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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
To provide further clarification on the virus that causes COVID-19 infections, which is technically named SARS-CoV-2, and concerns about how it relates to residuals, sludge, and biosolids for water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) as well as the wastewater sector at large, this paper includes a review of available data related to the virus and surrogates as well as their potential associations with residuals, sludge, and biosolids. This update is intended to supplement to the currently published article, “The Water Professionals Guide to COVID-19” the Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control (WIDOC) working group of the Water Environment Federation (Maal-Bared et al., 2020).
Author(s)
Kari Fitzmorris BrisolaraRasha Maal-BaredRobert S. ReimersAlbert RubinMark D. SobseyRobert K. BastianCharles GerbaJames E. SmithKyle BibbyGreg KesterSally Brown
Project IDWSEC-2020-TR-001
CommitteeWaterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control (WIDOC) Working Group
Document typeTechnical Report
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Print publication date May 2020
Volume / Issue
First / last page(s)1 - 20
Copyright2020
Word count6,216
Subject keywordsResiduals and BiosolidsWastewater TreatmentCoronavirusinfectious disease
Associated keywords:BiosolidsWastewater Treatmentinfectious disease

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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Executive Summary
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
There have been concerns and studies related to potential effects to public health associated with municipal sludge. The development of USEPA 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 503 was intended to ensure safety to the public and environment from infectious diseases (Reimers et al., 2004; USEPA, 1992). The regulations have been monitored and assessed by two reports from the National...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count287
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Contents
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Executive Summary 1
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count64
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Overview of Virus Density in Feces, Untreated Sludge, and Biosolids
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Residuals can be categorized into: (1) human feces, (2) untreated municipal sludge, (3) Class B biosolids and (4) Class A biosolids. Based on available literature, virus densities vary greatly by pathogen and by residual category and by process used for pathogen removal (see Table 1). Further discussions of viral load along with associated...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count540
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Biosolids Disinfection Processes: Evaluation of Effectiveness and Regulation
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
The disinfection processes included in approved biosolids treatments have been documented to inactivate pathogens more resistant to treatment than COVID-19 virus or any other enveloped viruses (AAMI, 2010; Gattie & Lewis, 2004; Wang et al. 2005; Wolff et al., 2005).
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count808
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Presence of COVID-19 Virus in Each Level of Residuals and Likelihood of Transmission
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
A traditional risk assessment includes four stages: a) hazard identification; b) exposure assessment; c) dose–response assessment, and d) risk characterization. As the infective dose of COVID-19 virus remains unknown, performing a quantitative microbial risk assessment is not possible. We can, however, perform a qualitative risk assessment that is based on a hazard assessment — that...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count1,600
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Recommendations
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
In alignment with CDC and OSHA recommendations, we recommend that workers and employers manage untreated residuals and sludge with potential or known COVID-19 virus contamination like any other untreated material. As noted by LeChevallier et al. (2019) there is a hierarchy of PPE that follows the treatment through the WRRF. As material progresses through treatment, risk decreases....
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count513
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Conclusions
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Based on evidence presented, there is no currently available epidemiological data that establishes a direct link between wastewater sludge or biosolids and risk of infection from the COVID-19 virus. Despite shedding of the virus RNA in feces, there is no evidence supporting the transmission of COVID-19 virus through the wastewater system including biosolids. Research efforts have been undertaken...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count160
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Authors
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Kari Fitzmorris Brisolara is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and an Associate Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (New Orleans, Louisiana) and Vice Chair of the WEF Disinfection and Public Health Committee.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count285
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Description: Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
References
Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus
Advancing Safety in Medical Technology (AAMI). 2010. Designing, testing, and labeling reusable medical devices for reprocessing in health care facilities: A guide for medical device manufacturers. AAMI TIR12:2010 (Revision of AAMI TIR12:2004).
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Copyright2020
Word count1,851
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Residuals and Biosolids Issues Concerning COVID-19 Virus