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Re: composted sewage sludge

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Without wishing to rehash all the arguments given in the 200,000+ comments
made to the USDA regarding the use of sludge and the promulgation of
National Organic Standards, let me just say that the overwhelming majority
of the comments were against allowing sludge for organically certified
cropland, and the USDA has promised that sludge will not be allowed in the
final standards.

Reasons for disallowing the sludge include the heavy metals issue, but also
involve concerns about inadequate control of parasites, the fact that some
people and places allow all sorts of other chemicals into the waste water
stream, and that absent a major effort at Clean Stream development, sludge
would simply become a contaminating element in organics.

Personally I do not use sludge in gardening, since my neighbors fill my
large wall of compost bins full to overflowing with fall leaves. grass
clippings and other suitable yard waste, which pass through microbial and
macrobial digestion before sifting their way into my garden....:-)

Frank---the USDA's Rufus Chaney believes we are too worried about heavy
metals, but still does not hold with pressure treated wood in the garden...
-----Original Message-----
From: sarah oddo <sarahoddo@hotmail.com>
To: sqft@listbot.com <sqft@listbot.com>
Date: Friday, May 28, 1999 8:38 AM
Subject: composted sewage sludge


>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>>Another note on humus, sometimes bags have composted sewage sludge in
>>them.  Many organic growers don't like to use any sewage products (like
>>the popular Amend product by Kellogg) because it can carry heavy
>>metals.  It's personal preference, as I've also heard other people say
>>that this isn't true anymore (Roger Swain from the Victory Garden PBS
>>show just commented on this subject a few weeks ago - he uses sewage
>>products).
>
>
>At work I often have to look at the chemical analyses of waste products to
>see if they are characterized as hazardous or if they are acceptable at
>municipal waste contained landfills.  Sewage sludge is always analyzed for
>total metals.  Most of the time they are way below the maximum contaminant
>level.  Sewage plants now monitor the amount of pollutants in the waste
>streams from industrial facilities, and this probably cuts down on the
>amounts of metals they receive.  At any rate, compost facilities probably
>sample for metals and other contaminants before they accept sewage sludge
>because they could face huge fines and be closed if they are accepting and
>distributing what is catagorized as hazardous waste.  If in doubt you can
>always ask the company.
>
>
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