Thread: decision to use human sewage as fertiliser for crops

Supermarkets divided on decision to use human sewage as fertiliser for crops
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:58 PM on 28th July 2008

Demand for the use of human waste as crop fertiliser is rising because the animal-based variety is so closely linked to the price of oil, a water company said today.

Treated human sewage, known as sludge or biosolids, is being spread on nearly 3,000 Midlands fields alone to grow crops such as corn and maize, said Severn Trent Water.

'Severn Trent Water supplies 600,000 wet tonnes of sludge to farmers every year and we have seen a 25% rise in demand for biosolids since the start of 2008,' said press officer Sophie Jordan.



Despite controversy, rising fertiliser costs have led some major supermarkets to sell products that have been treated with human sewage, known as sludge.

'The demand appears to have soared because of the increasing cost of other fertilisers.

'The cost of conventional fertiliser is closely linked to the price of oil, which has shot up over the past year. Farmers who are feeling the pinch might turn to biosolids to reduce costs.'

Supermarket chains are split on the use of the fertiliser for their products - a number say they have banned the controversial practice.

But Severn Trent said the use of treated human waste is safe.

'Recycling sewage sludge is a highly regulated process, with strict quality controls in place,' said the company spokeswoman.

'The strict regulations in place give confidence that using biosolids in agriculture is safe. The 'Safe Sludge Matrix' was developed by Water UK and the British Retail Consortium.

'The matrix ensures the highest possible standards of food safety and provides a framework that gives all food industry stakeholders confidence that biosolids can be safely used.'

At least three of the UK's largest supermarket chains have differing policies on the use of sludge in agriculture.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: 'I can confirm we don't use any human waste or untreated animals waste on our products." She was unable to say why.

Sainsbury's has no such ban on the use of biosolids.

A spokeswoman said: 'We have not got a ban or policy on it. We have hundreds of suppliers and I could not say who does and who doesn't, but what I can say is that all our suppliers would follow the strict guidelines laid down by Defra.'

A Waitrose spokeswoman said: 'At Waitrose all our suppliers adhere to the Code of Practice for Agricultural use of Sewage Sludge published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), but do not permit our suppliers of fruit, vegetables or salad to use sludge in their production.'

The use of biosolids has sparked controversy over its smell and fears of health risks.

But Water UK - which represents all UK water and wastewater service suppliers at national and European level - says biosolids have been used safely in agriculture in the UK and other parts of the world for more than 40 years.

The organisation said it was 'safe and sustainable' and recognised as the 'best practical environment option' in most circumstances by the European Commission and UK Government.

It said biosolids was the most researched of organic materials used on land and that it was subject to a strict European and UK regulatory framework.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sciencete ... crops.html

You can't use animal/carnivore waste on agriculture. For the same reason you can't grow plants in a cat box. Plants can't grow in animal byproducts such as animal fat and I don't think they thrive in protein either. What goes in, must come out and you can't grow anything in it.

Dixie

... OMG!

Soylent brown. That's TOXIC!!!! Animal (cow, horse & sheep manure) is organic matter, grain, grasses, corn. But since there are some 'recycled animals thrown into the mix I guess they figure 'wth'? Cheap beats safe...everybody knows that money rides and bs walks. Human waste with all the diseases and meds...PRAY , organize co-ops and start growing your own food.

PS...looks like jolly ole England (the photo)...they are always first with the innovations aren't they? Feed it to the Queen.

The picture of them spraying sludge in America does not look as nice as the one from the UK.



AirborneSapper7,good article. I looked this up after reading this article and there is no way this should be allowed.Our food supply is being contaminated with the addition of all these dangerous and toxic chemicals.. This is the way 3rd world countries treat its population and now we are being treated the same. We did have protection on our food before and we should not tolerate such abuse.This came from page 2 of the article.

Judge Spotlights Hazards of Sewage-Based Fertilizer
Oct. 15, 2007: Farmer Andy McElmurray shows part of a field he says was killed by sewage-sludge fertilizer in Hephzibah, Ga.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — It was a farm idea with a big payoff and supposedly no downside: ridding lakes and rivers of raw sewage and industrial pollution by converting it all into a free, nutrient-rich fertilizer.

Then last week, a federal judge ordered the Agriculture Department to compensate a farmer whose land was poisoned by sludge from the waste treatment plant here. His cows had died by the hundreds.

The Associated Press also has learned that some of the same contaminants showed up in milk that regulators allowed a neighboring dairy farmer to market, even after some officials said they were warned about it.

n one case, according to test results provided to the AP, the level of thallium — an element once used as rat poison — found in the milk was 120 times the concentration allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The contaminated milk and the recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Anthony Alaimo raise new doubts about a 30-year government policy that encourages farmers to spread millions of tons of sewage sludge over thousands of acres each year as an alternative to commercial fertilizers.

FOXNEWS.COM
http://www.geocities.com/stopsludge/

How DISGUSTINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!