Sludge Watch ==> Sludge concerns in Southgate Ontario - pathogens, high water table, secrecy

[Maureen Reilly]

News for Friday, December 7th, 2007

Sludge concerns in Southgate
Written by Mark Douglas


An education and awareness group is hoping the use of human fertilizer gets 
flushed down the drain.

>From the Southgate Public Interest Research Group, Vice-president, Kimberley 
Love, says they have several concerns about the use of human sludge on local 
farm fields, including health impact, and a lack of transparency.

Love says her group does not dispute the value of processed human waste as a 
crop fertilizer, but it's all the other things in the sludge they're worried 
about.

Love says sludge can be loaded up with anything from chemicals from shampoo, 
to pharmaceuticals to heavy metals.

Love says studies in the US show pathogens regrow in sludge between the 
sewage plant to the time it arrives at the field, and then re-grow even more 
after it's spread on the field.

Love is particularly worried about the high-water table level in Proton, 
where she says a lot of sludge is going down.

Love says there's also a worry about "secret sludge", or a lack of 
transparency as to where human sludge is going down.

Love says some people feel because the process for getting a sludge-use 
certificate is the same as the general Nutrient Management Plan, the two 
should just be rolled together.

But Love says there should be clear distinctions between agricultural and 
non-agricultural manure -- oridnary pig fertilizer is quite different from 
human sludge.

Love invites all stakeholders to get their concerns in to the provincial 
government before January 5th, the closing date for public commentary on 
sludge issues.

http://www.radioowensound.com/news.php?id=8008