Food Rights Network

Sewage Sludge in the News

September 8, 2011

Here is some of the latest news from around the nation about the use of sewage sludge in agriculture:

• In Cottage Grove, OR, the annual disposal of sewage sludge by applying it to land stunk so bad it made news for nearly a month and provoked the creation of a group called Stop Our Stench (with the very appropriate acronym “SOS”).
• Saginaw, MI has applied sewage sludge to farmland as fertilizer for decades. However, they are now signing a new contract with Synagro that is provoking local debate. Unfortunately, news coverage fails to alert residents of the dangers of using sewage sludge as fertilizer. How can residents participate in an informed debate if local officials mislead them and the media does no better?
• Augusta County, VA is considering becoming a dumping ground for sewage sludge from as far away as Philadelphia. While some county supervisors oppose the plan, they are told they have few options to deny the permit application of Recyc Systems to dump the sludge in their county. Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Quality is assuring Augusta County residents and politicians that toxic sludge is totally safe to spread on farmland where food is grown.

Filed under: In the News