notice

Selenium – Poultry processing wastes contain selenium because it is added to poultry
feed and much of it is excreted into manure that is present at poultry processing facilities.
Selenium can be toxic to fish and to phytoplankton and zooplankton. In addition, it
bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in aquatic food chains. It is also a concern when it is
released to waters that serve as a source of potable water supply. Excess selenium can
result in selenosis, and can include cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neurological
impacts.
Selenium is listed as a toxic “priority pollutant” by EPA under the CWA, 40 CFR §
401.15 and 40 CFR Part 423, Appendix A, and is also present on the most recent (2005)
CERCLA biennial priority list of hazardous substances.
Pesticides – EPA has noted that pesticides, such as rodenticides, may be present at
poultry processing facilities, and residues from pesticide use on poultry flocks in
confined operations to control ectoparasites are sometimes present at the processing
stage. In addition, pesticides including fungicides, insecticides, and fumigants may be
used at these facilities. Sampling data from EPA indicates the presence of pesticides in
raw poultry wastewater. Transpermithrin and carbaryl are two pesticides that EPA
evaluated for further regulation in poultry processing wastewater. Carbaryl is on the
most recent (2005) CERCLA biennial priority list of hazardous substances. Other
pesticides such as chlorhexidrine diacetate may be used at such operations. Pesticides are
toxic to aquatic ecosystems and have the potential to biomagnify and bioaccumulate in
aquatic food chains.
Antibiotics – Antibiotics such as tetracycline, penicillin, and erythromycin are fed to
poultry routinely primarily to promote growth, improve the feed conversion ratio, and
prevent disease, rather than for therapeutic purposes. EPA has noted that anywhere from
25 to 75 percent of the administered antibiotics are excreted, and that antibiotic
compounds may pose risks to humans and the environment. EPA has found that chronic
toxicity may result from low-level discharges of antibiotics. In addition, the nontherapeutic
use of antibiotics may contribute to antimicrobial resistance in the human
population, possibly contributing to the ineffectiveness of antibiotics for therapeutic
purposes. The practice of feeding antibiotics to animals as growth enhancers has been
phased out in the European Union, and the World Health Organization and the Institute
for Medicine have called for the discontinuation of this practice.
Hormones – Estrogen and Testosterone have been found to be naturally present in
poultry manure. These compounds are strong chemical messengers that help regulate
growth and reproductive functions. Excess estrogen and testosterone can disrupt the
endocrine processes in humans and animals, and is associated with reproductive and
developmental abnormalities in vertebrate and invertebrate animal species, such as
intersex and imposex fish, as well as reduced sperm counts in men.
Oil & Grease – Many animal fats and oils, and lubricating oils and greases, can enter the
wastestream of poultry processing waste. These substances have a very high BOD and
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