Vernon Ontario - The New Love Canal?

New Feature–Downloadable PDFs

2011-11-20T13:31:00.001-05:00

A new feature was added today to this blog. In the left hand column you’ll find a section of downloadable PDF files of interest to all visitors and readers of the Vernon Sludge Blog. We’ll keep this updated in a timely manner. Your comments are always welcome.

Editor: Bob B.

Technorati Tags: Vernon Sludge blog,Vernon Ontario,OCAPS

Contaminated compost? Toxins might be lurking in that bag you’re about to buy

2011-06-09T21:54:00.004-04:00

"The growing number of municipal and commercial composting operations has been one of the few bright spots in the environmental landscape, from San Francisco's curbside composting service to this industrial-scale composting facility in Delaware. But Josh Harkinson in Mother Jones has harshed our green-tinged buzz."

Read the rest of the story here and don't forget to read the excellent comments by our own Jim Poushinsky.

http://www.grist.org/food/2011-06-07-contaminated-compost-toxins-might-lurk-in-that-bag-youre-buying/

Toronto sewage sludge to fertilize Eastern Ontario farm fields

2011-04-21T22:10:00.001-04:00

OTTAWA — After years of debating whether to spread Ottawa sewage sludge on farm fields, Eastern Ontario is quietly soaking up thousands of tonnes of Toronto’s sewage sludge each year as well.

Toronto has signed a contract with Third High Farms of Iroquois to take a minimum of 10,000 tonnes a year of biosolids — the official word for sludge left over from sewage treatment.

The five-year deal runs until 2015, Toronto says.

Sewage Sludge Compost: The Sludge Hits The Fan In San Fransisco

2010-03-08T19:52:00.001-05:00

Is it time Ottawa?

When San Francisco, one of the greenest cities in America, offered its residents free compost, many were excited to take it. Few of the gardeners who lined up to receive the free compost at events like last September's Big Blue Bucket Eco-Fair suspected that the 20 tons of free bags labelled “organic biosolids compost” actually contained sewage sludge from nine California counties. On Thursday, March 4, angry San Franciscans returned the toxic sludge to the city, dumping it at Mayor Gavin Newsom's office in protest.

Other options to dispose of the sludge exist, such as dumping into landfills, incineration (releasing pollutants into the air), or gasification to generate methanol for energy (the most environmentally sound and most expensive option), but land application is the cheapest. That is -- it's the cheapest to the dumper, but perhaps not to the dumpee. One year after sludge was spread on an adjacent farm, the cows began to die on the Washington dairy farm of Linda and Raymond Zander. Tests revealed heavy metals in the soil where the sludge was applied and in two neighborhood wells. The casualties were not limited to the cows; Raymond Zander suffered from nickel poisoning and 16 neighboring families reported a range of health problems they believe are linked to the sludge.

In San Francisco, the sludge hit the fan because the city had the audacity to label sludge as “organic” and give it away to home gardeners and even school gardens. The city's actions are outrageous, but they serve as a wake-up call that the entire nation regularly consumes foods grown on fields fertilized with sludge. The so-called beneficial use of our sewage sludge is actually the distribution of sludge into our land, our water and our bodies.

This is an excerpt of a piece originally published on Alternet.org on March 4, 2010. To read the full article, go here.

Prions In Sewage Sludge

2010-02-07T15:59:00.001-05:00

by Helane Shields

The US EPA (and the MOE in Canada) and waste industry are promoting the land spreading of Class B sewage sludge containing infectious human and animal prions on grazing lands, hay fields, and dairy pastures. This puts livestock and wildlife at risk of infection. They ingest large quantities of dirt and top dressed sludge with their fodder.

Prion infected Class A sludge “biosolids” compost is spread in parks, playgrounds, home lawns, flower and vegetable gardens - putting humans, family pets, and children with their undeveloped immune systems and hand-to-mouth “eat dirt” behavior at risk. University of Wisconsin prion researchers, working with $100,000 EPA grant and a $5 million Dept. of Defense grant, have found that prions become 680 times more infectious in certain types of soil. Prions can survive for over 3 years in soils. And human prions are 100,000 times more difficult to inactivate than animal prions.

Recently, researchers at UC Santa Cruz, and elsewhere, announced that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a prion disease. “Prion” = proteinaceous infectious particle which causes always fatal TSEs (Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) in humans and animals including BSE (Mad Cow Disease), scrapie in sheep and goats, and Chronic Wasting Disease in deer, elk and moose. Human prion diseases are AD and CJD (Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease,) and other rarer maladies. Infectious prions have been found in human and animal muscle tissue including heart, saliva, blood, urine, feces and many other organs.

Alzheimer's rates are soaring as Babyboomers age - there are now over 5.3 million AD victims in US shedding infectious prions in their blood, urine and feces, into public sewers. This Alzheimer's epidemic has almost 500,000 new victims each year. No sewage treatment process inactivates prions - they are practically indestructible. The wastewater treatment process reconcentrates the infectious prions in the sewage sludge.

Quotes from Dr. Joel Pedersen, Univ. of Wisconsin, on his prion research:

“Our results suggest that if prions were to enter municipal waste water treatment systems, most of the agent would partition to activated sludge solids, survive mesophilic anaerobic digestion, and be present in treated biosolids. Land application of biosolids containing prions could represent a route for their unintentional introduction into the environment. Our results argue for excluding inputs of prions to municipal wastewater treatment.

“Prions could end up in wastewater treatment plants via slaughterhouse drains, hunted game cleaned in a sink, or humans with vCJD shedding prions in their urine or faeces, Pedersen says.” (Note - This UW research was conducted BEFORE UCSC scientists determined that Alzheimer's Disease is another prion disease which may be shedding infectious prions into public sewers and Class B and Class A sludge "biosolids.)

The US Environmental Protection Agency, says wastewater/sewage treatment does not inactivate prions.
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture: “Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease” can survive anaerobic digestion.”
University of Guelph, Toronto, Canada, says temperatures in excess of 1400 F (760C) are needed to inactivate prions.
Toronto (Canada) Dept. of Health, Nov. 2004: “Given it is unlikely that the sewage treatment or pellet production processes can effectively deactivate prions, adopting measures to prevent the entry of prions into the sewer system is advisable.” “This suggests that the pelletization process may not be the most suitable one to use for prion inactivation. It has also been noted that lipids, which are certainly likely to be present in biosolids, greatly enhances the stability of prion proteins, particularly at the lower temperatures (Appel et al, 1994).”
Dr. Paul Gale, in a May 2002 Risk Assessment prepared for UK Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states: “Scrapie - : assumes composting and stock-piling has no effect on scrapie prions.” “BSE: "Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG) are main source of infectivity in catering waste - assumes composting has no effect on BSE agent.” “BSE and scrapie prions and C. botulinum spores are excluded because for the purposes of risk assessment they are considered not to be affected by the temperatures achievable by composting and biogas processes.” Model assumes that composting does not destroy any scrapie prion infectivity, and that there is no decay in the soil.”

Many other health and science experts say even composting to produce Class A sewage sludge biosolids does not inactivate prions. It is generally agreed in the scientific community that the chemical process known as alkaline hydrolysis is the most effective way to inactivate prions.

Helane Shields, PO Box 1133 Alton, NH 03809 603-875-3842
http://www.sludgevictims.com/
http://www.sludgevictims.com/pathgens/prions-composting.html
http://www.sludgevictims.com/pathogens/prion.html

Greens slam NDP on biosolids

2010-01-31T11:54:00.001-05:00

Party condemns decision not to ban spreading of sewage on farmland.

(GORDON DELANEY / Valley Bureau) The province’s refusal to ban the spreading of treated Halifax sewage sludge on farmland is exposing Nova Scotians to untold health risks, says the Green party’s agriculture critic.

“Sewage sludge does not belong on our dwindling farmland,” said Anna-Maria Galante.

Ms. Galante was responding to Friday’s news that the province had rejected a request from Kings County council to ban the spreading of treated Halifax sewage as a substitute for conventional fertilizer.

“It’s not that we oppose returning waste to the land," she said. "It’s that our waste is toxic. We’re not just talking about heavy metals. There are pharmaceutical residues and synthetic hormones that are going to end up in our food.”

See the story here at the Chronical Herald of Nova Scotia.

Not So Green Bin Program And Sewage Sludge

2010-01-28T16:36:00.001-05:00

An Ottawa Citizen story quoted Councilor Hume saying the cost of the Green Bin program was $13.4 million per year for 20 years. There has also been mention of an $8 million investment or subsidy from the City of Ottawa for construction of the Orgaworld facility. By these figures the total cost will be $276 million.

However the contract contains a cost of living increase. According to Statistics Canada the cost of living has increased 50% over the past 20 years. When this average 2.5% inflation is added, the total cost of the program is $350,000,000. We presented this figure to Council at the Tuesday February 26th budget hearing, and provided our calculations to the City treasurer and Mayor and Councilors for verification.

Ottawa Citizens Against Pollution by Sewage is opposed to Green Bin composting because the Province is preparing legislation to permit toxic and pathogenic city sewage sludge to be included, with no restrictions whatsoever on the use of the finished compost by farmers and the public.

There will be no health warnings despite a permissible loading of 999 pathogen indicator e-coli per 1/2 cup of compost, and despite such compost containing some 100,000 chemicals from household and industrial sewage wastes and garbage dump leachates.

The Green Bin Program is a Trojan horse to fool people into thinking they are doing good, when in fact they will be enabling the continuing pollution of our environment and food chain by the spreading of hazardous sewage sludge biosolids on our farms and gardens.

New composting regulations will allow the finished Class A product to contain up to 999 pathogen indicator e-coli per 1/2 cup, along with 100,000 different chemicals flushed down sewers from households and industry and from garbage dump leachates.

There will be no health warnings on bags sold to the unsuspecting public, and no restrictions on use by farmers or gardeners. Coming soon to a store or farm near you! Gives new meaning to “buy local produce”, eh?

Jim Poushinski OCAPS

Green Bin Program badly explained, Hume admits, but we’re stuck with it. (And badly planned and executed!)

Another Victory Against Sludge

2010-01-28T16:14:00.001-05:00

by DIANNE SAXE on JANUARY 26, 2010

The Québec Superior Court has upheld the right of a municipality to ban the spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural land. In Ferme l’Evasion c. Elgin, the farmer wished to use sewage sludge to supply the missing phosphorus and other essential elements for its crops. The proposed application was acceptable to the Québec Ministry of the Environment and was supported by qualified economists. However, the municipality passed a bylaw prohibiting the use of sewage sludge and de inking residues on land within its boundaries.

The court found that experts disagree about the potential risks associated with the use of these residues, and that the municipality had jurisdiction to ban their use within its boundaries.

Original article on Environmental Law And Litigation website here.

Toxins in—Toxins out: A Commentary

2009-12-18T17:36:00.001-05:00

By Maureen Reilly

The Province of Ontario has just come out with proposals to change the waste regulations for the production and use of compost. The front page of the Toronto Star this Saturday declared that the Star investigative report on the production and distribution of illegal poor quality compost from several Ontario cities has resulted in a ‘crackdown’ on compost by the Province.

In fact, the opposite has happened.

The Province is proposing to weaken most of the regulations that are currently in place to safeguard our soil by ensuring only quality composts are used on farms and landscaping.

The Province is again allowing contaminated industrial and municipal wastes and residuals access to cheap disposal into ‘products’ and ‘composts’ by weakening the current protective requirements.

Toxins into compost makes toxic compost:
The biggest change is that the proposed regulations allow much more toxic ingredients into composts that are distributed to the public:

Comparison of maximum concentration of toxic metals in compost inputs Current limits on compost for unrestricted distribution compared to the proposed limits for the 2 proposed compost categories for unrestricted distribution ( Class AA and Class A Compost)

Toxic metal in mg/kg	Current limit compost inputs	Proposed limit Class AA inputs	Proposed limit Class A inputs
Arsenic	13	75	170
Cadmium	3	20	24
Chromium	210	1060	2800
Cobalt	34	150	340
Copper	100	760	1700
Lead	150	500	1100
Mercury	0.8	5	11
Molybdenum	5	20	94
Nickel	62	180	420
Selenium	2	14	34
Zinc	500	1850	4200

Expressed in mg/kg (or ppm)

Because the proposed Compost Guideline would allow composting facilities to take inputs that are about 10 times more toxic than the current guidelines, that means that the compost will be used to dilute toxic compounds, contaminated soils, and other undesirable high toxicity, high tipping fee waste inputs.

The current standards are more protective, since it encourages the use of only clean inputs, like leaf and yard waste, food and restaurant waste. Clean inputs make for clean composts.

Impact on the industry
When composting companies are allowed to take more toxic inputs they can now approach industries that have more toxic wastes—like pulp and papermill waste, contaminated and dredged soils, and other industrial wastes.

These more highly contaminated wastes generally bring a much higher tipping fee to the composter than the clean inputs.

So composting companies that take only clean inputs will be suffering financially compared to those companies that take the more toxic compost inputs. It is a ‘beggar thy neighbour’ policy. The greatest financial rewards will go to companies that take the high tipping fees associated with more contaminated inputs—and will put as much of these inputs into the compost as allowed, as opposed to making the best least toxic compost possible.

Sewage sludge and raw human waste in compost for unrestricted distribution There is nothing in the allowable levels of toxic metals that would stop a composting company from using sewage sludge or septage as an input. The draft document suggests that human waste not be allowed into Class AA sludge but allowed in Class A sludge.

Since there is no toxicity parameter that supports that decision—it stands to reason that it will not likely stay as part of the regulation since there is no scientific support or rationale for this exception. Industry will easily overturn this sop, since it is inconsistent with the whole thrust of the change - to use compost to dilute toxins and allow them onto farms and into the marketplace soils.

This proposal is another retrograde step—back to undisclosed use of sewage sludge on farm fields. In September of this year the Ontario changed sludge regulations. They have decided that sewage sludge is not a waste…it is a ‘nutrient’. It does not need a waste permit to truck it. It does not need a waste permit to spread it on farm and food land. It will need a Nutrient Management Plan.

But under this compost proposal—composted sewage sludge will NOT need a waste permit and it will not even need a Nutrient Management Plan—since the sludge compost will not trigger the requirement under the Nutrient Management Act.

Yes, while the province is telling us to ‘eat fresh, eat local’ , and even ‘eat organic’ they are promoting the use of sewage sludge toxins in undisclosed locations on farmfields and home gardens.

The Ontario Government’s History of Shameful Soil Contamination Policies
(all references below)

Province ignores report of Expert Panel of Paper Mill Sludge Soundsorb 2004
Compost allowed higher levels of toxic metals 2004,
Sewage Sludge not a ‘waste’ but a ‘nutrient’—Nutrient Management Act Sept 2009
Now Compost can use highly contaminated inputs and distribute sludge and resulting compost without any regulation
no regulation under Environmental Protection Act
no regulation under Nutrient Management Act
not even a permit for the composting site itself

Part of this deregulatory thrust is to rename things to make them sound benign:
Paper sludge renamed ‘paper fiber biosolids’

Sewage sludge renamed first ‘biosolids’, then ‘non agricultural source material’ or NASM
Toxic metals (heavy metals) are renamed ‘trace elements’ (to imply the levels of these toxins are low)

Compost proposal is directly opposite to other Ontario policy initiatives
Toxics Reduction Act
The Province has recently passed the Toxics Reduction Act .... An initiative to reduce toxins in the province. The purposes of the Bill are to prevent pollution and protect human health and the environment by reducing the use and creation of toxic substances, and to inform Ontarians about toxic substances.

So why is the Province proposing to allow the use of toxic compounds in freely distributed composts?

Green Energy Act
This year the Province passed the Green Energy Act—which promotes the use of waste residuals into fuel for renewable energy. Surely replacing dirty coal with clean renewable energy is a much more sustainable way to manage toxic residuals than peppering them into our farm soils and home use composts.

The Toronto Star needs to keep investigating!
The Star did a great job of investigating illegal toxic compost production earlier this year. But they have obviously not understood the proposed regulatory changes.

For instance they claim that the province is proposing to address the problem with toxic salts in compost. They aren’t requiring the compost to be less salty—the Province is proposing to raise the allowable level of salt from a maximum 3.5 ms/cm to 4 ms/cm.

Proposed Compost Regulations will not require enforceable waste permit
(no Certificate of Approval—just self enforcing ‘permit by rule’)
The Province is proposing to enact these compost rules not by issuing enforceable waste permits to composting companies (as is currently required), but by allowing ‘permit by rule’. This means that the composting companies are supposed to act like they are under an enforceable waste permit when in fact no such permit exists.

And—the province is proposing to allow all kinds of toxic residuals to be added into the composts used on farmland and home gardens. While its true that they have not provided comparison tables, and have made the proposals unbelievably complex to understand—we all need to ask for what we want: Compost companies that must use only clean inputs to make only clean composts for use on farm land, food land, and our gardens.

Sources:
Current Ontario Compost Guidelines
Proposed Ontario Compost Guidelines
Environmental Registry Posting of Proposed Changes to Compost Regulations:
Increased toxic levels allowed in Ontario Compost in 1994
Sewage sludge is no longer a waste but a ‘nutrient’ in Ontario
They don’t even call it sewage sludge. They call it ‘NASM’—non agricultural source material.
Ontario ignores the recommendation on paper sludge—even composted, experts say it should remain under a waste permit

Give Thanks, But Not For Toxic Sewage Sludge

2009-12-18T13:44:00.001-05:00

So, this year, give thanks for your food, but not for the toxic sludge that's been given to you as compost. We understand the need to dispose of sewage sludge, but moving it onto soil and into food production is not the answer. This practice, while convenient and profitable for a few companies, violates the duty of government to protect the health and welfare of its citizens.

See the rest of this article at the Huffington Post website.

Copenhagen - Climate Change - Sludge Management

2009-12-16T10:40:00.001-05:00

Copenhagen was voted Cleanest City in the World.

Copenhagen was voted Most Liveable City in the World.

What does Copenhagen do with its sludge?
Answer: Incineration with energy production.

http://sustainablecities.dk/en/city-projects/cases/copenhagen-from-sewer-to-harbour-bath

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen

viewer.zmags.com/getMagPdf.php?mid=wsshq

Here is the contract to upgrade their sludge incinerator in September 2009
http://www.dgmarket.com/tenders/np-notice.do~4350000

The Gatekeepers

2009-12-10T15:40:00.001-05:00

How senior-level U.S. EPA employees violated the False Claims Act by funding a national network of "gatekeepers" to promote the land application of sewage sludge (biosolids) and cover up adverse health effects.

http://sludgefacts.org/Ref104.pdf

False Claims Act – Cornell University Law School

Spin Doctor Extraordinaire

2009-12-10T14:23:00.001-05:00

Hon. Deborah Matthews

“spin is a form of propaganda” - Wikipedia

The NDP urged Minister Matthews today to protect health by stopping sludge spreading on floodlands given recent contamination near Ottawa. Here is her (non)response.
- Michael Polanyi, Researcher, Ontario NDP Caucus

Draft Hansard - December 10, 2009
Sewage sludge
Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question’s for the Minister of Health. Two weeks ago, the member from Nickel Belt raised concerns in this chamber about the health dangers of sewage sludge being spread on the flood plains of the South Castor River near the village of Vernon. Residents and farmers depend on the health of that river, which is used to irrigate fields. They wrote to the Minister of Health about their concerns about a month ago.

What action has the minister or the government taken to address the sludge-related health concerns of Vernon residents?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: I know the member opposite understands that this is an issue that the Minister of the Environment has been working very, very hard on. We are committed to the health of the people of Ontario. We’ve taken important steps to ensure that Ontarians are just as healthy as they can be. That includes our ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides and the tremendous investments we’ve made to clean up our drinking water, to a number of initiatives.

We take the environment very seriously. We absolutely understand the link between the environment and our health care. The member opposite does understand that this particular aspect of our health care is under very, very careful review by our Minister of the Environment.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.
Mr. Peter Tabuns: The minister has deflected the question. The letter that was sent by the residents has not been responded to. Independent tests are showing four times the level of E. coli in the water coming into the South Castor that is allowed by this province. That indicates that all kinds of other contaminants are going into the river. Clearly, the Minister of the Environment is not paying attention to this issue.

To the Minister of Health: Will she act to protect the residents of Ontario? Will she act to stop the spreading of sewage sludge on flood plains in this province?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: We in Ontario have the highest standards of drinking water in the world. We continue to protect drinking water.

Let me shed a little bit of light, though, on the new regulatory framework for non-agricultural source material. There is a new regulatory framework for the management of biosolids and other non-agricultural source materials. This new framework includes new and improved standards for these materials in the nutrient management regulation. It includes removal of duplicative requirements for farmers, haulers and generators. There’s a focus on the quality of the material that is being applied to land, and we are committed to maintaining Ministry of the Environment oversight and enforcement. Collectively, these are exactly the steps we need to be taking to continue improving the health of Ontarians.

So there you have it: not one iota of concern for Vernon or the pollution introduced into the South Castor River – I urge readers of this blog to contact the Minister of Health to request an immediate moratorium on spreading of sewage sludge biotoxins in and around the Village of Vernon, until all health issues have been thoroughly investigated. - ed

Hon. Deborah Matthews
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
10th Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C4
Tel:    416-327-4300
Fax:   416-327-3679
Email:   dmatthews.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

All about Deborah Matthews here on Wikipedia - Hon. Deborah Matthews

Stop spreading human waste on fields

2009-12-09T13:23:00.001-05:00

Dwight Irwin is Regional Managing Editor of the Northumberland News and The Independent (Brighton)

But how can human waste be safe for what eventually becomes our food? I'm about to start a book called ‘Slow Death by Rubber Duck’ – my wife, who picked it up at the library called dibs on it, to my chagrin. It documents the insane number of ‘safe’ chemicals and pharmaceuticals we put into our bodies on a daily basis, and how we’re essentially killing ourselves slowly with day-to-day, normal products, like the rubber duckies we give our babies to chew on practically from birth.

That’s right, the nipple on that pacifier isn’t made of all natural materials, folks.

See the rest of the article on Dwight’s blog here.

What do you think? Should municipalities allow their human waste biosolids to be spread of farmers' fields?

2009-12-09T13:14:00.001-05:00

The Northumberland News has an informal ‘poll’ going on its website (right hand sidebar on home page) about the spreading of biosolids as fertilizer - you might want to circulate to get as many as possible to just say ‘no’!

http://www.northumberlandnews.com/

Down The South Castor River

2009-12-03T18:55:00.001-05:00

Some water sample testing was carried out this afternoon by Jim and Frank. The South Castor River had swelled significantly with the rainfall in the last few days. Frank and Jim shoved off from the bridge crossing highway 31 just south of Vernon where the picnic grounds are located. They were back in about an hour paddling against a pretty good current. The headwinds didn’t help either but they did manage to obtain some good water samples from the drainage tiles below the sludged fields.

Flood level debris in trees, Vernon sewage field in background

The flood level debris in the trees clearly show that much of the sewage spread field is underwater in the Spring snow melt. Yet neither the City of Ottawa, the Ministry of Environment, the South Nation River Conservation Authority, nor Fisheries Canada, objected to spreading pathogenic and toxic sewage sludge on this obvious flood plain where it will contaminate the river system! Why didn't they act to protect the water environment, when they were all informed of the problem long before the field was certified to receive hazardous waste?
– Jim Poushinsky

More Press On The Deavitt Biosolids Lawsuit

2009-12-03T10:50:00.001-05:00

Although this is the first civil suit regarding sludge in Canada, Ms. Deavitt is encouraged by a recent Quebec ruling in which a Superior Court judge upheld a ban on the spreading, storage and transportation of sludge in the rural Municipality of Elgin.

“I think it's time for a precedent-setting case to open the door for class-action lawsuits," she said. "The only time the government is going to look for alternatives is if you hit them in the pocketbook. Someone has to start this, and I guess it's going to be us.”

The rest of the article can be found here at the Northumberland News.

It’s About Time – Toxic Sludge Goes To Court

2009-12-03T01:17:00.001-05:00

Mayor and Councillors of the City of Ottawa,

If this Ontario lawsuit is successful, it will be a precedent for other such lawsuits, and set the stage for class action lawsuits, against municipalities causing harm by spreading pathogenic and toxic sewage wastes, as well as against the farmers who accept it. - Jim Poushinsky, OCAPS

Biosolids foe suing Cobourg, farm couple

Posted By Mark Hoult – The Community Press Online Edition

Trent Hills – Wendy and William Deavitt are taking their battle against biosolids into the courtroom. They have filed a lawsuit in Canada's Superior Civil Court against the Town of Cobourg and Terry and Sandra Greenly, of Warkworth, claiming a total of $650,000 in damages for the physical suffering and financial loss they say were the result of waste sludge from Cobourg's sewage treatment plant being applied to farm fields adjacent their former hobby farm near Warkworth.

None of the allegations has been proven in court, but are contained in a statement of claim filed last week with the civil court.

The couple put the property up for sale two years ago, after living for more than a year with a variety of illnesses they maintain were caused by the application of biosolids on the fields around their home.

The term biosolids is a euphemism for waste sludge, a byproduct of the human waste treatment process. It is often distributed to farmers, who use it as fertilizer. However, the Deavitts and other opponents of the practice say putting treated human waste on agricultural lands is a danger to human health because the substance still retains heavy metals and a range of other toxins created by a 21st century industrial processes.

The Deavitts walked away from what they called their “dream property” at the beginning of October out of fear that more waste sludge would be applied in surrounding fields. After putting the property on the market they reduced the price by $60,000, with no success. Potential buyers expressed interest but backed away when they learned that waste sludge had been applied nearby, Deavitt told Sun Media a few days before she and her family left the property and moved to Campbellford. The 7.8-acre hobby farm is now on the market under power of sale for $214,000.

The family's encounter with biosolids began in 2006 when Deavitt, her husband and family began experiencing fatigue, respiratory distress, kidney dysfunction, urinary tract infections and diarrhea after waste sludge was applied to the fields surrounding their property.

Other couples, including Dianne and Wayne Cooke and Linda and Wayne Donaldson, also fell ill, as did Deavitt’s animals. At first every one of the animals in her barn developed coughs, runny noses and conjunctivitis. A two-month-old colt went into respiratory distress and her mare began having irregular heat cycles. The mare also developed swollen lymph nodes.

Deavitt said all the symptoms disappeared after she moved the animals to another property. And blood tests taken by Toronto toxicologist Dr. Anne Mildon showed that Deavitt’s own blood had elevated levels of chromium, potassium and sodium.

Now the Deavitts are claiming $250,000 in general damages and $400,000 in special damages. The couple's statement of claim, prepared by the Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic in Ottawa, states that as a result of the spreading of sewage sludge on the Greenly fields, some of which landed on their own property, “the Deavitts have suffered material discomfort to their persons, loss of enjoyment of the normal use and enjoyment of their property, damage to their health and to the health of their family, anxiety and stress, damage to the health of their animals and catastrophic diminution in the value of their property.”

Deavitt said this week she is hopeful the lawsuit will emerge as a “precedent-setting” case that will discourage farmers from using municipal waste sludge as fertilizer on their fields.

“We have to make more farmers aware they are leaving themselves open to a lawsuit,” she said.

Province To Crack Down On Compost – Right.

2009-12-02T17:29:00.001-05:00

Minister announces changes to ensure cities produce cleaner waste, with less sodium

See the Toronto Star article here published on Saturday November 28, 2009.

And a response to the article by France Gélinas, MPP, Ontario NDP's Health Critic, Queens Park, Toronto:

“This article omits an important fact. The Ontario government's proposed new compost guidelines would allow sewage sludge laden with pharmaceuticals, pathogens, heavy metals and flame retardants to be mixed in with so-called "A-grade" compost and spread on lawns, gardens, parks and farm fields.

Given rising concerns about the human health impacts of sludge spreading, it would be reckless to compromise compost standards in this way.”

(In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics.’ All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. – George Orwell)

Triclocarban In Sewage Sludge – The Facts

2009-12-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

By HENRY FOUNTAIN

Published: May 23, 2006 New York Times

Triclocarban is an antibacterial compound that has been used in soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products for years. It and a related compound, triclosan (used in many toothpastes and in kitchen equipment like cutting boards) work by blocking the activity of an enzyme that bacteria need to make membranes.

About half a million to a million pounds of triclocarban are produced each year, and the chemical has been found in streams and in the water leaving sewage treatment plants. Now Johns Hopkins scientists have detected it in the sludge at a wastewater treatment plant. Since sludge is often spread on agricultural land, the finding means triclocarban may persist in the soil and accumulate in crops.

In a study to be published June 1 2006, in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, Jochen Heidler, Amir Sapkota and Rolf U. Halden analyzed effluent and sludge from a large treatment plant that serves 1.3 million people. A special chromatography technique, developed by the researchers and used by Dr. Halden in the earlier stream study, was used to detect triclocarban.

The researchers found that roughly 97 percent of the compound was removed from the wastewater coming into the plant, and that most of it was soaked up by the particles in the sludge. Sewage sludge usually undergoes anaerobic digestion to break down organic compounds and create a safer, more stable waste product. But the researchers found that anaerobic digestion did nothing to break down triclocarban.

Little is known about the toxicity of triclocarban. And scientists don't know yet whether it is taken up by plants or remains bound to the sludge particles. But one concern is clear: an effective bactericide is being inadvertently spread on fields, with who-knows-what impact.

Vernon Spraying Stopped For The Season

2009-12-01T13:39:00.001-05:00

It’s official, the spraying of toxic sewage sludge has stopped for the season. The Ministry of the Environment Certificate of Approval does not allow application of sludge between December 1st and March 31st of every year. We have a few months now to work on solutions that will preserve the health of the land as well as the health of the people of Vernon. Will common sense prevail at Ottawa City Hall, the Ministry of the Environment and the South Nation Conservation Authority?

Spraying Begins Again in Vernon

2009-11-24T12:45:00.001-05:00

From Jim Poushinsky this morning:

Hi folks,

Spreading of the field southeast of the Castor River bordering Vernon (between Hwy 31 Bank Street and the 8th Line Road) began early this morning. The odour of human waste is in the air at Frank and Carol's house on Boyd Road. If you can smell it you are breathing the ammonia and other chemical off-gases and airborne pathogens, so beware - keep doors and windows closed, and avoid prolonged exposure. If you get sick call the City and insist on reporting this to the Medical Officer of Health Dr. Isra Levy at 613-580-6744 x23681 by phone or his email here.

If you are in the Vernon area take care and try to avoid breathing the pollution cloud. You can get gas masks with replaceable cartridge filters at most hardware stores. When you smell gas odours despite the mask it's time to replace the cartridges. Change your clothes and clean your boots if in contact with sludge spilled or tracked onto roads by the heavy trucks and sludge handling machinery. Keep your pets out of the sludged fields, and don't let them drink from the ditches. Wash their feet if you're not sure where they have been.

Jim Poushinsky
Chair, Ottawa Citizens Against Pollution by Sewage

Sad News For Vernon

2009-11-20T23:33:00.001-05:00

Sad news. The CofA for the Vernon sewage spreading field site has been issued by MOE and cannot be appealed because it is not required to be listed on the Environmental Registry.

However our intervention has succeeded in getting the field site plan revised to exclude the 1 in 5 year flood plain, and the field southwest of Vernon where the abandoned well was found. So we have reduced the field size and amount that can be spread by about 1/2, and kept it further away from the village of Vernon.

The MOE certification likely means spreading of the southeast field will begin Monday, and continue for several days. Since there is no restriction on spreading in wind, the wind direction is an immediate concern. It would be really helpful if Dr. Levy, Ottawa's Medical Officer of Health, could assure people the field will not be spread when the wind is blowing or forecast to blow from the southeast towards Vernon. Surely he can do that! I have been unable to contact Dr. Levy despite repeated attempts. If anyone can, please make this request for a simple precautionary measure (not to spread when wind is blowing towards Vernon) to protect the health of 500 people in the village from airborne chemicals and pathogens in sludge because of the research OCAPS has sent him that indicates a risk of health problems for people within a mile of sewage spreading. It might help if more people emailed and telephoned him. The Ontario Health Minister has not responded either. Her name is Deb Mathews and her email is ccu.moh@ontario.ca. The silence of Provincial and Municipal Health officials regarding our requests on this matter is disrespectful to all rural residents in the sewage spreading areas, and a violation of our Charter Rights as citizens of Canada.

Rural people in the path of the stinking pollution cloud created during spreading of sewage, and rising off the spread field until it is disked into the soil, should take precautions to avoid breathing it or getting particles of sewage into their houses through open doors or windows or on boots and clothing. Immune deficient people should consider moving elsewhere until the spreading is over and sludge incorporated into the soil. Also, keep pets indoors, and wash their feet and legs after they have been out near or on the sewaged fields. This is impossible with feral cats and wild animals and birds in contact with the fields, so be cautious about them.

The huge flocks of Canada Geese returning to these fields in the Spring on their way North are another concern, as they are a staple of First Nations like the Inuit, who hunt and eat them in April and May, before they lay eggs and raise young. OCAPS is in contact with the Inuit about this, and we are informing wildlife scientists of the need for urgent research into possible adverse health effects from the geese landing and eating on sewage sludged corn fields, particularly during the flooded conditions from snow melt in early Spring.

OCAPS has started a scientific study of the e-coli content in the 3 drainage ditches that carry tile drain and surface waters off the spread field. We have 3 sampling points that cover the entire field in the ditches just before they enter the South Castor River, which flows into the South Nation River. The sampling points are accessible from the River, without trespassing on private property. Initial samples to establish a baseline for e-coli before spreading have been taken, and certified lab analysis done. The readings are 4, 0, 8 for the west, centre, and east field ditches respectively. Labour is provided free by OCAPS volunteers, but lab costs to date are $60, and it will cost $36 to repeat the sampling (total for all 3 tests) each time. We would like to test several times - once spreading begins to check for fecal material being flung or tracked into ditches despite the MOE set-backs per the guidelines, and again after it has been raining and the tile drains are running. Significant e-coli pollution would be an indicator marker for all the other sewage contaminants. In fact the Ottawa U study recommended clostridium perfringens as a better pathogen marker for sewage sludge, because e-coli is not as mobile and is killed off quickly in cold weather. However e-coli is the accepted marker, so we'll use it for now. We need to raise about $100 more to cover expenses for 3 rounds of testing. Donations are gratefully accepted, but regret we cannot issue tax receipts, as to do so would be more trouble than it's worth for the relatively small amounts of money required to meet our needs.

On a related issue, OCAPS has applied for Party Status at the Orgaworld Appeal of the MOE Restrictions to the CofA that prevent them putting sewage, diapers, and other hazardous organic wastes in Ottawa's mega green waste recycling composting facilty. OCAPS will be supporting these MOE restrictions for all the reasons we oppose sewage spreading on farmland, since the compost is to be used as fertilizer for field crops. We also intend to ask for the further restriction that meat not be included in the green waste collection, since the odour will attract turkey vulture. Research indicates 30% of their soaring flights over Orgaworld will be above 500 feet, putting these 6 pound birds with 2 meter wingspans in the path of aircraft landing and taking off from the south runway of Ottawa's international airport.

I will be attending the preliminary hearing in Ottawa next Thursday Nov. 26th to see if we will be given status at the hearing to be held in December. The ruling of the independent Environmental Tribunal on this matter will have consequences for the Green Waste Programs across Ontario. While I am willing to represent OCAPS and the interests of rural people at this hearing as a citizen volunteer, I am a social worker, not a lawyer. If anyone knows a lawyer willing to volunteer advice or help, I would greatly appreciate the assistance!

I thank you all for your supportive efforts, and look forward to your continuing feedback. I know this is a very busy time of year and we have other priorities like getting our houses and vehicles ready for winter, and coping with the increasing darkness and cold and sickness. But I do think our efforts through OCAPS and links to others fighting sewage sludge pollution are time and energy and money well spent on making this world a better place for future generations. It is an honour that we are able to do this for Mother Earth. Yesterday two deer appeared outside my window. The First Nation people say that deer are a sign of the Creator's love for us. Take heart!

Jim Poushinsky
Chair, Ottawa Citizens Against Pollution by Sewage

Friday The 13th

2009-11-13T23:39:00.001-05:00

An anonymous letter – A Biosolids Argument

2009-11-10T16:38:00.001-05:00

(Normally I wouldn’t publish an anonymous letter sent to the blog, but this one seems too important not to publish. - editor)

I wish to address the scientific argument around this debate. I believe it is misleading to the public when City staff or government representatives use the concept of science incorrectly as a means of increasing the public confidence in decisions that the government makes on behalf of the public. As with other environmental issues, the question of “scientific proof” has become the focus of the biosolids debate, diverting attention away from what the risks are. People normally deal with risk to reduce their vulnerability to catastrophic loss (house insurance). We don’t do this because we have proof that catastrophe is imminent; we do it because we don’t want to risk losing everything if catastrophe strikes (the probability of catastrophe is low, but the consequences are great). Science can never prove that biosolids have no adverse affects. It is the probability of adverse affects and the consequences of adverse effects that are the important issues; these together constitute risk and should be the focus of any debate and decision-making.

No one would suggest that we stop a practice such as recycling a material that would otherwise have to be land filled unless we have evidence of adverse affects. We need to determine whether the potential risks that have been identified are more likely to occur than not and what the consequences would be. At present, a great deal of scientific uncertainty exists in this area. There is not a lot of detailed research and no broad-based epidemiological studies. The scientific findings are controversial. It is a fact that there are many gaps in the research that have been identified.

History has shown that we have made some very harmful and costly decisions in the past. For example, we based our decisions to allow the use of DDT, CFCs, PCBs and tetraethyl lead on the available scientific evidence at the time, subject to social, economic, and political pressures. It took many years, sometimes decades for scientists to demonstrate through research the deleterious effects of these substances. We are paying enormously for these mistakes.

Some of the most interesting research that I have come across was conducted by an entomologist from Cornell University. Dr. Pimentel used sludge from 2 sources: Syracuse (presumably highly contaminated) and Cayuga Heights (presumably relatively uncontaminated). He grew crops in both sludge types and compared crop growth and insect populations. In the first experiment the crops and insects did well on the Cayuga Heights sludge, but not the Syracuse sludge. When the experiment was repeated, unexpectedly the crops and insects did poorly on both types of sludge. This illustrates the problem with sludges -- one batch may be acceptable for agricultural use, but the next may not be. No one is monitoring these sludges for the numerous “unknown” contaminants.

The Cornell researcher concluded that the risks of applying sludge to agricultural lands outweigh the benefits. The research also demonstrates the complexity of the environment and how much we still don’t know.

A decision to apply biosolids to farmland currently cannot be based on sound science and decision-makers should never assure the public that it can. Science can provide us with some of the tools and information we require to make decisions, but we must be willing to invest in the research and wait for the results before we make costly decisions that could significantly affect public health, the environment and future generations.

From Councillor Dean’s Office – Ottawa City Hall

2009-11-06T14:45:00.001-05:00

Latest correspondence from Sara Gaudon of Councillor Dean’s office to Jim Poushinsky:

“Upon receiving your e-mail last week, I inquired with the City's Manager of Wastewater and Drainage Operations Michel Chevalier. According to Mr.Chevalier, 2 areas are targeted for biosolid spreading. The 'smaller' area was spread on Tuesday and Wednesday (of which you notified Council), but the 'larger' area has not been spread.”

“Before spreading of biosolids can begin on the larger area, the City and its contractor are determining if the area may be subject to frequent flooding (which would prohibit award of certification). As of today the assessment is not yet complete, and no certificate has been awarded.”

Ottawa’s Backyard

2009-11-05T16:28:00.001-05:00

Food Firms Shun Sludge Use

2009-11-04T19:00:00.001-05:00

Which food companies shun sludge-fertilized foods? Several food companies, including Del Monte, Campbell Soup and Gerber baby foods.

To what must be a disappointment for some farmers, food giants as Campbell's, Nestle and Gerber's, among others, do not accept products of sludge fertilized fields.

In 1997, contrary to the National Organic Standards Board, and under pressure from corporate farms, the USDA issued a watered down set of draft organic standards that would have permitted the use of genetic engineering, irradiation and sewage sludge in the production of organic foods. These draft standards were quickly withdrawn after the USDA received over 275,000 responses to this effort—the largest public outpouring to the USDA on any food issue.

Our Ministry of the Environment and our own Ottawa City Hall staff insist sewage sludge is still safe? Of course all of the spraying occurs 25Kms south of City Hall.

Speaking out against bio-solids

2009-11-04T17:36:00.001-05:00

BY KIRK STARRATT
The Kings County Advertiser Nov.3.09 (Nova Scotia)

“If the reaction of a few vocal citizens is representative of general feeling, the public will not tolerate land application of bio-solids in Kings County. Following presentations from the provincial Department of Environment (DOE) and municipal staff on bio-solids management, several people took advantage of the two-minute public comment session at the conclusion of a special Kings County council committee of the whole session last Thursday. Some applauded council for requesting a moratorium from the province.”

“…..we must invoke the precautionary principle if this world is to survive.”

A superb article – read it here:

http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-396634-Citizen-concern.html

Biosolids Spreading Creating Big Stink in Vernon

2009-11-04T17:00:00.001-05:00

“More good news coverage.” – Jim Poushinsky

Here’s a great article by second-year journalism students from Algonquin College.

“Despite strong opposition from concerned residents in Vernon, treated human waste began being spread on farmland north of the village on Nov. 2, just hours after the application was approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.”

“Activist Jim Poushinsky has led the opposition against the spreading, citing potential health risks.”

See the rest of the article here:

http://webcitybeat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73%20%20

Media Coverage in Ottawa Sun Media

2009-11-04T13:12:00.001-05:00

Opponents fail to stop spread of biosolids

By TOM VAN DUSEN, SUN MEDIA
VERNON — A rural Ottawa environmental group was unsuccessful Tuesday in an 11th-hour attempt to block the spreading of treated human waste on an 110-acre farm field just outside this hamlet.

The rest of the story is available here:

http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2009/11/03/11624771.html

Thanks to Tom Van Dusen of The Ottawa Sun for continued coverage of the Vernon sludge issues.

Biosolids Update – A Cold Afternoon On The Front

2009-11-03T21:59:00.001-05:00

The First of many applications of biosolid waste was spread just east of Vernon today near the 8th Line Road.

It was a cold windy fall day with gusts up to 40Km/hr. Our group arrived to watch the start of the application of biosolids. We were met by MOE inspectors and eventually a City of Ottawa employee. Tom Van Dusen of the Ottawa Sun arrived a short time after we got there to get his story. We stayed for a couple of hours watching the hauling trucks leave and arrive with fresh loads of biosolids.

From Jim Poushinsky – “The bad news is that we failed to stop the sewage sludge spreading of the field North of Vernon. MOE signed the C of A at 11 am and the field will be entirely spread by 8 pm (so the contractor says).”

“The MOE inspector told us that the field met all their requirements for spreading. I asked about the steady 30 km wind gusting to 41 km that was blowing and freezing us as we talked. He said there were no restrictions by the MOE on spreading in wind, but our objection was duly noted. He wrote it in a book. Then he asked for all our names to put in his report. We all didn't agree. I gave mine, and Frank his. We were joined by Tom Van Dusen, rural reporter for the Sun. He knows us from 10 years back when we first started opposing sewage spreading in support of the Wigney's on Snake Island Road. The MOE official refused to answer any questions from the press. He said such questions had to be written and sent to Head Office. Tom said he didn't have time for that, this story will be in tomorrow's Ottawa Sun.”

“We are getting media coverage. Tom Van Dusen called to say there will be a small report in the Ottawa Sun tomorrow, and a lengthy detailed report in the Sun on Thursday. Whooeee! And Candice's story in the Prescott Russell News should be in Wednesday's weekly paper, covering the Vernon meeting last Wednesday, and alerting rural folks to the East as to what is happening with sewage biosolids. And CBC TV wants to give us coverage tomorrow. And a media student wants to do his research on the biosolids issue by covering and interviewing us.”

“So all in all, a productive day! Hopefully we didn't catch pneumonia standing in the cold blowing wind at the edge of that field. It was frigid in that wind-chill. Good thing I'm acclimatized by working outside up North of Lake Superior where it is a month colder than here (10 inches of snow on Thanksgiving).” - Thanks Jim. - ed

Get on the OCAPS mail list for up to the minute updates, and complete coverage of today’s activities on the 8th Line Road, from Jim Poushinsky. Click on his name to send him an email.

Breaking - Sludge Spraying To Begin This Afternoon in Vernon

2009-11-03T11:31:00.001-05:00

OCAPS has been notified that MOE has given the all clear for spraying to begin in the village of Vernon this afternoon. More news later today as this story progresses. Please readers, spread this news far and wide and please post comments to the blog - it's vital that the people and children of Vernon know how you all feel.

White House lawn spread with sludge

2009-11-03T00:11:00.001-05:00

This is from letters to the editor at Mother Jones magazine.

Submitted by Maureen Reilly on June 18, 2009 - 9:38am.

Its great that the First Lady is growing a community garden. But did the National Park Service director for the White House tell Michelle Obama that her 'organic' garden soil has been historically repeatedly spread with sewage sludge compost ? According to Al Rubin - retired EPA Biosolids Coordinator - sludge compost from Blue Plains and for Back River Baltimore sewage treatment plants was spread on the South Lawn of the White House "about 5 times". Sludge compost from Baltimore was tested as high as 237 ppm lead...so certainly sludge spreading could elevate toxic metals in White House soil.

This would explain the elevated level of lead in the new White House garden. So what about the other toxic metals? What is the level of cadmium, nickel, mercury in that garden? Cadmium is pulled up into green leafy plants - especially the spinach and kale favoured by Michelle. Are these toxic metals putting White House meals at risk?

At 93 ppm lead, the carrots and potatoes need to be peeled before they are eaten. Children need to be cautioned against eating any dirt or licking dirty fingers.

Did the National Parks Service horticulturist - who allowed and even promoted sludge spreading on the White House lawn - mislead the First Lady as to the soil quality? Surely she should have been informed about the history of sludge use on the South Lawn before she put in her lovely garden.

There is much to learn here:

1. Don't put sludge products on your lawn ... yesterday's lawn is tomorrows 'organic' garden.

2. Test your garden soil for metals before you plant.

3. Tell the government to forbid calling sewage sludge fertilizers 'organic'...because this is misleading the public into thinking these fertilizers meet the clean organic standards for food production.

4. Tell the National Park Service to forbid the use of sewage sludge materials on public parks ...INCLUDING the White House.

Maureen Reilly
Sludge Watch

Source:
www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/06/did-sludge-lace-obamas-veggie-garden-lead

Equipment for Off-Site Application of Biosolids

2009-11-02T23:37:00.001-05:00

For us neophytes out there, here’s a link showing the equipment used to transport and apply biosolids to farmland.

Vernon may see some of this equipment rumbling through the village if the MOE gives the go-ahead with sludge spraying.

http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=WQ432

OCAPS – Ottawa Citizens Against Pollution By Sewage

2009-11-01T11:41:00.006-05:00

Jim Poushinsky would like everyone who is concerned about sewage spreading and wants to be added to the OCAPS confidential mailing list and to participate in policy discussions to email him, and he’ll add you to the list. Current and past OCAPS Press Releases are available from Jim also.

Note that while the names and addresses of participants are confidential, the content of the discussions are not. Just click on Jim’s name at the start of this post to email him.

Thanks Jim!

What’s Happening in Quebec, Elgin QC Sets Legal Precedent

2009-10-31T17:28:00.006-04:00

Holly Dressel has kindly given me permission to use her article on what can be done by progressive and caring communities when sludge comes to town.

Block that sludge!

Tiny Elgin, QC sets legal precedent in blocking use of municipal sludge on its territory.
Dateline: Monday, October 12, 2009
by Holly Dressel

In November of 2006, the tiny municipality of Elgin, Quebec, comprised of only a few hundred people, passed a by-law prohibiting the spreading, storage or transport of municipal or de-inking sludge on its territory.

The people living in Elgin, about 60 km southwest of Montreal, understood that Canada's water treatment systems are not able to remove many toxic elements intrinsic to sludge, such as:

pathogens like H1N1 or E. coli
dangerous chemicals like flame retardants
medications
hormones or,
the heavy metals that get into sewage systems from small industries and the de-inking process of paper recycling mills

Farmers in the area were particularly worried about the heavy metals in de-inking sludges, which can sterilize soils, rendering the soil useless and in fact dangerous for crop production in a relatively short period of time. Such material can be trucked in from distant, large cities and cannot be traced.

Elgin's by-law was passed in order to "protect public health and the environment."

The local farm wishing to spread the sludge took the village to court, on the grounds that the process is not only legal in Quebec and across Canada but encouraged by provincial regulations. They were backed by a huge multinational waste management company, GSI, which makes its money by taking human and de-inking sludge off the hands of overwhelmed municipalities, calling it a crop fertilizer, and selling it to farmers at much cheaper rates than regular chemical fertilizers.

On October 1, 2009, to the surprise of many, Quebec's Superior court upheld the town's bylaw. Judge Steve J. Reimnitz invoked the well-known Supreme Court ruling in the case of Hudson, Quebec's similar ban on cosmetic pesticides.

In his 38-page decision, Judge Reimnitz also invoked the Precautionary Principle: "Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation." This is more support for the principle emphasized in the Hudson case, which obliges municipalities to be "proactive in the areas of human health and the environment."

Every municipality today is coping with the daily rivers of human and industrial wastes removed by water treatment plants. Back in the 1970s, public opinion and health officials finally convinced all levels of government that raw sewage could no longer be dumped into rivers, lakes and oceans without destroying drinking water.

Environmental reasons also were a driving factor in paper recycling. Arsenic, lead and other heavy metals in the inks are removed in the recycling process and are concentrated in the sludge. At first this material was put in landfills or taken by tanker for deep-sea disposal, but in 1992 it was discovered that these sludges were so toxic they were causing enormous dead zones along ocean coasts and were declared too poisonous to dump at sea. However, they were backing up in landfills and other storage facilities on land.

Sludge can be slowly composted, although getting rid of the heavy metals can be difficult. Instead, sludge can be put through a "constructed wetland" or incinerated in closed-system plasma incinerators that leave very little residue.

The practice of spreading sludge on farmlands developed in the early 1990s. Then, the American EPA provided the cheapest solutions when it renamed sludge "biosolids" [MRF or Materieles Residuelles Fertilisantes, "Residual Fertilizing Materials" in French] and declared it a valuable fertilizer, suitable for spreading on crop and pastureland. Canada's Food Inspection Agency followed the EPA action quickly.

A predictable number of contamination cases followed, including some human deaths from pathogens and the loss of dairy herds that had been sickened by poisoned pastures. More than a third of sludge spread on fields, researchers found, is not taken up by soils or plants but washes into the surface water, percolates into the ground water, and ends up in rivers and oceans anyway.

The anti-sludge movement that has grown up in Quebec and other provinces has turned to scientific research like that provided by the Cornell Waste Management Institute in Ithaca, New York. One part of the Cornell assessment states that "The sheer number of dangers associated with treating sludge as if it were a fertilizer is so great, so various and so serious that it would be the life work of thousands of professionals to divide up and respond to the categories of problems that will arise from this practice."

The recent Elgin ruling forces large municipalities to deal with their own wastes, rather than dumping them out of sight on cropland far away. It also encourages rural municipalities to protect their territories and their citizens from harm.

Elgin mayor Jean-Pierre Proulx says, "We've been given the right to say 'No!'" Will Amos, a staff lawyer with the NGO Ecojustice, involved in the Hudson case, says, "Towns across Quebec and Canada are heeding our highest court's message. They should be encouraged to take action."

Holly Dressel, author and researcher, is one of Canada’s most recognized writers on environmental, health care, economic and aboriginal issues. Dressel is best known for her many collaborations with television host Dr. David Suzuki on film and radio programs. They have co-authored three books together, From Naked Ape to Super-species Good News for a Change and More Good News, which is coming out in the spring of 2010. Dressel is also the author of a forthcoming major history and analysis of Canadian health care. About the author - http://www.whokilledthequeen.com/bio.html

Vernon Ontario Fights Sewage Sludge

2009-10-30T20:18:00.000-04:00

Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, which became the subject of national and international attention, controversy, and eventual environmental notoriety following the discovery of 21,000 tons of toxic waste buried beneath the neighborhood by Hooker Chemical. Love Canal officially covers 36 square blocks in the far southeastern corner of the city, along 99th Street and Read Avenue. Two bodies of water define the northern and southern boundaries of the neighborhood: Bergholtz Creek to the north and the Niagara River one-quarter mile (400 m) to the south. In this area, Grand Island is situated on the south shore of the Niagara River.

The Niagara Falls School Board chose to construct a school on this site, even though being fully aware of the fact that Hooker Chemical had dumped an appreciable amount of hazardous waste there, and the City of Niagara Falls permitted the building of homes and rental units on this tainted property. The construction efforts of the development released the chemical waste, leading to a public health emergency, an urban planning scandal, and a finding of liability on the part of the former owner. In the words of a state health commissioner, "Among its legacies, Love Canal will likely long endure as a 'national symbol of a failure to exercise a sense of concern for future generations."^[1] It was indeed a situation where the inhabitants of Love Canal "overflowed into the wastes instead of the other way around." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Canal

The small hamlet of Vernon Ontario south of Ottawa on the old highway 31 has become a crusader against bio-solids or sewage sludge as it's better known. A neighbouring farm, located in a flood plain of the South Castor River has applied to have its land sprayed with sewage sludge. At the Osgoode Ward Advisory Committee meeting last night, October 28, 2009, in Vernon, more than 60 of the townsfolk questioned City of Ottawa officials and our representative on Council, Doug Thompson.

Watch this blog in the coming days and weeks as I cover this villages’ struggles with bureaucracy at Ottawa City Hall, our Ministry of the Environment (MOE), The South Nation Conservation Authority, and various medical and health authorities. Pictures and stories about personal struggles, of worried parents and residents, will be posted along with news on the progress of the sludge issues, in this small village of Vernon, along the old Highway 31. Please take the time to read the Links of Interest in the sidebar on the left.