Sludge Watch ==> Pennsylvania - officials open sludge complaint hotlines

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

Reading Eagle, Pennsylvania



Officials open 2 phone lines for resident sludge concerns




May 26. 2006

The Berks County Environmental Advisory Council has set up a phone line for 
people with concerns about sludge that is spread on farm fields.
Callers with questions about how sludge is applied can call the county 
biosolids hot line at 610-374-0129.

People with health concerns about sludge should contact the state Department 
of Health at 717-787-1708.

The council will keep track of the calls to see what can be done to deal 
with sludge-related issues.
Thomas G. Power, head of the council's biosolids committee, said the county 
hot line connects to the Berks County Conservation District, which deals 
with the application of sludge and responds to concerns.

Health department spokesman Richard L. McGarvey said the state number links 
to employees who study sludgere-lated health issues.

For a few years, health department employees have studied whether sewage 
sludge is harmful to people, but the de-partment has not come to any 
conclusions, McGarvey said.
Residents should call a doctor, not the health department, if they have a 
medical emergency, he said.