The definitions set forth in this section shall apply throughout this chapter unless context otherwise requires:

(1) "Organic" means a material containing carbon and one or more elements (other than hydrogen and oxygen) essential for plant growth. When the term "organic" is utilized in the label or labeling of any commercial fertilizer, it shall be qualified as either "synthetic organic" or "natural organic," with the percentage of each specified.

(2) "Natural organic" means a material derived from either plant or animal products containing carbon and one or more elements (other than hydrogen and oxygen) essential for plant growth.

(3) "Synthetic organic" means a material that is manufactured chemically (by synthesis) from its elements and other chemicals, containing carbon and one or more elements (other than hydrogen and oxygen) essential for plant growth.

(4) "Unit" means one percent (by weight) of a ton.

(5) "AOAC" means the association of official analytical chemists.

(6) "Commercial fertilizer" means a substance containing one or more recognized plant nutrients and that is used for its plant nutrient content or that is designated for use or claimed to have value in promoting plant growth, and shall include limes, gypsum, and manipulated animal and vegetable manures. It does not include unmanipulated animal and vegetable manures, organic waste-derived material, and other products exempted by the department by rule.

(7) "Fertigation" means a method of applying commercial fertilizers with irrigation water to fertilize land or plants.

(8) "Fertilizer component" means a commercial fertilizer ingredient containing one or more recognized plant nutrients which is incorporated in the commercial fertilizer for its plant nutrient value.

(9) "Maximum acceptable cumulative metals additions to soil" means the amount of total metals that can be added to soil over a forty-five-year period of time without exceeding the Canadian standards which have been adopted in RCW 15.54.800(3) as Washington standards for metals.

(10) "Organic waste-derived material" means grass clippings, leaves, weeds, bark, plantings, prunings, and other vegetative wastes, uncontaminated wood waste from logging and milling operations, food wastes, food processing wastes, and materials derived from these wastes through composting. "Organic waste-derived material" does not include products that include biosolids.

(11) "Maximum application rate" means the maximum amount of commercial fertilizer expressed by weight (such as: Pounds, ounces, kilograms, or milligrams) or volume (such as: Gallons, quarts, fluid ounces, liters, or milliliters) to be applied to an area of a specified size (such as: Acres, square feet, hectares, or square meters) in a period of time stated in years.

(12) "Biosolids" means municipal sewage sludge that is a primarily organic, semisolid product resulting from the wastewater treatment process that can be beneficially recycled, including material derived from biosolids, and septic tank sludge, also known as septage. For the purposes of this rule, semisolid products include biosolids or products derived from biosolids ranging in character from mostly liquid to fully dried solids.

(13) "Unpackaged biosolids" means biosolids distributed in a loose, unpackaged form such as, but not limited to, tote bags, tote tanks, bins, tanks, trailers, spreader trucks, railcars, and pick-up truckloads or other containers provided by the final user solely for transport of the material.

(14) "Packaged biosolids" means biosolids distributed in a container provided by the distributor of the material.

PDFWAC 16-200-695

Definitions.