 | Vol. 3 No. 3 Winter 1995 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
Did you know since 1983, there has been a steady improvement in sludge quality from domestic treatment works in New Jersey (see chart below). Today, 92 percent of the domestic treatment works in New Jersey can meet the minimum requirements for land application under the federal sludge rules (40 CFR Part 503) and 69 percent can meet the "high quality" requirements for land application specified under federal rules. This demonstrates the sludge (or "biosolids") being produced by New Jersey generators is generally low in pollutants, rich in nutrients and organic matter, and highly suitable for recycling. This high quality is a result of both public and private clean water and pretreatment efforts.
Sludge Quality from Domestic Treatment Works in New Jersey
| PARAMETER | CAT 1 | CAT 2 | CAT 3 | CAT 4 | CAT 5 | STATEWIDE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 2.09 | 2 | 2.5 | 3.05 | 3.52 | 2.7 |
| 1987** | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1989-94 | 2.79 | 3.11 | 2.52 | 3.06 | 2.8 | 2.85 |
| 1994-95 | ND | 2 | 3 | 3.86 | 2.99 | 2.1 |
| Cadmium | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 7.38 | 2 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 11.45 | 9.4 |
| 1987** | 4 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 24 | 9 |
| 1989-94 | 6.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.68 | 6.53 | 5.63 |
| 1994-95 | 2.05 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.14 | 5.91 | 3.55 |
| Chromium | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 33.6 | 29 | 88.83 | 115 | 600 | 93 |
| 1987** | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1989-94 | 27 | 23 | 27 | 39 | 88 | 39 |
| 1994-95 | 13.2 | 19 | 24.3 | 31.68 | 71.72 | 20 |
| Copper | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 697 | 657 | 949 | 776 | 1170 | 825 |
| 1987** | 492 | 1061 | 917 | 872 | 1000 | 895 |
| 1989-94 | 594 | 679 | 658 | 667 | 819 | 679 |
| 1994-95 | 568 | 695 | 631 | 623 | 783 | 630 |
| Lead | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 127 | 122 | 195 | 196 | 411 | 210 |
| 1987** | 77 | 160 | 149 | 197 | 293 | 166 |
| 1989-94 | 100 | 74 | 86 | 108 | 137 | 100 |
| 1994-95 | 59 | 66 | 74 | 89 | 89 | 73 |
| Mercury | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 1.3 | 2.9 | 5 | 3.25 | 3.77 | 3.6 |
| 1987** | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1989-94 | 2.08 | 2.24 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.29 | 2.34 |
| 1994-95 | 0.66 | 2.39 | 2.02 | 2.18 | 2.26 | 1.7 |
| Molybdenum | ||||||
| 1981-83* | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1987** | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1989-94 | 15.3 | 20 | 12.16 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 15.03 |
| 1994-95 | ND | 0.05 | 6.01 | 6.8 | 17.95 | 3.14 |
| Nickel | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 29.5 | 34 | 49.5 | 43.15 | 90 | 45.8 |
| 1987** | 24 | 31 | 40 | 53 | 101 | 43 |
| 1989-94 | 31 | 26 | 26 | 30 | 48 | 31 |
| 1994-95 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 34 | 21 |
| Selenium | ||||||
| 1981-83* | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1987** | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1989-94 | 2.38 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 1.74 | 1.3 | 2.07 |
| 1994-95 | ND | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.25 | 3.78 | 1.96 |
| Zinc | ||||||
| 1981-83* | 803 | 825 | 1200 | 1010 | 2300 | 1110 |
| 1987** | 689 | 1000 | 877 | 952 | 1616 | 977 |
| 1989-94 | 904 | 684 | 738 | 846 | 999 | 826 |
| 1994-95 | 778 | 668 | 860 | 835 | 754 | 775 |
* New Jersey Median Sludge Quality from Singh, A.; Chase, H.P.; and Morris, M.L. 1983.
** 1987 SSMP
NA Not Available, ND Not Detected
Cat 1 = domestic treatment works with a permitted flow < .099 MGD;
Cat 2 = domestic treatment works with a permitted flow > or = 0.1 MGD, but < 0.999 MGD;
Cat 3 = domestic treatment works with a permitted flow > or = 1 MGD, but < 4.999 MGD;
Cat 4 = domestic treatment works with a permitted flow > or = 5.0 MGD; and
Cat 5 = domestic treatment works with > 10% industrial contribution by flow or mass loading.