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r JAN 25 1994 BOOK 91 FACE 5S6 Commissioner Eggert commented that a number of people from Gifford are concerned about sludge being dumped at a site in North Gifford. She stressed that even if sludge spreading is safe, people do not always perceive it as being safe. Mr. Nason responded that the owner of the property in Gifford where the sludge was being dumped asked the City of Vero Beach to stop spreading sludge at that location. In fact, the City is not currently spreading sludge anywhere in the county. Mr. Nason then introduced Mr. Dan Click, an environmental engineer with 27 years' experience and an employee of Montgomery Watson America, Inc., a division of Montgomery Watson, Inc., which is a multi -national firm that deals exclusively in water and sewer matters. Mr. Nason explained that Montgomery Watson America, Inc., has just completed a study for the City of Vero Beach. Dan Click distributed a large information 'packet which contained exhibits substantiating the technical information presented at today's meeting. The exhibits contained extensive information about Federal regulations on disposal of sewage and sludge. The first exhibit was the following fact sheet summarizing the EPA's sewage sludge use and disposal rule: A United States Office of Water EPA -822-F-92-002 �� E PA Environmental Protection WH -556 November 1992 Agency Washington, DC 20460 rage Sludgevse and Disposal Hu (40 CFR Part 503) --- Fact Sheet The Sewage Sludge Use and Disposal Regulation (40 CFR Part 503) sets national standards for pathogens and 10 heavy metals in sewage sludge. It also defines standards (or management practices) for the safe handling and use of sewage sludge. This rule is designed to protect human health and the environment when sewage sludge is beneficially applied to the land, placed in a surface disposal site, or incinerated. The rule was developed in accordance with the 1987 Amendments to the Clean Water Act. The rule is also the product of EPA's most comprehensive risk assessment to date, in that it considers the full range of potential impacts sewage sludge could have on public health and the environment. It is based on the most current scientific information and is the first rule published by EPA that considers potential ecological effects. Although developed by EPA's Office of Water under the authority of the Clean Water Act, this rule is multi -media in nature and seeks to protect surface water, ground water, air, and land. The scientific research used to develop this rule shows that most sewage sludge can be safely and beneficially used in a wide variety of ways. It can be applied safely to agricultural land, lawns and gardens, golf courses, forests and parks, and is a valuable resource for land reclamation projects. This rule is designed to protect human health and the environment at an equal margin of safety for any of the regulated use or disposal practices. It sets standards for pathogens and limits for 12 pollutants which have the potential for adverse effects, and explains why limits are not needed for 61 other pollutants that were considered. Additionally, it contains a comprehensive set of management practices to ensure that sewage sludge is beneficially used or disposed of properly. (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) and pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, and parasites). Some sludges may also contain small amounts of organic chemicals (such as chloroform) and inorganic chemicals (such as iron). ■ Sewage sludge must be treated to improve its quality before it can be used or disposed. This treatment involves biological,, chemical, physical and/or thermal processes primarily designed to remove water, reduce the level of pathogens, stabilize volatile solids, and make it less attractive to rodents, insects, and other animals. How Much Sewage Sludge Is There? ■ A typical family of four generates up to 400 gallons of wastewater per day. Aka this wastewater has been treated, about one pound of sludge on a dry weight basis is produced. ■ There are approximately 13,000 to 15,000 publicly owned treatment works in the United States which generate 110-150 million wet metric tons of sewage sludge, annually. How is Sewage Sludge Beneficially Used or Disposed of? ■ Sewage sludge has been used with great success on agricultural lands throughout the world for decades. Today, approximately 36% of the United States' sewage sludge is -beneficially applied to land, 38% is landfilled at municipal sites, 10% is surface disposed, and 16% is incinerated.