Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : The Environmentalist Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Skywatcher who wrote (3048)	1/22/2004 12:56:42 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 36921

Historically, manure has been a preferred fertilizer for farmers worldwide. In the U.S. 60% of sewage sludge is treated, dried and shipped out to the farm. Proponents claim the sludge has only low levels of bacteria, but what about the chemicals homeowners and industry dump into the wastewater system? Those toxins don't just disappear. When applied to the soil, they work their way into the ground water, the air, and the plants we eat. All true. What's more, there are various ways of treating sewage -- Class A sludge is treated at somewhat higher temperatures and has the highest reduction in pathogens. Class B (still the majority of sewage sludge), is "fermented" at temperatures above 100F for a number of days, and then released for spreading. Class B contains higher number of pathogens -- a number of pathogens including Staph aureus, etc.. can survive the process. So can giardia parasites, etc... and all of this stuff can end up back on the land. Some sewage facilities are also more or less diligent in the number of days for processing. If they are "overloaded" with flow from cities, then processing time is often reduced. As well, human wastes (as well as animal waste) contain a great many medications such as hormones, antibiotics, chemo drugs, etc.. All of that stuff goes into the same sewage treatment system. Slaughterhouse wastewater and even animal parts often end up in sludge..and makes its way back into the environment. Industrial wastes often end up in sewage sludge, along with treated leachates drained from dumps and other toxic waste sites. Hospital wastes have ended up in sludge -- basically anything liquid that washes down drains or goes down a toilet or a storm sewer will end up in sludge. There have even been cases in the U.S. and elsewhere of radio-active wastes ending up in sludge. Septage from companies that put those chemical toilets at events also dump that stuff into treatment facilities, and in some places, they can just take the stuff out and dump it right on land == untreated. Nobody really knows what the net result will be from mixing all kinds of bacteria, chemicals, medication residues, hormones, slaughterhouse and other wastes, etc..etc... together and spreading it on agricultural land. Plenty of people have been questioning the whole issue, but like Dr. Lewis, they've been gagged for speaking out. Lots of information available on the net if you just start doing searches on "sewage sludge" or "biosolids" (the fancy name for this stuff). And btw, some top soil companies mix this stuff with earth and sell it as enriched garden soil. (Yup..enriched with what???). (-: