Possible use of sludge raises concerns
Critics fear runoff could pollute water if state lifts its ban
nj.com
Sunday, September 07, 2003
BY HANNAN ADELY
Star-Ledger Staff
In northern New Jersey, where water contamination from industrial dumping and leaks has been a problem for decades, some residents fear a new source of pollution is about to be introduced.
The state is debating lifting a ban on the use of sludge to fertilize farmland and outdoor state land, and some say that runoff and leeching could add to the county's water problems.
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Sludge, processed human waste that is treated and dried into a soil- like substance, contains toxins that could harm fish, plant life and drinking water, say many environmentalists.
But sludge producers and advocates say the product is safe and its use will only be a fraction of the animal manure and chemical fertilizers that are used on the fields.
Still, environmentalists are worried that introducing sludge to the 21,214 acres of preserved farmland in Warren, Sussex and Morris counties, as well as to public parks, golf courses and other state lands, would add to water problems.
"We already have widespread water contamination," said Bill Rosebrock, head of the Warren County Environmental Commission. "We're concerned that by spreading sewer sludge we are simply making matters worse."
Last year, the state Department of Environmental Protection found contaminants including nitrates, lead, coliform, arsenic, mercury and benzene in 27 percent of the 1,082 wells that were tested over three months throughout the state.
In Warren County, contaminants were found in 35 out of 73 wells; in Morris County, that figure was 30 out of 77; and in Sussex, 26 out of 84 wells were tainted.
One person affected by the discovery was Marsha Marasco of Washington Township in Warren County. Investigators found MTBE, a gasoline additive, in her water, and she had to install a carbon filter in her home. Now, she bathes in the filtered water but uses bottled water to wash her fruits and vegetables.
For Marasco, the thought that sludge could be spread on nearby properties is worrisome. "They need to clean what's here now before they start importing stuff they may not be able to control," she said.
Northern Jersey is prone to groundwater contamination because of underground cavernous bedrock where water moves rapidly, said Rosebrock, who testified in Trenton against the state proposal.
Also, local river watchdogs groups have warned that sludge runoff into the local Musconetcong River, the Delaware River and other bodies of water could create a nutrient overload that could kill fish.
Since the federal government banned ocean dumping more than a decade ago, disposal costs have soared and the state has been scrambling to find new ways to get rid of its waste.
The state Agriculture Development Committee started examining the issue a few years ago and submitted a formal proposal to lift the sludge ban in February. A decision could come as early as this fall.
Advocates of sludge use argue it can form a good, affordable farm fertilizer while helping municipalities find a way to dispose of waste. They add that the state is only considering using sludge of exceptional quality that has low levels of metals and pathogens.
They argue that the substance -- also called biosolids -- should be a minor concern for Jersey residents compared with other toxins.
"On a relative scale to how much is applied in manure and chemical fertilizers, it (sludge) is a drop in the bucket," said Sam Hadeed, communications director of the National Biosolids Partnerships.
According to Hadeed, sludge now makes up just 1 percent of farmland fertilizer in the nation.
Environmentalists, though, charge that the sludge product is worse than manure because it is often mixed with industrial waste and household chemicals and that even the best quality sludge has toxins.
"Sludge is only tested for a handful of chemicals, yet we know they contain a myriad of chemicals," said Ellen Harrison, director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute. "They are playing with something we don't have a full handle on."
At the Middlesex County Utilities Authority, which sells a sludge product called Meadow Life as top soil and landfill cover, executive director Rich Fitamant said sludge from his facility is safe because it is low in pathogens and metals.
But the company ceased the sale of the product as fertilizer in New Jersey after the DEP received many complaints about odor, Fitamant said. The substance, which looks like a light gray soil, is treated with ammonia to lower the pH and emits a strong chemical scent.
If the ban is lifted, odor will remain a big quality-of-life concern. But the impact on water supply remains unclear, Harrison said. "Whether it will cause enough leeching to cause groundwater problems is not known or shown," Harrison said. |
