The document descibes the federal requirements concerning pathogens in sewage sludge applied to land or placed on a surface disposal site, and it provides guidance concerning those requirements. Chapter 2 of the document discusses why pathogen control is necessary to protect public health and the environment, and Chapter 3 through 6 describe the current federal requirements under Subpart D of Part 503. Chapters 7 and 8 discuss sampling and analysis to meet the quantitative requirements of Part 503. Chapters 9 and 10 describe the sewage sludge treatment processes listed under Part 503. Chapter 11 discusses the kind of support EPA's Pathogen Equivalency Committee can provide to permitting authorities.

Shipping list no.: 93-0562-P. "December 1992." Includes bibliographical references. "EPA/625/R-92/013."

Introduction -- Protection of public health and the environment from sewage sludge pathogens -- Overview of part 503 subpart D requirements, their applicability, and related requirements -- Class A pathogen requirements -- Class B pathogen requirements and requirements for domestic septage applied to agricultural land, a forest, or a reclamation site -- Requirements for reducing vector attraction -- Meeting the quantitative requirements of the regulation -- Sampling procedures and analytical methods -- Processes to significantly reduce pathogens (PSRPS) -- Processes to further reduce pathogens (PFRPS) -- Role of EPA's pathogen equivalency committee in providing guidance under part 503 -- References -- Appendix A: EPA regional and state sludge coordinators and map of EPA regions -- Appendix B: Subpart D of the part 503 regulation -- Appendix C: Determination of volatile solids reduction by digestion -- Appendix D: Guidance on three vector attraction reduction tests -- Appendix E: Determination of residence time for anaerobic and aerobic digestion -- Appendix F: Sample preparation for fecal coliform tests and salmonella sp. analysis -- Appendix G: Kenner and Clark (1974) analytical method for salmonella sp. bacteria -- Appendix H: Method for the recovery and assay of enteroviruses from sewage sludge -- Appendix I: Analytical method for viable helminth ova. This publication provides basic information about pathogens and describes why pathogen control is required to protect public health and the environment, and discusses the current federal requirements under Subpart D and Part 503. It reviews the different PFRP and PSRP processes and discusses vector attraction reduction issues. It goes on to summarize sampling and analysis protocols used to meet the quantitative requirements of Part 503 and outlines the process for applying for equivalency and discusses the kind of support EPA's Pathogen Equivalency Committee can provide to permitting authorities. This work lists general references and additional resources related to biosolids use; specific references related to particular topics are also included at the end of each chapter and lists EPA and state sewage sludge coordinators, and Appendix B contains Subpart D of the Part 503 regulation.