Dear Friends--The synthetic chemicals we are dumping into the
environment are slowly poisoning us all.... From the GreenYes
mailing list. Tom
Chemicals found in Dalton compost
Friday, October 9, 2009
[]
By:
<http://timesfreepress.com/staff/pam-sohn/>Pam Sohn
(<http://timesfreepress.com/staff/pam-sohn/contact/>Contact)
Sampling done this summer by Dalton Utilities found emerging-risk
chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS in compost made at the utility's
wastewater treatment plant and sold to the public.
The samples, requested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and taken at the utility's 9,800-acre Looper's Bend plant, also
found the chemicals in the wastewater effluent, sludge, soil and
groundwater, as well as in the adjacent Conasauga River and Holly
Creek, according to the EPA.
In a separate survey, the compounds also were detected by Dalton
Utilities in a number of private local wells. Only one well had
levels high enough to prompt the utility to supply the resident with
bottled water.
"EPA is concerned about PFOA and PFOS," said Gail Mitchell, deputy
director of EPA's water protection division, during a teleconference
call Thursday announcing the "emerging issue."
She added that Dalton Utilities has not violated any permit
conditions or regulations by not monitoring in the past for the
compounds. There are no regulations requiring the sampling EPA
recently requested from the utility, she said.
Don Cope, Dalton Utilities CEO, said Dalton's water supply is safe,
and the utility is cooperating with EPA to study the emerging concerns.
"Dalton Utilities' actions since the time we've been asked to sample
have been both aggressive and proper," he said. "Have we created a
water quality issue? At this point, we don't think we have."
PFOA, or C8, is the shortened name for perfluorooctanoic acid, while
PFOS is perfluorooctane sulfonate. Both are synthetic compounds that
have been used by the carpet industry to make carpet stain-resistant.
Scientific studies have shown them to be linked with low birth
weights and other developmental problems in mice. In 2006, the
Science Advisory Board of the EPA declared the chemical "a likely
human carcinogen."
Ms. Mitchell said EPA has formalized its investigation and has
required Dalton Utilities to submit a study plan in 30 days and to
submit the results of all further sampling to EPA within five days.
About 80 million pounds of Dalton Utilities compost made from the
wastewater biosolids have been composed and sold to businesses and
the public since 2003, she said.
"Dalton Utilities ceased its distribution of the compost in July
2009 after receiving data indicating elevated levels of PFCs in the
compost," Ms. Mitchell said.
The EPA has not established safe levels for the compounds in
compost, she said.
Dalton Utilities will test certain sites where the compost was added
to the soil to determine the risk of the compounds migrating to
drinking water wells, she said.
Mr. Cope, who participated in a teleconference with EPA about the
issue, said the Dalton sampling numbers are lower than the average
amount of the compound already found by some studies to be in many
people's blood.
Carpet industry officials have told him they no longer are using the
chemicals, which were manufactured by DuPont and also have been used
in making nonstick cookware and water-proof clothing, he said.
Wastewater effluent still showing levels of the suspicious compounds
may be the result of the chemicals continuing to leach out of
wastewater pipelines, he said.
However, the utility may conduct surprise sampling in the waste
streams of some of the carpet plants, he said.
PFOA and PFOS concerns
* Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as "C8," is a synthetic
chemical that does not occur naturally in the environment. EPA has
been investigating PFOA and its compounds because:
* It causes developmental and other adverse effects in laboratory animals.
* In 2006, the Science Advisory Board of the EPA declared it "a
likely human carcinogen."
* It is found at very low levels both in the environment and in the
blood of the general U.S. population.
* It remains in people and the environment for a long time.
Source: EPA
EPA actions
* January 2006 -- EPA asked eight companies in the industry to
commit to reducing PFOA from facility emissions and product content
by 95 percent no later than 2010, and to work toward eliminating
PFOA from emissions and product content no later than 2015.
* 2006 -- The Science Advisory Board of the EPA declared PFOA "a
likely human carcinogen."
* January 2009 -- EPA provided a provisional health advisory that
established a guideline level for sampling of PFOA and PFOS.
* September 2009 -- EPA included PFOA compounds on list of 104
chemical contaminants to be considered for regulation. At least five
will be regulated, officials said.
Source: EPA
<http://timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/09/chemicals-found-in-dalton-compost/>http://timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/09/chemicals-found-in-dalton-compost/
******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
[email protected]
Learn more about the Sustainable Chicken Project at
http://steephollowfarm.wordpress.com/
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Last updated 6/13/09.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Last updated 6/13/09.)
Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion*
What Does Zero Waste Mean?
"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished,
refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be
restricted, redesigned, or removed from production."
Berkeley Zero Waste Resolution
See http://www.cityofberkeley.info/council8/newsletter.pdf
*noun: a shoot or bud of a plant, esp. one for planting or grafting
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