SEWAGE SLUDGE DISPOSAL ON FOOD PRODUCTION LAND

On March 1 of this year a group of scientists published an open letter in the Waterloo Region Record. The title of the article /letter was "Scientists' open letter on the dangers of biosolids". This practice is commonplace in Waterloo Region and elsewhere.

There basic premise is that the supposed benefits (free fertilizer) are more than offset by the risks to human and environmental health. Only a tiny number of possible contaminants are tested for and when you realize that all current and legacy industrial chemicals enter our sewage treatment plants and end up in sewage sludge, it is not a pretty picture. Rebranding sewage sludge as biosoilds may make their land application more palatable to the public but does nothing to enhance safety.

The authors describe various classes (hundreds) of flame retardants, P.C.B.s and Dioxins (hundreds of each) that are not fully tested for nor could they practically be so tested. It is the same thing with prescription pharmaceuticals. While someone is so prescribed, everyone gets to enjoy them eventually via food production. Biological contaminants include bacteria, viruses and prions.

These scientists' short term solution is stockpiling or landfilling of sewage sludge in secure locations with leachate collection systems until a better means through science is discovered. They believe that science can discover better treatment options and better learn the risks involved in handling sewage wastes.

Their final summation is "Governments are playing Russian roulette with sewage sludge. Over time, there is a high probability this game will be lost at the public's expense.".