Sludge Watch ==> Earthworms- contain chemicals from sludges and from manures

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:


What do you think happens to the worms, grubs and other creatures living 
under the ground who are subjected to this?  What do you think happens to 
the birds and other animals who eat those creatures? What do you think will 
happen to our water supply if these same contaminates are put into it?

This press release says that biosolids can be applied to farm land where the 
land application is in compliance with the Part 503 regulation requirements.

However, I find very little enforcement of the Part 503 requirements.  In 
California, sludge that tests as Class B is sent out certified as Class A 
(Victor Valley sewage sludge) with no enforcement action

Sludge must go on agricultural land but  is allowed to sit for years (more 
than two years) without land application and is spread on non agricultural 
land - land growing no crop - in Newberry Springs California - again no 
enforcement action.

Sludges that do not meet Part 503 requriements for  certification as Class A 
are certified as Class A at Tule Ranch (Honeybucket Farms) in Kern County in 
violation of regulation. Again, no enforcement  action. Also Nursery 
Products was classified as making Class A sludge compost although they 
failed to follow the Part 503 requirements for Class A - no regulatory 
enforcement despite hundreds of people complaining about odor and flies.

Complaints to Rick Stevens Federal EPA Biosolids Coordinator about these 
violations went unanswered despite endless enquiries.
Without enforcement - there are no standards or regulations.


......................................................


Media Advisory

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey


For release:  February 20, 2008
Contact: Edward T. Furlong, 303-236-3941, efurlong at usgs.gov
         Jennifer LaVista, 703-648-4432, jlavista at usgs.gov

Earthworms Found to Contain Chemicals from Households and Animal Manure

Earthworms studied in agricultural fields have been found to contain organic 
chemicals from household products and manure, indicating that such 
substances are entering the food chain.

Manure and biosolids, the solid byproduct of wastewater treatment, were 
applied to the fields as fertilizer. Earthworms continuously ingest soils 
for nourishment and can accumulate the chemicals present in the soil.

The chemicals investigated are considered indicators of human and animal 
waste sources and include a range of active ingredients in common household 
products such as detergents, antibacterial soaps, fragrances, and 
pharmaceuticals. Some of the detected chemicals are naturally occurring such 
as plant and fecal sterols and fragrances. All of these chemicals tend to be 
concentrated in the municipal waste distribution and disposal process and 
are referred to as anthropogenic waste indicators (AWI).

U.S. Geological Survey Scientists and their colleague from Colorado State 
University at Pueblo published their new findings today in Environmental 
Science and Technology. The results demonstrate that organic chemicals 
introduced to the environment via land application of biosolids and manure 
are transferred to earthworms and enter the food chain.

Scientists found 28 AWIs in biosolids being applied at a soybean field for 
the first time and 20 AWIs in earthworms from the same field. Similar 
results were found for the field where swine manure was applied. Several 
compounds were detected in earthworms collected both from the biosolids- and 
manure-applied fields, including phenol (disinfectant), tributylphosphate 
(antifoaming agent and flame retardant), benzophenone (fixative), 
trimethoprim (antibiotic), and the synthetic fragrances galaxolide, and 
tonalide. Detergent metabolites and the disinfectant triclosan were found in 
earthworms from the biosolids-applied field, but not the manure-applied 
field.

Biosolids are made from the sludge generated by the treatment of sewage at 
wastewater treatment plants. Biosolids are used as fertilizer by farmers, 
landscapers, and homeowners when it satisfies U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency and local regulations for nutrient, metal, and pathogen content. 
About half of the 8 million dry tons of biosolids produced in the U. S. each 
year are applied to the land. Biosolids have been found to be rich in AWIs 
compared to levels in wastewater treatment plant effluent. In addition, the 
1.3 million farms raising livestock in the U. S. generate an estimated 500 
million tons of manure annually, much of which is also applied to fields as 
fertilizer for crops.


This study is part of a long-term effort by the USGS Toxic Substances 
Hydrology Program to determine the fate and effects of chemicals of emerging 
environmental concern in aquatic and terrestrial environments, and to 
provide water-resource managers with objective information that assists in 
the development of effective water management practices.

It was funded in part by a Research Corporation Cottrell College Award and a 
Faculty Research Grant from Eastern Washington University. More information 
can be found by visiting:
http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/earthworms.html

USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit 
www.usgs.gov.

Subscribe to USGS News Releases via our electronic mailing list or RSS feed.


Here's the source referenced in the earthworm story - Environmental Science 
& Technology.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/feb/science/nl_earthworms.html