EPA chose the term "Pollutant" to defined the chemical and infectious
agents in part 503. While EPA and its scientists do talk about pathogens, it
doesn't seemed to be defined except by the Department of Transportartion.
Most of the infectious pathogens in sludge seem to be in the Risk 4 range.
TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER I--RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION,
DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
PART 173.134 Class 6, Division 6.2
(a)(1) Division 6.2 (infectious substance) means a material known to
contain or suspected of containing a pathogen. A pathogen is a virus or
micro-organism (including its viruses, plasmids, or other genetic
elements, if any) or a proteinaceous infectious particle (prion) that
has the potential to cause disease in humans or animals. A Division 6.2
material must be assigned to a risk group in accordance with this
paragraph (a). Assignment to a risk group is based on known medical
condition and history of the source patient or animal, endemic local
conditions, symptoms of the source patient or animal, or professional
judgement concerning individual circumstances of the source patient or
animal.
(6) Risk group means a ranking of a micro-organism's ability to
cause injury through disease. A risk group is defined by criteria
developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) based on the severity
of the disease caused by the organism, the mode and relative ease of
transmission, the degree of risk to both an individual and a community,
and the reversibility of the disease through the availability of known
and effective preventative agents and treatment. There is no
relationship between a risk group and a packing group. The criteria for
each risk group according to the level of risk are as follows:
Risk Group Table
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Risk to Risk to the
Risk group Pathogen individuals community
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4............... A pathogen that High........... High.
usually causes
serious human or
animal disease and
that can be readily
transmitted from
one individual to
another, directly
or indirectly, and
for which effective
treatments and
preventive measures
are not usually
available.
3............... A pathogen that High........... Low.
usually causes
serious human or
animal disease but
does not ordinarily
spread from one
infected individual
to another, and for
which effective
treatments and
preventive measures
are available.
2............... A pathogen that can Moderate....... Low.
cause human or
animal disease but
is unlikely to be a
serious hazard,
and, while capable
of causing serious
infection on
exposure, for which
there are effective
treatments and
preventive measures
available and the
risk of spread of
infection is
limited.
1............... A micro-organism None or very None or very
that is unlikely to low. low.
cause human or
animal disease. A
material containing
only such micro-
organisms is not
subject to the
requirements of
this subchapter.
------------------------------------------------------------------------