A listener (I think she is, anyway) sent this to me a few days ago. I realize these 'solids' are more Class X than Class A, but this is pretty scary stuff....
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Youbet Yourgarden" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:23 PM Subject: Article for Mike: sewage sludge for cows > Court ruling, contaminated milk raise questions about using sewage plant > wastes as fertilizer > > Associated Press (03/06/08) John Heilprin > > http://www.macon.com/220/story/287648.html > > A recent U.S. District Court ruling in Georgia has ordered the U.S. > Department of Agriculture to compensate a dairy farmer whose hundreds of > cows died after grazing on hay treated with sewage sludge from a waste > water treatment plant. Dairy farmer Andy McElmurray sought compensation > after fertilizing his land with biosolids, under a 30 year-old > government policy that encourages farmers to spread sewage sludge over > their land. In McElmurrays case, the sludge contained levels of arsenic, > toxic heavy metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls some two to 2,500 times > the federal health standards, according to a study cited in Judge Anthony > Alaimos ruling. McElmurray will also be compensated by the city of > Augusta, Georgia, which settled a lawsuit with him for $1.5 million. In > addition, nearby dairy farmer Bill Boyce recently settled with Augusta for > $550,000 after losing more than 300 cows. Boyce claims that he informed > Georgia dairy regulators and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency > (EPA) that tests conducted on his cows milk showed levels of thallium at > 120 times the concentration allowed by EPA in drinking water. They > concluded our permit was good, and we could continue to sell milk. So we > did, said Boyce. The federal policy, promulgated under authority of the > Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, encourages > farmers to use sludge for fertilizer, as giving it to farmers is cheaper > than burning or burying it. About seven million tons of such biosolids are > produced each year as a byproduct from 1,650 waste water treatment plants > around the country, and slightly more than half of which becomes > fertilizer. > > > > [Editors note: To read Standards for the use or disposal of sewage > sludge, 40 C.F.R. ยง 503, see > http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=2ca7ef1663d9e7e5f405c79cd465059a&rgn=div5&view=text&node=40:29.0.1.2.40&idno=40. > For a Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule, see > http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/biosolids/503pe/index.htm.] > > > --Anne Carroll > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
