In other parts of the world, biosolids for sewage treatment plants are treated and used as sustainable agriculture fertilizer. Research the pros and cons of this method and take a stand as to whether this can be a realistic alternative to our current agriculture practices. Who are the potential stakeholders in this issue? Are we influenced by the western view of human waste as an unsanitary and disgusting nuisance?
Biosolids also know as treated sludge, is a tern used by the wastewater industry to denote the by-product of domestic and commercial sewage and waste water treatment. Toxic chemicals such as PCBs, dioxin and brominated flame-retardants, may remain in treated sludge. Depending on their level of treatment and resultant pollutant content, biosolids can be used in regulated applications for non-food agriculture, food agriculture, or distribution for unlimited use.
PROS
· Creates jobs
· It is a cost effective method of disposal
· Recycles versus filling landfills
· Promotes farming
· Reduces emission form transportation to landfills
· Good free fertiliser
· Land Reclamation
· It’s regulated according to EPA law 503
CONS
· Potential health hazard
· Effects irreversible
· Contamination resulting from accumulation of industrial waste
· Its true composition is unknown
· May contain hazardous chemicals
· Possibly transferable crops
· Decreases property value
· Not sufficiently regulated
· Odour
Biosolids are regulated at both the federal and state level. Biosolids must first meet several quality standards and policies in order for them to be applied to land. These standards contain limits for metals that may exist in biosolids, site rule and regulations, pathogen standards, record keeping rules and soil monitoring requirements.
National Academy of Science has said that the use of these materials in the production of crops for human utilization when practiced in agreement with existing federal guidelines and regulations, presents negligible risk to the consumer, to crop production and to the environment.
About 95% of the nitrogen in biosolids exists in an organic form that has a slow release rate, which makes it much less likely to run off into streams.
The pro of biosolids in Canada is that Halifax Regional Municipality can get rid of its solid waste problem by giving it away. However the cost to treat waste and make it into biosolids is $175/ton. This means that we are subsidizing this process with out taxes. Farmers are being asked by major retailer if they are growing their food with biosolids, the intent being that the retailer are not happy with a yes. Insurance companies are informing farmers that they consider biosolids to be in breach of existing policies. Human waste isn’t really a good fertilizer substitute because of our diets.
I think that Biosolids have both positive and negative effects on the earth and people. I also don’t believe that biosolids as know as human waste is a good fertilizer because of all of the artificially selected foods we eat. Biosolids is a sort of pollution, which will affect the air around us and the oxygen we take in. They should conduct more experiments and research more before they go ahead and use human waste as fertilizers in farms and other lands. While biosolids certainly provide valuable nutrients to agricultures, advocates of biosolids have not adequately addressed concerns raised but those oppose to the practise. Biosolids are believed to be linked with declining sperm counts and reproductive failure. Therefore we need more research on this topic before biosolids can be used as fertilizers.
http://youtube.ca/watch?v=QpiZReZG4_A
WORKCITED
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18023841
http://www.antijen.org/transadvocate/id22.html
http://southeastfarmpress.com/grains/fertilizer-alternatives-0604/
http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1176241.html
http://www.schwingbioset.com/news/bid/34089/Natural-Fertilizer-from-Biosolids-reuse-to-the-Nth-degree-Part-I
http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp
http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/qa/105-1focus/focusbeauty.html
