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Blue Ridge Environmental Defense Fund

Submitted by loftT on Wed, 06/13/2007 - 9:24pm

Those who live near or on farms may have experience with the application of sewage sludge in their proximity....and likely question what this does to our health.

On 21 June there will be a meeting to discuss how the communities affected by the spreading of sewage sludge might protect themselves, their families and communities. The meeting will be at the Orange Grove firestation at 6800 Orange Grove road, Orange County, from 7-9 pm.

Sewage sludge was deemed too toxic to dump in the oceans, where it hurts the fish. Perhaps it is too toxic for humans, too.

The meeting will be run by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense Fund, which has a strong history of organizing opposition to environmental insults.

Info at their website: www.bredl.org

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This article may shed a little more light

Submitted by loftT on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 10:49am.

on this practice:

Sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, is the slushy mixture left over after processing at wastewater treatment plants. It is sprayed on farm fields to fertilize non-food crops.

story

The city is permitted to spray sludge on 3,000 acres in five counties, including Orange.

link fixed

Progressives are the true conservatives.

Any idea what other counties?

Submitted by Linda on Wed, 06/13/2007 - 10:07pm.

I read the article (link needs to be fixed, btw). I only see Chatham listed - just curious what the others might be.

I some how remember this happening in Pennsylvania

Submitted by jjsmith on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 10:44am.

And major concerns there with its use. But from what I remember, it is no different than using cow manure.

Ok, I called to get the scoop

Submitted by loftT on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 12:19pm.

I just spoke with Nancy Holt with BREDL who is a wealth of information on this topic and she says that in the past decade this apparently has become a widespread practice all over the state and nationally in rural areas since the early '90's.

The problem is that no conclusive studies have been done since then on how this impacts humans and when people with health issues try to find out if there is a corelation, authorities say that it is perfectly safe and legal. However, there is cause to believe that affected water supplies piped into the growing fields in California may have caused the e-coli problems in lettuce and spinach not long ago. A simple test of the pipe linings could have been performed but the EPA didn't or couldn't or wouldn't. Are we being misled yet again?

Other countries have dealt with the sludge by building closed containers that generate power from the processing so there are good alternatives to this practice. Does our health just come down money again?

Questions about the health aspects and alternatives may be directed to
Ms. Holt email: fg325 @aol.com

Progressives are the true conservatives.

Thanks, loftT

Submitted by Linda on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 12:54pm.

Interesting topic.