SLUDGE WARS: Small Washington County Wins a Battle, But We Could All Still Lose



A peaceful Wahkiakum County scene           Photo by Marti Kintigh

 "Small towns. Big hearts" said an email from the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce, and those four words represent the amount of heart it took for a county comprising only about 1% of the land in the State of Washington to fight big government and win. At least it was a partial victory in an ongoing war. On Oct. 12, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning ruled in favor of a tiny Wahkiakum County, instead of the state, on an important court case involving not only issues of public health and safety but also the right to local determination.

Very few people heard about this decision, even though it has widespread ramifications. If King or Pierce counties—with their populations of 1,942,600 or 802,150, respectively—had been the ones to stand up to our state government in a case of bullying, the news media might have given this story the attention it deserves. But only 4,000 people live in Wahkiakum County where the it all began.

Over a year has passed since State Attorney General Rob McKenna's office brought a lawsuit against Wahkiakum County, on behalf of the Department of Ecology. Why? Because the Wahkiakum County commissioners passed an ordinance banning the use of minimally treated Class B biosolids—considered by many scientists to be dangerous. You can read all about bio-solids, the EPA’s inadequate and unenforceable rules and equally inadequate testing methods in a previous blog post: From Toilet to Table.

The Department of Ecology, did not take kindly to an upstart little county having the audacity to go against this powerful branch of state government. How dare they confront Ecology's mandate to increase the use of treated sewage sludge on Washington’s farmlands, a widespread practice made possible through the department’s control over the permitting process?

The county did not even attempt to ban biosolids outright, still accepting the slightly less dangerous Class A type, because to attempt an outright ban would have meant certain defeat in court. Few Washingtonians realize that, so far, they basically have had no choice in this matter. The use of biosolids is legal, aggressively promoted, and imposed on us whether we like it or not. The Wahkiakum County ordinance came about because of negative public reaction to the Department of Ecology having permitted the spreading of Class B biosolids on a piece of property that borders the Grays River, in a flood plain, near a dairy, and in a county trying to encourage and promote organic farming.




Photo by Marti Kintigh

Ironically, this court battle was not even about the safety of biosolids. It was a David and Goliath story, one about power and control. Because the state allows the use of Class B biosolids, Ecology wanted the court to overturn the local ordinance, claiming it was unconstitutional. However, there are federal laws protecting the right to local determination. After a year of hearings and delays, and fine work on the part of Wahkiakum County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow, the case was settled when the judge ruled in favor of the county. It was settled for now, that is. The decision will likely be appealed. Ecology is not happy.

Bigelow told me:

"For my part, I can say I believe the court made a just decision based entirely on the law. It's particularly gratifying to see that in a case like this one, where emotions run high on both sides. But there is too much at stake to make it likely this case will end here.

"One of two things can still happen. First, the Department of Ecology can appeal this decision to a higher court. It's my job to watch out for that and to keep fighting for the county and the ordinance as I have been doing.

"Second, the Department can go to the state legislature and try to get the law changed. This case was decided based on an interpretation of state law, so the result can change if the state law changes."

An article written by Natalie St. John for The Daily News, quotes Peter Lyon, a spokesman for Ecology. In my opinion, his words reveal an attitude that hardly expresses concern for the kinds of things the average citizen might assume the department’s name implies. “We’re a little disappointed in the judge’s decision,” he said. “The purpose of the law was to level the playing field for businesses and users of biosolids, and this ruling thwarts that law.” 

Level the field for businesses and users? What about the environment? It seems Wahkiakum County might be considered a pesky troublemaker, whose success in court represents a threat to the big business of sludge disposal in this state and now other counties might be brave enough to follow suit. Lyon added “We’re concerned about a domino effect.”  I can only hope. Agricultural counties in California have more strictly regulated or entirely banned bio-solids.

I share the opinion of Wahkiakum County Council member Blair Brady, who offered a quote in an e-mail this morning:

“I was always disappointed that the lawsuit was framed around the constitutionality of our ordinance rather than what I believe are real issue is, and that is, and was, one of public and environmental safely. The idea that a state organization would sue Wahkiakum County to force a lower standard is beyond belief. State organizations that I believe were created with the intention of assisting our counties appear to have run amuck, and now try to dictate and bully their way along with their own agendas. ~ Blair H. Brady
 

Photo by Marti Kintigh

 One day last spring, I drove the winding highway through the Grays River valley stunned by the beauty of its deep green forests and fields and its feeling of peacefulness. I saw with my own eyes why many of its citizens feel such passion about preserving this land in its natural state. And no matter what propaganda you have heard from government agencies or waste water treatment facilities, sludge is not natural.

This nation has a smelly, and daunting problem—how to dispose of all the sewage and waste water we produce. Ever since 1972, when Congress passed the Clean Water Act, sewage must be treated, not simply dumped. But so far, treatment is far from perfect, leading to real dangers to public health and the environment.

The term “biosolids” was invented because it sounds much more appealing than “sewage,” or other less polite names for what this stuff actually is. The public continues to be duped by propaganda that promotes what amounts to toxic waste as something natural, beneficial, and desirable, its use even being green, recycling, and the right thing to do. Here in Tacoma and Pierce County we have TAGRO and SoundGRO and both are used widely by unsuspecting, well-meaning homeowners. If they knew what some scientists and concerned citizens know, they would cringe. Some have learned the hard way.


SEWAGE SLUDGE ON OUR FARMS: A TOXIC BETRAYAL from Tina Motley-Pearson on Vimeo.

Today’s sludge is not simply poop. It includes, in addition to pathogens, waste from hospitals, packing houses, and industrial plants, everything that goes down a toilet or drain. Think about that. Diseased tissue, pharmaceuticals, hormones, flame retardants, industrial and household chemicals, personal care products, heavy metals, etc. Prions, related to Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer’s are NOT destroyed when sewage is “treated.” (See http://www.alzheimers-prions.com/)

It has even been proven that earthworms living in such soil are taking up the toxins. Look at this article from the website of the U.S. Geological Survey: http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/earthworms.html

This situation can produce an outcome that effects all of us. As Prosecuting Attorney Bigelow continues his vigilance, he asks for the help of all who care about the environment. "Stay active," he said. "Keep an eye out for proposed legislation to neutralize this decision, and let your legislators know where you stand!"

UPDATE: On Oct. 24 I learned of this news story about the dangers of sludge:
http://whnt.com/2012/10/23/lawrence-county-residents-wait-for-report-on-blood-tests/


COMMENT FROM SLUDGE RESEARCHER HELANE SHIELDS:

If the Washington Dept. of Ecology again sues Wahkiakum County to overturn Judge Stephen Warning's decision, and seeks to bully the County into allowing the spreading of toxic, pathogenic Class B sewage sludge,they will be flying in the face of both federal law and the US Constitution:

Federal law clearly and unambiguously authorizes communities to adopt sludge rules MORE STRINGENT than federal sludge rules:http://www.nidellaw.com/blog/?p=17

The preemption clause of the US Constitution unequivocally provides that FEDERAL LAW TRUMPS STATE LAW:

I. Background On The Doctrine Of Federal Preemption.
The principle by which federal laws trump state laws is known as the doctrine of federal preemption. The roots of federal preemption can be traced back to the United States Constitution.In drafting the Constitution, the Framers envisioned a potential conflict between the two separate and distinct yet competing bodies of government: federal and state. The Framers resolved this conflict
by incorporating the Supremacy Clause into the Constitution.

The Supremacy Clause dictates thatfederal law will supersede any state law that interferes with or runs contrary to that federal law:
“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be
made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be
made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme
Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound
thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Law of any State to the
Contrary notwithstanding.”

U.S. Const. Art. VI, Cl. 2.
This clause establishes the framework for the balance of powers between the federal
government and the state governments. Since the United States Supreme Court’s landmark decision
in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), 17 U.S. (4 Wheat) 316, it has been well-established that any state
law which conflicts with federal law is “without effect.” See Maryland v. Louisiana (1981), 451
U.S. 725, 746.

There are two main categories of federal preemption: express and implied. “Express preemption” occurs when “Congress has made its intent known through explicit statutory language” to preempt an area of state law. English v. General Elec. Co. (1990), 496 U.S. 72, 79. “Congress can define explicitly the extent to which its enactments pre-empt state law." Id. at 78.

In the absence of explicit statutory language, implied preemption may exist. There are two types of implied preemption: field preemption and conflict preemption. “Field preemption” occurs when federal law exclusively regulates or occupies an area such that Congress left no room for state regulation in that area. Id. at 79. “Conflict preemption” occurs when state law “actually conflicts with federal law.” Id. Courts have found conflict preemption “where it is impossible for a private party to comply with both state and federal requirements *** or where state law ‘stands as an obstacle to the
accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress.’” Id.
Helane Shields, Alton, NH sludge researcher since 1996 hshields@tds.net

Federal law provides for local sludge control http://sludgevictims.com/local-determination.html
Sludge victims have suffered illness, death and surface and groundwater pollutionhttp://sludgevictims.com/

Washington sludge victims http://sludgevictims.com/States/Washington_sludge_victims.html
********************************************
Here are other links about the dangers of biosolids, courtesy of Helane Shields. PLEASE take a look. Be aware, don't fall for the propaganda, and buy organic.

http://sludgefacts.org

 http://www.deadlydeceit.com/NSA-138.html

http://www.sludgevictims.com/

http://www.yupedia.com/what-is-sewage-sludge-fertilizer.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-sewage-sludge-fertilizer

http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/PDFS/LandApp.pdf

http://sludgeblog.com/2012/04/04/poisoning-our-food-from-the-ground-up/

http://www.sewagesludge.com/

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/204118/group/Opinion/

Copyright 2012 Candace J. Brown

WAKE UP WASHINGTONIANS! Your county might be the next sludge dump.

 Biosolids being sprayed on the Zerr farm. Photo by Poul Toftemark

If you care about the environment, the rights of counties to protect the health and safety of their citizens, if you care about organic farming, and food and water safety, PLEASE read this and share it with everyone you know. DEMOCRACY is at stake in this story, along with many other vital issues.

What is happening is that a Wahkiakum County farmer requested a permit to have minimally treated Class B biosolids (SLUDGE) applied to his land, which borders the Grays River. This farm is in a flood plain. Nearby organic farms, a dairy farm, and even the public water supply are threatened. Many citizens are outraged, but so far the issue has received news coverage only in southwest Washington and from KATU Channel 2 TV news out of Portland, OR. Here's a link to the KATU story with VIDEO. PLEASE LOOK AT IT. I am trying to get people to realize how important this is to all of us.

 PLEASE WATCH THIS ADDITIONAL VIDEO BELOW.


Sewage Sludge on farmland from Tina Motley-Pearson on Vimeo.

If you are not aware of what Class B biosolids are, please read my recent blog post, From Toilet to Table. It will lead you to a lot of shocking information. And since writing it, I've learned of many more news stories having to do with illness, even death, caused by this material.

Every time I get one of those mailings from the City of Tacoma advocating TAGRO, the locally produced and promoted biosolid product, I feel sick. There are many news stories showing how UNSAFE biosolids really are. Promoting sludge as fertilizer is nothing more than a huge PR campaign folks, to get you to help dispose of this nasty stuff, because they simply don't know what to do with all of it.

I interviewed Wahkiakum County Commissioner Blair Brady to get the details. You can read excerpts from that interview below.  (note: the word "Ecology" throughout this quote, refers to the Washington State Department of Ecology)

Blair Brady: "One of my constituents read an advertising notice from Ecology in our local newspaper regarding the application of biosolids, to which end the word got out. It was a previously unknown issue in our county. The gentleman who owns a farm along Grays River had applied for, and was in the process of receiving, a permit to apply sludge, septic/human waste/industrial waste on his farmland, treated minimally for odor.

"Once this came to our attention we requested and received from Ecology another meeting, at which time approximately 150-200 people showed, local residents who had done their homework and were very well informed as to a number of problems with this human/industrial waste product and proceeded to give their evidence and testimony to Ecology, at which time Ecology considered it, took it, and returned a response. I think they changed a setback, but basically continued to issue a permit to apply what I consider to be a dangerous product. We as county commissioners have decided, or two out of three of us have decided, that is an unacceptable public safety and environment issue to allow to occur in our county.

"We realize the need to dispose of human waste and there has to be a way to do that. But with the modern technology limited as it currently is, we decided we could not accept anything that contained live organisms in it, also called pathogens, which include hepatitis and a whole myriad of other types of diseases and organisms. We had told Ecology we were going to be doing this, and we had a number of phone conversations with the regional director. We even had a meeting with Sally Toteff, the Western Regional manager of Ecology and a couple of other people from her office that manage the biosolids program, along with the three commissioners from Lewis County who also have concerns in this issue.

"At that meeting, I felt it was pretty much a waste of time. We had dialogs and they were rather heavy handed. They threatened to sue us if we were to proceed and it was basically going to be their way or the highway and they were not really interested in changing their position on the issue, stating that 'We’re the only ones that have the authority to regulate this.' So what that relates to, is forcing us to take a less-safe product.

"We proceeded after that, to pass an ordinance banning any application of biosolids below a Class A level of treatment, anywhere in our county, wherever Ecology would permit it. Two days after we passed our ordinance, they applied septage for two days and they claimed 'Oh we just became aware of your ordinance.' and they have discontinued since then. Ecology has admitted to us that they do not have the resources to adequately monitor this program either.

"After they applied this septage to this gentleman’s land, this land is supposed to be fenced off for a certain time frame, of livestock and everything else. Well, two days after the application, his cattle were in that field grazing. They’d broken through the fence or something.

"Our 19^th district state delegation of legislators and Senator Brian Hatfield wrote a letter to the Attorney General’s office requesting an AG’s opinion on the right of Ecology to force this upon us. The Attorney General’s office refused to render opinion to them. Then a few days after receiving their request, filed a law suit against Wahkiakum County. It’s bizarre that legislators can’t get the Attorney General to render an opinion. (Note: That's part of the AG's job. Click here for information.)

"It’s just kind of a shame that the recently announced gubernatorial candidate (Attorney General Rob McKenna) has decided to come down with a heavy hammer on small little Wahkiakumlands on this issue.

"This community is really pushing to become more organic farm based and create jobs and incomes for people to keep their farms through going certified organic. And I don’t see how the property this has been applied to could ever be used for that again."

PLEASE CARE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE! DON'T IGNORE IT JUST BECAUSE IT ISN'T IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD. THIS MATTERS TO ALL OF US, INCLUDING YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WHO WILL BE DEALING WITH THE NIGHTMARE SLUDGE CREATED!
You can e-mail Blair Brady at bradyb@co.wahkiakum.wa.us

Other recent news stories about sludge:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/204118/group/Opinion/

http://www.seas.yale.edu/news-news-detail.php?id=303

http://www.myfoodpoisoninglawyer.com/2011/06/european-e-coli-outbreak-claims-first-american-life/

http://weku.fm/post/biosolid-fertilizers-cheap-worrisome

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/hernando-rejects-plans-for-sewage-treatment-facility-near-homes/1175226

http://www.grist.org/food/2011-06-07-contaminated-compost-toxins-might-lurk-in-that-bag-youre-buying

And a book: Toxic Loopholes: Failure and Future Prospects for Environmental Law

For links to many other stories, just look at my blog post From Toilet to Table

FROM TOILET TO TABLE - Sit down and have a helping of "biosolids."

A little girl runs barefoot down the sun-warmed garden path and pulls up a carrot from the soil that still clings. After a rinse in cold water and a little scrub, it will become her snack, full of vitamins and minerals and possibly a few other things her mother isn’t aware of: traces of heavy metals, pathogens, pharmaceuticals, hormones, flame retardants, solvents, and more.

Welcome to gardening with BIOSOLIDS.

That's a nice name for treated sewage sludge that comes from anything and everything that has been flushed down a toilet, dumped in a sink drain, or run through a garbage disposal, including unimaginably nasty waste from industrial plants, hospitals, slaughterhouses, and more.

Anything and everything. Pause for a moment and think about that.

As the world’s population increases, so does the amount of human, animal, hospital, industrial, and food processing waste. Sewage treatment facilities produce huge quantities of sludge—over 7 million dry tons per year. Somehow, it needs to be dealt with.The Clean Water Act of 1972 meant sewage had to be treated and not just dumped, which was a good thing, but then it started accumulating.

Historically, many methods have been used to get rid of sludge, including incineration (although that has raised concern about airborne pollution), burial in landfills (risking ground water quality), or dumping in the ocean (to enter the food chain and pollute the seas.) Ocean dumping was banned in 1988.

Promoting it as a fertilizer for agriculture was a cheap and easy solution, one you might be part of, convinced that you’re doing the right thing when you take home bags of soils, composts, or fertilizers from your local sewage treatment plant or distributors, to spread on your yard or garden. Or maybe you’ve had a whole truckload delivered. After all, you might think of it as “natural and organic.” And it's true that biosolids do offer nutrients for plant growth, and they can be obtained for little or no money.

Even locally, the choices abound. The City of Tacoma offers TAGRO. Pierce County has SoundGRO and King County pushes GroCo. All those "GROs" make it sound so healthy, and it seems like such a “green” idea. What’s to worry about? We are told time and time again that biosolids are safe. But who has been telling us this?

The endorsement comes from those involved with the sewage and waste water treatment industry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, even though the EPA’s own website raises concern. In 2009, the EPA collected samples of treated sewage sludge from 74 randomly selected, publicly owned sewage treatment plants in 35 states and compiled the Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey Report. The results revealed the presence of “four anions (nitrite/nitrate, fluoride, water-extractable phosphorus), 28 metals, four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, two semi-volatiles, 11 flame retardants, 72 pharmaceuticals, and 25 steroids and hormones.” Some think of "biosolids" as an improvement on the smelly manure that has been used for centuries, but this stuff is nothing like what a cow produced back in 1700.

How the EPA protects (?) us

In response to the Clean Water Amendments, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created an amendment to their regulations, titled “The Standards for the Use and Disposal of Sewage Sludge,” (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], Part 503) effective March 22, 1993. “The Part 503 Rule,” as it is now called, presents criteria for use, testing, storage, and disposal of treated sewage sludge, with the assertions of its relative safety based on assumptions about compliance with these rules. Take a look at Chapter 6 of the EPA’s “Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule.”

Unfortunately, most citizens don’t bother looking into the matter and just accept what they are told. Extremely effective public relations and marketing campaigns convince the public that using these products is the environmentally responsible and economical choice. Consequently, both commercial farmers and home gardeners are being duped into helping to solve a disposal problem of horrific proportions.

The EPA's FAQ page concerning biosolids, makes some confusing claims. It clearly states that biosolids are applied to land in all 50 states, that "About 50% of all biosolids are being recycled to land. These biosolids are used on less than one percent of the nation's agricultural land."

How does that work? How does 50% of over 7 million dry tons fit onto only 1% of our farm land? And what about the other 50%? Some of it, for sure, is in homeowners' back yards, our parks, school grounds, golf courses, etc.

Proponents of sludge as fertilizer will insist that the treatment makes it safe, and it certainly ends up safer than it was in its raw state. But is that truly safe enough?

Question No. 9 of the FAQ asks, "Are biosolids safe?" Here's the answer, which never does state that biosolids are "safe": The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed current practices, public health concerns and regulator standards, and has concluded that "the use of these materials in the production of crops for human consumption when practiced in accordance with existing federal guidelines and regulations, presents negligible risk to the consumer, to crop production and to the environment."

Again, I would recommend a look at "The Plain English Guide" and ask readers to draw their own conclusions about the likelihood of those complex and burdensome guidelines actually being complied with on a real farm, in real life. Words like "negligible risk" don't feel all that comforting to some of us, especially considering the source.

Information from the Centers for Disease Control

Although sewage has been around for as long as mankind, the lovely name “biosolids” has only been around since 1991. It sounds so much nicer than “sewage sludge.” That’s why it came in the winner out of 250 entries in a contest sponsored by WEF, the Water Environment Federation, a re branding tactic used to help promote acceptance. The WEF adds to their name the subtitle of “the water quality people,” and looking at their website, you can’t tell that this is a lobbying organization representing the sewage treatment industry.

How biosolids are made and classified

Processes used to reduce the number of pathogens in sludge include aerobic and anaerobic digestion by micro-organisms, drying, composting, and heating. But when moisture is removed, what's left is a concentration of the worst it contains. The gold standard is “Class A,” subject to more intensive processing than “Class B,” which can meet less stringent standards to comply with regulations that allow its widespread use in agriculture, in spite of the fact that it admittedly contains pathogens at levels that have been merely “reduced.” If Class B products aren’t safe for home gardens, what makes them safe for commercial agriculture? Whether the produce you eat comes from your backyard or the store, it's still the produce you eat.

(For details on these “A” and “B” classifications and the levels of pathogens, metals and other pollutants that are allowed, see Chapter 5 of the “EPA Plain English Guide to the Part 503 Biosolids Rule.”)

Theoretically, use of Class B biosolids are to be used with governmental supervision and enforcement, in conjunction with permits, careful considerations of hazards to nearby bodies of water and how it might become airborne, and with regular monitoring by those using and distributing it. Supposedly, pathogens in Class A biosolids exist only at minute levels, making it legal to include them in packaged soils and compost for use in homeowners’ yards and gardens. But how low, is low enough? And what about other components that come with the package?

Read this excellent and shocking article from a series articles published by Grist: “Regulating Biosolids.” It also explains the differences between Class A and Class B.

Even if you believe that the treatment process keeps you safe from pathogens, there is still much more to be concerned about, and there always has been, as reference to the allowed levels of pollutants in Chapter 5 clearly indicates. You might be surprised to know what ends up in human sewage and waste water.

A mess too big for toilet paper

Organizations that are little more than fronts for the biosolid industry, come across as stewards of the environment, concerned about clean water and responsible agricultural practices. Their feel-good approach assures consumers of safety. But many people have learned the hard way that these products are not safe. (http://www.sludgevictims.com/) See also, this news story from Fox News about contaminated milk and a farmer in Georgia whose land was polluted and who lost dozens of cows. Learn more about the difficulty of destroying prions, the special proteins whose misshapen forms are thought to cause Mad Cow Disease on this report on MSNBC.com.

Look at http://deadlydeceit.com/ and this from the N.Y. Times.

Even when you buy popular bagged soil products labeled “organic,” you might not really know what you’re getting. ("I Never Promised You an Organic Garden.) Even while certain consumers knowingly and willingly use biosolids contained in cheap or free soils and fertilizers that come from waste treatment facilities, it’s highly disturbing to realize that other products in retail outlets, thought to be safe, have been purported to contain sludge without you knowing it, when the label lists "compost" as an ingredient.

Investigative reporting on a school gardening program in Los Angeles has raised controversy as to whether or not a product said to contain sewage sludge was actually used in what was perceived as an "organic" garden, since it appeared in a posed photo related to the program. Please read this article: Sewage Sludge, Celebrities and School Gardens.

Watch this video decide for yourself what impression you get from the use of the  word "organic" by a spokesperson for Kellogg Garden Products Company, in reference to their well-publicized donations to the L.A. school garden program.



If you are convinced that biosolids should never be used in conjunction with growing food, but you might still think they don’t seem so bad if applied only to lawns, think again. What if you buy a home with a yard that is contaminated and then decide to dig into part of it to plant a vegetable garden? You would have no idea that you were about to contaminate your own food. In addition, children can be exposed to it during outdoor play and it can be tracked into your home.

The sludge disposal problem affects the entire planet. Third World countries use it to increase the fertility of depleted farmlands and improve crop yields. But at what price? It is commonly spread or sprayed in conjunction with forestry for more profitable yields. Without your consent, it ends up on lawns and playgrounds, perhaps in your town.

The point is that we just don’t know enough about the long-term consequences of using biosolids. The Center for Media and Democracy’s Food Rights Network is involved in the fight, trying to educate the public about the dangers and deceptive practices carried out under the guise of recycling. But many other groups and individuals have sounded the alarm for years and have used startling methods to gain attention. (See “Sludge Happens” and the CBS news story, “Shockingly, Toxic Waste Candy Bars Deemed Unsafe" and the recent article, "Food Sunday: I Dare You, Put Sludge in Your Mouth.")

For those nervous about a technology with too much potential for unwanted consequences, the choices of what to do about it may seem depressingly limited in the face of the volume of biosolids burdening the planet. If we are ever going to stop this nightmare it will require educating the public, speaking up and speaking loudly, in other words, activism. It’s a problem the whole world shares. One small-scale movement (no pun intended) to reduce the need for sewage treatment plants promotes the use of composting toilets.

That's one thing you can do. Here are more ideas:

• Educate yourself. Follow the links provided in this article and find links to many other articles in the press through the toxic sludge information center on a website called SourceWatch.
• Buy only organic produce.
• Find out where sludge is being used in your community.
• Question, question, question. Don't accept everything you are told as being the truth.
• Shop for ORGANIC gardening products and supplies only at INDEPENDENTLY OWNED GARDEN CENTERS, which is where you will have the best chance of finding high quality, truly organic and healthful soils and fertilizers. Read labels and ask questions.

And please, for your own safety and the safety of your children, pets, wildlife, future owners of your home, and the planet Earth, ban biosolids from your yard and garden.

And don't forget to wash your hands before you eat.

NOTE: This blog post provides links to information that is publicly available through the Internet on government, mainstream media, and personal web sites, and the author is not responsible for the accuracy of such information.

Note: I am adding this live link to the pdf. shared by Helane Shields in her comment below, which will lead you to even  MORE scientific information and articles. Thank you, Helane. 

http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/biosolids/tnsss-overview.cfm

Copyright 2011 Candace J. Brown