t always presented as single
values, but as a range or average, or in a graph
• One chemical can have many names, and they aren’t always easy to find
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
35
Alternate names for Triclosan
• 2,4,4’-Trichloro-2’-hydroxydiphenyl ether
• 2'-hydroxy-2,4,4'-trichlorodiphenyl ether
• 2'-hydroxy-2,4,4'-trichlorophenyl ether
• 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol
• Cloxifenolum• Irgasan • Irgasan CH 3635• Irgasan DP 300
• trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenylether
• CH 3635• Microban• DP-300• Lexol 300• Ster-Zac• Cloxifenolum• Biofresh
36
PPCP Inventory Next Steps• Gather and compile data needed for human
health and ecological risk assessment– Physical chemical property data– Fate and transport data– Bioaccumulation factors– Human health benchmarks
• Consistent effort needed to keep up with publication rate
• PPCP/EC resource• Invaluable input to decision processes
– WQC– DWS– Biosolids
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
37
Better models
Nutrients: Evaluating alternative approaches to model effects of nitrite oxidation in predicting concentrations
Pathogen Risk: Develop quantitative microbial risk assessment options for assessing pathogen risks following exposure to land-applied biosolids
Exposure: Develop/improve wastewater modeling options to estimate pollutant concentrations in biosolids
Bioassay: Evaluate available methods for applying screening approaches (e.g., the WET test or reasonable facsimile thereof) for biosolids residual toxicity in effluents or sewage sludge
Aggregate or mixed stressors: Utilize similar modes of action or chemistry to determine population and community effects
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
38
Better methods
Chemicals in the environment• Non-standardized methods• Sometimes we don’t know
More compounds in use• Identify• Prioritize
Existing methods 100 PPCPs Fecal coliform (i.e., 1680 and 1681) Salmonella spp. (i.e., 1682) New holding time study
Methods needed Viruses Ascaris (viable helminth ova) Plenty
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
39
Targeted National Biosolids Survey
Why:• Response to the 2002 NRC report
• Addressed a target list of pollutants identified in 2003
• Expanded the original survey scope to include semi-volatiles, inorganic ions, PPDEs, and PPCPs
Randomly selected POTWs• 84 samples collected
• 74 facilities
40
41
42
43
44
45
Calcium at 311,000 mg/kg was from Class A sludge produced by advanced alkaline stabilization with subsequent drying. The alkaline stabilization process involves addition of large amounts of lime (calcium carbonate) to the material.
Iron at 299,000 mg/kg and elemental phosphorus at 118,000 mg/kg occurred in the same sample:
• The facility adds ferric chloride during its wastewater treatment process• This treatment step results in high levels of iron and phosphorus
Silver at 856 mg/kg occurred in a sludge sample from a POTW that employs a “complete mix activated sludge process”
• Could not easily ascertain source• Incineration
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
What about Certain Maximums?
46
Comparison of Survey Maximums
47
Comparison of Mean ConcentrationsDry Wt
Metal 2006-
2007 TNSS
S
1988-
1989
NSSS
40-City Survey
Arsenic (ug/kg) 7.0 9.9 6.7
Cadmium (mg/kg)
2.7 6.9 69
Chromium (mg/kg)
83.6 119 429
Copper (mg/kg) 569 742 602
Lead (mg/kg) 79.8 134 369
Mercury (mg/kg) 1.3 5.22 2.8
Molybdenum (mg/kg)
17 9.4 17.7
Nickel (mg/kg) 53.1 42.7 135
Selenium (mg/kg)
7.2 5.16 7.3
Zinc (mg/kg) 1029 1,202
1,594
2003 Region 8 Data
6.0
3.0
21.7
509
47.5
1.4
12.0
16.5
9.0
650
48
• Have: little bits of activity ongoing in quite a lot of areas• Fact: we believe that Part 503 is protective, but much remains unknown• Need: focused Research in a few key areas to reduce our vulnerability in a few key areas
o Treatment efficacyo Pathogen survival and natural attenuationo Pathogen emergence mechanismso Pathogen uptake in plants
• Why:• To ensure public health and environmental safety of biosolids land application• To provide sound biosolids management options, as well as information about these options to the public
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
Summary
Rick Stevens
U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Water
Office of Science and TechnologyHealth and Ecological Criteria Division
Washington, D.C.
…applying science & technology to protect water quality
Quit treating biosolids like crap