Use of reclaimed water and sludge in food crop production / Committee on the Use of Treated Municipal Wastewater Effluents and Sludge in the Production of Crops for Human Consumption, Water Science and Technology Board, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Use of Treated Municipal Wastewater Effluents and Sludge in the Production of Crops for Human Consumption.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sewage sludge as fertilizer.

Sewage sludge as fertilizer--Environmental aspects.

Sewage sludge as fertilizer--Health aspects.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (192 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1996.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The debate over health and aesthetic concerns about using treated waste to fertilize human food crops is well over a century old. In 1993 the US Environmental Protection Agency asked for an update of the situation, in light of the food industry's continuing hesitation a decade after the EPA deemed the practice safe. Among the topics discussed are the history and technology of wastewater treatment, effects on soils and crops, public health concerns, existing regulations, and economic and liability issues. Not addressed are the extensive efforts of chemical fertilizer producers to keep people worried. No index. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Contents:

Use of Reclaimed Water and Sludge in Food Crop Production

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

BACKGROUND

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Adequacy of Existing Regulations for Pathogens in Reclaimed Water and Sludge

Adequacy of Existing Regulations for Harmful Chemicals in Reclaimed Water and Treated Municipal Sludge

Reclaimed Water

Treated Municipal Sludge

Soil, Crop, and Ground Water Effects

Economic, Legal, and Institutional Issues

Economic Considerations

Public Perception and Liability

Other Regulations and Institutional Controls

CONCLUDING REMARKS

1 Introduction

REFERENCE

2 Municipal Wastewater, Sewage Sludge, and Agriculture

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Wastewater

Sewage Sludge

IRRIGATION WITH RECLAIMED WATER

Crop Irrigation

Deemand for Irrigation Water

Wastewater Reclamation Motivated by Disposal Priorities

Value of Reclaimed Wastewater

USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE IN AGRICULTURE

Potential Role of Sewage Sludge in Crop Production

Ecological Linkages Between Urban and Agricultural Systems

SUMMARY

REFERENCES

3 Municipal Wastewater and Sludge Treatment

QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER EFFLUENT AND SLUDGE

CONVENTIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESSES

Preliminary Wastewater Treatment

Primary Wastewater Treatment

Secondary Wastewater Treatment

Tertiary or Advanced Wastewater Treatment

TREATMENT TO FACILITATE CROP IRRIGATION WITH RECLAIMED WATER

SLUDGE TREATMENT PROCESSES

Volume Reduction Processes

Thickening

Dewatering

Conditioning

Drying

Stabilization Processes

Biological Stabilization

Chemical Stabilization

Inactivation of Pathogenic Organisms and Viruses

Other Sludge Treatment Processes

Solidification/Immobilization.

Metal Stripping and Toxic Organic Destruction

Combustion

Ultimate Sludge Utilization or Disposal

Integrated Sludge Management Schemes

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER PRETREATMENT

Fate of Toxic Chemicals During Secondary Wastewater Treatment

Heavy Metals

Cyanide

Toxic Organic Chemicals: Volatile and Semivolatile Organic Compounds, Pesticides and PCBs

Pretreatment

Pretreatment Goals

Pretreatment Implementation

4 Soil, Crop, and Ground Water Effects

SLUDGE AS A SOURCE OF PLANT NUTRIENTS

Nitrogen

Phosphorus

Other Essential Plant Nutrients

TREATED MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER AS A SOURCE OF PLANT NUTRIENTS AND IRRIGATION WATER

Plant Nutrients

Irrigation Water Quality Concerns

EFFECTS OF SLUDGE AND WASTEWATER ON SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Organic Matter

Water Retention Properties

Structure and Aggregation

Water Transmission Properties

EFFECTS OF SLUDGE AND WASTEWATER ON SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Soluble Cations, Anions, and Molecules

Trace Elements

Accumulation of Potentially Harmful Inorganic Chemicals in Soils and Crops

Accumulations of Potentially Harmful Organics in Soils and Crops

EFFECTS OF SLUDGE ON SOIL MICROORGANISMS

Microbial Biomass and Activity

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

EFFECTS ON GROUND WATER

Pathogenic Microorganisms

Toxic Organic Compounds

LANDSCAPE-LEVEL CONSIDERATIONS

5 Public Health Concerns About Infectious Disease Agents

INFECTIOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION

INFECTIOUS DISEASE RISK

MONITORING INFECTIOUS DISEASE POTENTIAL

PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERIENCE WITH THE USE OF RECLAIMED WATER AND SLUDGE

6 Public Health Concerns About Chemical Constituents in Treated Wastewater and Sludge

FATE OF AND EXPOSURE TO ORGANIC CHEMICALS.

Behavior of Toxic Organics in the Soil

Uptake of Toxic Organics by Plants

Phthalate Esters

Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs),

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

Chlorinated Pesticides

Disinfection Products

Acid-Extractable Organic Compounds

Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and Dibenzofurans (CDFs).

Volatile Aromatic Compounds (VOC)

Generalizations Regarding Uptake of Organics by Plants

Uptake of Toxic Organics by Animals

FATE OF AND EXPOSURE TO TRACE ELEMENTS IN SLUDGE

Uptake of Trace Elements by Animals

NONSPECIFIC HEALTH EFFECTS OF SLUDGE AND WASTEWATER

7 Regulations Governing Agricultural Use of Municipal Wastewater and Sludge

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

Agricultural Irrigation with Wastewater

Agricultural Use of Sewage Sludge

FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE CONTROL OF PATHOGENS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE

APPROACHES TO TOXIC CHEMICAL REGULATION IN SLUDGE AND WASTEWATER LAND APPLICATION

Preventing Toxic Chemical Pollutant Accumulation in Soils

Allowing Pollutant Accumulation in the Soil

DEVELOPMENT OF U.S. CHEMICAL POLLUTANT STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURAL USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

General Approach to Risk Assessment

Hazard Identification

Dose-Response Assessment

Exposure Evaluation

Risk Characterization

EPA's Risk Assessment Approach

Exposure Assessment

EVALUATION OF FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE

Justification for Exempting Organic Pollutants From Regulation Should be Confirmed

APLRs May Cause Maximum Permissible Loading Limits to be Exceeded

Food Safety is not Likely to be Affected by the Regulations

REGULATIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER

Evolution of Regulations Governing Irrigation with Treated Municipal Wastewater.

General Description of the State Regulations

Adequacy of Current Regulations for Reclaimed Water

Pathogen Regulations for Sludge

Toxic Chemicals Regulations for Sludge

Regulations for Effluent Irrigation

8 Economic, Legal, and Institutional Issues

ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF TREATED MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER AND SLUDGE

POTW Economic Perspectives

Farm Economics of Treated Wastewater and Sludge Use

Food Processor Perspectives

MANAGING RESIDUAL RISKS

Residual Risks

Public Concerns to be Addressed

Risk Management: Private Sector

Common Law Liability

Market Forces

Voluntary Self-Regulation

OTHER, RELATED GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS

Toxic Waste Segregation, Waste Collection, and Treatment

Treated Effluent and Sludge Discharge Management Options

Surface and Ground Water Protection

Public Health Protection for Harvested Crops

Analysis for Regulatory Gaps and Overlap

Appendix

COMMITTEE MEMBER BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9786610192274

9780309175623

0309175623

9781280192272

1280192275

9780309568111

0309568110

9780585030869

0585030863

OCLC:

56482551