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ACCOMPLISH THIS OBJECTIVE, CONTINUED RESEARCH INTO THE COMPOSITION OF 
THE SLUDGE AND VIABLE DISPOSAL SITES IS NEEDED: JHE AGENCY HAS 
ESTABLISHED A WORK GROUP TO DEVELOP SLUDGE MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES UNDER 
Section 405 oF THE CLEAN WATER AcT- THE GUIDANCE WILL CUT ACROSS ALL 
MEDIA AND PROGRAM LINES TO ADDRESS THE BEST METHODS FOR DISPOSAL OF 
SLUDGES + 
SPECIFICALLY, WITHIN THE OCEAN DUMPING PROGRAM ITSELF, THE AGENCY 
IS UNDERTAKING AN EFFORT TO CHARACTERIZE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIAL AND 
MUNICIPAL SLUDGES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE COMPONENTS OF THE SLUDGES 
AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR ADVERSELY AFFECTING DIFFERENT MARINE SETTINGS - 
CONCURRENT WITH WASTE CHARACTERIZATION ACTIVITIES, THE AGENCY IS 
STUDYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DISPOSAL SITES TO DETERMINE AN AREA'S 
CAPACITY TO ABSORB VARIOUS TYPES OF WASTE- 
IN MATCHING WASTES WITH SITES, THE AGENCY WILL ASSESS THE RISKS 
AND UNCERTAINTIES OF DIFFERENT DISPOSAL ALTERNATIVES FOR PARTICULAR 
WASTES- IN REGARD TO POTENTIALLY TOXIC SLUDGES WHOSE FATE AND EFFECTS 
ARE UNCERTAIN, EPA WILL DEVOTE MUCH EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE DATA BASE 
FOR DECISION MAKING- JHESE ACTIVITIES BY THE AGENCY SHOULD ASSIST 
WASTE DISPOSERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING APPLYING FOR AN OCEAN DUMPING 
PERMIT: EVEN WITH ADDITIONAL DATA THE BURDEN OF PROOF WILL CONTINUE 
TO BE ON THE APPLICANTS TO MAKE THEIR CASE FOR OCEAN DISPOSAL. 
As I MENTIONED EARLIER, MUNICIPAL SLUDGES VARY AS TO THE LEVELS 
OF TOXIC ORGANICS AND HEAVY METALS- PROBLEMS RESULT WHEN THE LEVELS 
OF TOXIC ORGANICS AND HEAVY METALS LIMIT THE CHOICE OF DISPOSAL 
