| Briefing Date: | 07/02/2002 |
| Topic: | Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices |
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Research Council
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
Committee on Toxicants and Pathogens in Biosolids Applied to Land
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Congressional Briefing
Tuesday, July 2, 2002 -- 1:00 p.m.
2325 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
on
Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices
Under a 1993 Clean Water Act rule designed to protect public health and the environment, sewage sludge can be applied to land if it is sufficiently treated to limit concentrations of certain chemicals and reduce disease-causing pathogens. Sewage sludge that meets these standards is referred to as biosolids. Depending on the extent of treatment, biosolids may be applied as a fertilizer where there is limited public exposure to it, such as farms and forests, or on sites with more public contact such as parks, golf courses, lawns, and home gardens. This new report, from the National Research Council, reviews the risk-assessment methods used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in setting standards for using sludge as a fertilizer.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released at 4:00 p.m. on July 2, 2002. The full text can be found on the Web site of the National Academies Press.
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