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Plant and Soil Science Department Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 79409-2122
(Richard.Zartman{at}ttu.edu)
Committee on Toxicants and Pathogens in Biosolids Applied to Land, The National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20055. 2002. 345 p. $44.00 paperback. ISBN 0-309-08486-5.
The fate of biosolids (treated sewage sludge and wastewater residuals) was altered dramatically with the passage of the Ocean Disposal Ban Act of 1988. While recycling had been practiced for decades, the prohibition of ocean dumping of biosolids fostered increased emphasis on their land application. The task of this committee was to "focus its review on approaches for identifying human health hazards, for assessing exposure to those hazards, and for assessing risk from the those exposures."
After a brief introductory chapter, the authors devote the next chapter to biosolids management of pollutants and pathogens from U.S. and European perspectives. Subsequent chapters of the book are devoted to epidemiological evidence of health effects associated with biosolids, advances in risk assessment since the establishment of the Part 503 regulations, evaluation of the USEPA's approach to setting chemical and pathogen standards, and integration of chemical and pathogen risk assessment.
The committee found that there was "no documented scientific evidence that the Part 503 rules have failed to protect public health." The committee, however, recommends the following: (i) use improved risk-assessment methods to better establish standards for chemicals and pathogens, (ii) conduct a new national survey of chemicals and pathogens in sewage sludge, (iii) establish a framework to implement human health investigations, and (iv) increase the resources the USEPA devotes to the biosolids program. While this book is critical of some of the USEPA's policy decisions and priorities, it clarifies the hard management decisions required in disposing of human wastes.
This book is a very well written and documented review of the advancing standards and practices of the land application of biosolids. Part 503 rules were initially promulgated upon the best evidence available. Since Part 503 rules were created, the absolute quality of biosolids and the knowledge base for land application have improved. These two components allow for a much clearer view of the consequences and benefits of the land application of biosolids. While risk assessments of biosolids should be based on "complex-mixture data to include risks from chemicals and pathogens," this type of data is "not available in either sufficient quantity or quality." This is a must-read for current and future policymakers who wish to land-apply biosolids or regulate biosolids application.
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