The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regulations, 40 CFR, require that boilers, cement kilns, and other industrial furnaces utilizing waste-derived fuel adhere to specific guidelines in assessing potential metals emissions. A common approach for estimating potential emissions is performing total metals analysis on all feedstream materials. This practice describes a multi-stage microwave-assisted digestion procedure that solubilizes trace elements for spectroscopic analyses.

1.1 This test method covers the biodegradation properties of a material by reproducibly exposing materials to conditions typical of municipal solid waste (MSW) composting. A material is composted under controlled conditions using a synthetic compost matrix and determining the acclimation time, cumulative oxygen uptake, cumulative carbon dioxide production, and percent of theoretical biodegradation over the period of the test. This test method does not establish the suitability of the composted product for any use.

1.2 The values stated in both inch-pound and SI units are to be regarded separately as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.