Problem Formulation for Human Health Risk Assessments of Pathogens in Land-Applied Biosolids
In 2002, the National Research Council (NRC) released a report entitled: "Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices" which was a review of EPA’s regulation "The Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge" (otherwise known as the "Part 503 Rule" found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations published in 1993). In 2003, EPA released a final action plan for setting new priorities for the biosolids program which included the Agency’s response to the NRC report called "Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge; Final Agency Response to the National Research Council Report on Biosolids Applied to Land and the Results of EPA’s Review of Existing Sewage Sludge Regulations" (68 FR 75531). This report follows-up on one project listed in EPA’s action plan; specifically, to provide a problem formulation and analysis plan relating to uncertainties associated with conducting quantitative microbial risk assessments on land-applied biosolids (68 FR 75540).