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Alternative Treatment Technologies – Working With the Pathogen Equivalency Committee
Citation:
MECKES, M. C. Alternative Treatment Technologies – Working With the Pathogen Equivalency Committee. In Proceedings, WEFTEC 2010, Worshop 209, New Orleans, LA, October 03, 2010. Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA, 7 p, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Under current Federal regulations (40 CFR 503), municipal sludge must be treated prior to land application. The regulations identify two classes of treatment with respect to pathogen reduction: Class B (three alternatives) which provides a minimum acceptable level of treatment; and Class A (six alternatives) which is considered to be free of pathogens. Regardless of the class of treatment, the regulations allow for the use of alternative treatment technologies if they are equivalent to proven technologies with respect to pathogen reduction. EPA’s Pathogen Equivalency Committee (PEC) was established to evaluate the treatment technologies on their ability to reduce pathogen densities and to provide recommendations regarding equivalency applications to EPA’s Office of Science and Technology and appropriate permitting authorities. In 2008 the PEC updated the criteria it uses to make recommendations of equivalency on innovative or alternative sludge pathogen reduction processes. To assist new applicants through the equivalency recommendation process the pathogen equivalency committee developed a website which provides specific information for applicants. The main steps of the equivalency recommendation process are discussed through the introduction of the website materials.
URLs/Downloads:
WEFTEC Homepage
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES – WORKING WITH THE PATHOGEN EQUIVALENCY COMMITTEE (PDF, NA pp, 2951 KB, about PDF)
Program