The State of Maine requires testing for heavy metals and other pollutants before material can be spread on farmland. This "agronomic use of solid waste residuals" on farmland is a type of beneficial use of solid waste covered by Maine Waste Management Rules Chapters 405 and 419.
Chapter 405: Water Quality Monitoring, Leachate Monitoring, and Waste Characterization describes the analytical tests that comprise a Soil Nutrient Analysis and Initial Residuals Analysis (p. 29).
Chapter 419: Agronomic Utilization of Residuals covers rules related to technical and cultural guidelines such as set-backs, smells, deed restrictions, maximum chemical and heavy metals loads permitted, and how and when to measure such loads.
Waste material that will be used on farmland is subject to a higher level of scrutiny than other uses. The following chart describes the testing regimens spelled out by Chapter 405, D.(2), Initial Residuals Analyses:
WE WANT TO TEST YOUR SLUDGE!
We offer the following common packages:
| Package Name | Price | Sample Containers | Preservation |
| Sewage Sludge a-b-e | $435.50 | 8 oz. glass jar, 4 oz.glass jar | chilled to ≤6º C |
| Sewage Sludge a-b-c-e | $471.50 | 8 oz. glass jar, 4 oz.glass jar | chilled to ≤6º C |
| Papermill Sludge a-b-c-d | $650.85 | 8 oz. glass jar, 4 oz.glass jar | chilled to ≤6º C |
| Woodash and Lime Mud a-c-d | $512.85 | 8 oz. glass jar | chilled to ≤6º C |
| Sludge Metals (10) - "e" above | $218.50 | 8 oz. glass jar or 110 g | chilled to ≤6º C |
| RCRA 8 Metals | $145.00 | 8 oz. glass jar or 110 g | chilled to ≤6º C |
| NH SQC Nutrients/Trace Metals/Cyanide:
pH, % solids, nitrate-nitrite, TKN, NH3, potassium, phosphorus, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, |
$472.50 | chilled to ≤6º C |
Resources
Maine DEP "Solid Waste Management" (overview webpage)
Maine DEP Waste Management Rules (index of rules - webpage)
Maine Waste Management Rules Chapter 405: Water Quality Monitoring, Leachate Monitoring, and Waste Characterization
Maine Waste Management Rules Chapter 419: Agronomic Utilization of Residuals
Maine DEP "Residuals, Sludge, and Compost" (webpage)
Maine DEP "Agronomic Use of Residuals" (webpage) - includes annual report forms with required analytical testing lists
Chapter 405 - Appendix C "Target Compound List" - VOCs, SVOCs, Pesticides, PCB's for agronomic solids (MEL spreadsheet): TCL list
Maine DEP "Guidance for Municipalities: Regulation of Septage and Sludge Land Application by Municipalities": http://www.maine.gov/dep/waste/residuals/documents/municipalordinanceguidance7.pdf
State of New Hampshire "Residuals Management" webpage, including the Sludge Quality Certification (SQC) Application
NEBRA - North East Biosolids and Residuals Association: https://www.nebiosolids.org/
*Disclaimer: Maine Environmental Laboratory provides this information as general guidance only. Your testing requirements may be different. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection determines specific testing regimens tailored to each situation.