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Minnesota <br />pollution <br />control <br />Agency <br />c-er3-19 <br />Guidelines for managing mud <br />and used sandbags after a flood <br />ediment, or mud, left by a <br />receding flood can contain <br />contaminants that present human <br />health and environmental concerns. As <br />part of a flood -recovery plan, sediments <br />should be managed as an "unregulated <br />special waste" as outlined below. The <br />main health risks are from the potential <br />presence of human and animal waste, <br />pathogens (bacteria and viruses) and <br />molds. Flood -mud can also contain <br />contaminants, such as oils and <br />pesticides, and low levels of other <br />sediment -associated pollutants from the <br />watershed, such as heavy metals and <br />industrial chemicals (for example, <br />polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs). <br />Disposal of flood sediment <br />The general guidelines for the <br />management of flood -sediment include: <br />Stockpile sediment away from <br />wellhead and sensitive areas to de - <br />water. Then, use the dewatered <br />sediment as controlled fill (placed <br />outside of flood plain and covered to <br />minimize human exposure). Runoff <br />sediment and erosion control <br />measures should be placed around and <br />downhill of flood sediment stockpiles. <br />Mud mixed with known <br />sewage/wastewater should be treated <br />with lime after dewatering and land <br />applied in accordance with septage <br />land -treatment criteria or it should be <br />lime -treated and placed as controlled <br />fill. <br />c-er3-19 • March 2009 <br />Sediment from a receding flood may contain <br />contaminants and should be handled with <br />caution. <br />• Mud mixed with suspected <br />contaminants from nearby business <br />sources should be treated as municipal <br />waste and disposed of at a sanitary <br />landfill or stockpiled and tested for <br />suspected contaminants. <br />• Mud from a pollution -listed or <br />impaired watershed may likely <br />contain trace levels of a contaminant <br />(for example, mercury). However, <br />this material can be managed as <br />controlled fill and testing for these <br />trace contaminates is not required or <br />necessary. <br />FEMA considerations <br />Please note that for a federally declared <br />disaster, in order to reduce the potential <br />for disease transmission, the Federal <br />Emergency Management Agency <br />(FEMA) has reimbursed cleanup <br />expenses for the disposal of flood <br />sediments and debris as a municipal <br />solid waste when disposed of at a <br />sanitary landfill. <br />Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • 520 Lafayette Rd. N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194 • www.r ca.state.mn.us <br />651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats <br />