^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

National Academies Committee Finds No Evidence of Adverse Health Effects from EPA Biosolids Regulations
In July, a committee of the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies of Science (NAS) issued a report containing the findings from an exhaustive 18-month review of EPA's regulatory requirements for land application of biosolids. The committee, noting that there had been anecdotal allegations of disease, stated as its foremost finding that there was no documented evidence that the EPA regulations have failed to protect public health. Nevertheless, to more fully meet public concerns about land application practices and to address data gaps, the committee recommended that EPA work to update the scientific basis for its regulations. On September 6th, the National Academies disseminated an op-ed piece by the Committee Chair for the report which re-emphasized the finding of no evidence of adverse health effects and which observed that the op-ed appeared necessary because some press accounts of the report had focused only on criticisms of EPA's past efforts and did not fully reflect the committee's findings and recommendations.