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146 2019 INDUSTRY RESOURCE DIRECTORY Waste Disposal Regulations • Portable sanitation is not considered "hazardous waste" under US environmental guidelines. Unless you are carrying something else that is classified as hazardous, your liquid load from portable toilets is classified as "domestic septage." • At the highest level, the US Code of Federal Regulations Part 503 (40 CFR) provides guidelines on the treatment and disposal of domestic septage, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees the processes. The EPA is mainly responsible for national limit-setting and guidelines. » State environmental agencies carry out most of the licensing and enforcement that affect your business. » Counties, watersheds, and municipalities can also establish local regulations for septage handling, treatment, and disposal, in addition to the federal and state regulations. Septage characteristics Factors that affect the physical characteristics of septage in portable restrooms are climate; user habits; the tank size, design, and frequency of pumping; water supply characteristics; pumping equipment material; and the use of deodorizers. Table 1 lists the characteristics and limits of domestic septage according to the EPA. Portable toilets typically contain variable BOD, solids, inorganics, odor, pathogens, and some chemicals. WASTEWATER DISPOSAL Table 1 Characteristics of Septage Conventional Parameters CONCENTRATION PARAMETER MINIMUM MAXIMUM Total solids 1,132 130,475 Total volatile solids 353 71,402 Total suspended solids 310 93,378 Volatile suspended 95 51,500 Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) 440 78,600 Chemical oxygen demand 1,500 703,000 Total Kjeldahl nitrogen 66 1,060 Ammonia nitrogen 3 116 Total phosphorus 20 760 Alkalinity 522 4,190 Grease 208 23,368 pH 1.5 12.6 Total coliform 10 7 /100 mL 10 9 /100 mL Fecal coliform 10 6 /100 mL 10 8 /100 mL Source: US EPA, 1994. Note: The measurements are in mg/L unless otherwise indicated. Better worksites. Better weekends. Better world. EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS-ONLY CONTENT REDACTED Join us now at www.psai.org for access to this valuable information.