Appendix B to Part 503 - Pathogen Treatment Processes
40:32.0.1.2.43.7.13.1.32 : Appendix B
Appendix B to Part 503 - Pathogen Treatment Processes A. Processes
To Significantly Reduce Pathogens (PSRP)
1. Aerobic digestion - Sewage sludge is agitated with air or
oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions for a specific mean cell
residence time at a specific temperature. Values for the mean cell
residence time and temperature shall be between 40 days at 20
degrees Celsius and 60 days at 15 degrees Celsius.
2. Air drying - Sewage sludge is dried on sand beds or on paved
or unpaved basins. The sewage sludge dries for a minimum of three
months. During two of the three months, the ambient average daily
temperature is above zero degrees Celsius.
3. Anaerobic digestion - Sewage sludge is treated in the absence
of air for a specific mean cell residence time at a specific
temperature. Values for the mean cell residence time and
temperature shall be between 15 days at 35 to 55 degrees Celsius
and 60 days at 20 degrees Celsius.
4. Composting - Using either the within-vessel, static aerated
pile, or windrow composting methods, the temperature of the sewage
sludge is raised to 40 degrees Celsius or higher and remains at 40
degrees Celsius or higher for five days. For four hours during the
five days, the temperature in the compost pile exceeds 55 degrees
Celsius.
5. Lime stabilization - Sufficient lime is added to the sewage
sludge to raise the pH of the sewage sludge to 12 after two hours
of contact.
B. Processes to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP)
1. Composting - Using either the within-vessel composting method
or the static aerated pile composting method, the temperature of
the sewage sludge is maintained at 55 degrees Celsius or higher for
three days.
Using the windrow composting method, the temperature of the
sewage sludge is maintained at 55 degrees or higher for 15 days or
longer. During the period when the compost is maintained at 55
degrees or higher, there shall be a minimum of five turnings of the
windrow.
2. Heat drying - Sewage sludge is dried by direct or indirect
contact with hot gases to reduce the moisture content of the sewage
sludge to 10 percent or lower. Either the temperature of the sewage
sludge particles exceeds 80 degrees Celsius or the wet bulb
temperature of the gas in contact with the sewage sludge as the
sewage sludge leaves the dryer exceeds 80 degrees Celsius.
3. Heat treatment - Liquid sewage sludge is heated to a
temperature of 180 degrees Celsius or higher for 30 minutes.
4. Thermophilic aerobic digestion - Liquid sewage sludge is
agitated with air or oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions and the
mean cell residence time of the sewage sludge is 10 days at 55 to
60 degrees Celsius.
5. Beta ray irradiation - Sewage sludge is irradiated with beta
rays from an accelerator at dosages of at least 1.0 megarad at room
temperature (ca. 20 degrees Celsius).
(6) Gamma ray irradiation - Sewage sludge is irradiated with
gamma rays from certain isotopes, such as 60 Cobalt and 137 Cesium,
at dosages of at least 1.0 megarad at room temperature (ca. 20
°Celsius).
7. Pasteurization - The temperature of the sewage sludge is
maintained at 70 degrees Celsius or higher for 30 minutes or
longer.
[58 FR 9387, Feb. 19, 1993, as amended at 64 FR 42573, Aug. 4,
1999]