National Sludge Alliance
Charlotte Hartman, National Coordinator
180 Boston Corners Road
Millerton, NY 12546
(518) 329-2120 (phone/fax)
email: chartmannsa@taconic.net

NSA Public Fact Sheet 103

Sludge Magic: From New York City to Sierra Blanca, Texas

2/5/1997

Figure 3 (mg/kg concentrations (ppm))

Federal EQ Sludge MERCO April 1993 NY Limit NYC Average
Arsenic 41 4 75 n/a
Cadmium 39 4 25 120**
Chromium n/a 93* 1000 4230**
Lead 300 193 840 6400**
Molybdenum n/a 7 n/a n/a
Mercury 17 3 10 n/a
Nickel 420 28 200 510**
Selenium 36 5 100 n/a
Zinc 2800 935 2500 3720**
** "July 1979 to June 1981 averages" 5 priority pollutants. Wat. Sci. Tech. (1987) v. 19, n. 9 p.143

Figure 2. Applicable Biosolids Rules for Land Application ( mg/kg(ppm))***

Federal Table NY State TX State NYC Sludge (4/95 TCLP average) 503 landfill limit (75')** NYC sludge (1981)
Arsenic 75 -- 75 4 30 --
Cadmium 85 25 85 4 -- 120
Chromium 0 1000 3000 93 200 4230
Copper 4300 1000 840 193 -- 6400
Lead 840 1000 840 193 -- 6400
Molybdenum 75 -- 75 7 -- --
Mercury 57 10 57 3 -- --
Nickel 420 200 420 28 210 510
Selenium 100 -- 100 5 -- --
Zinc 7500 2500 7500 935 -- 3720
* Chromium concentrations (3000 ppm) was deleted from the 1996 CFR Part 503.
** Please note that Federal Ceiling Limits for Chromium were 2800 ppm above 75' (25 meter) landfill boundary limits.
*** mg/kg is a dry weight calculation. While the dry weight should reflect an apples to apples comparison, this table reflects an apples to oranges comparison - since the TCLP mg/kg of the April average is not comparable to the Total Metals Test used in the 503 regulation.