Synopsis: Wastewater treatment plants nationwide produce compost from sewage sludge and make it available as a soil amendment at no cost to the public. An aggressive public relations campaign sponsored by the sewage treatment industry has convinced most consumers that the material is safe. However, researchers have found that compost made from sewage sludge can contain numerous dangerous contaminants, including tens of thousands of unregulated chemicals. Government-required testing does not cover these contaminants, which end up in our food and in the environment.
How does your garden grow? If you are using compost made from sewage sludge (alias, biosolids) from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the answer to question in the old rhyme might be, "With viruses and endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals and heavy metals and hormones all in a row"—something that would surprise many local gardeners. Critical facts about the content of "compost" produced from sewage sludge/biosolids are not widely known.
At the October 4 Morro Bay Planning Commission meeting, then-Planning Commissioner Nancy Johnson expressed concern that the new WWTP project will result in the termination of the onsite composting program. Plans for the new facility indicate that sludge produced by wastewater treatment will be transported to Kern County for offsite composting. Other residents have also lamented the loss of this free garden amendment. Some former users of the compost, however, feel differently.
Until notified of the risks associated with using compost from the WWTP, Morro Bay High School was utilizing the material in a gardening project. David Broadwater, a local researcher and expert on sewage sludge/biosolids, provided the school with information on the dangers involved. The school subsequently returned the compost to the WWTP and restarted the garden with safer soil amendments.
In San Francisco, a similar scenario played out on larger scale, as described in the Huffington Post article, "Sewage Sludge Compost: The Sludge Hits the Fan in San Francisco", by Jill Richardson. Describing the content of typical "compost" derived from sewage, Richardson reported that, "The EPA only requires treatment plants to kill off any fecal coliforms in the sludge and ensure that nine heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, selenium and zinc) are not present in unacceptable levels. But that only cleans up a tiny fraction of the harmful substances present in the sludge. A recent EPA study of 84 sludge samples from around the country found 27 metals, three pharmaceuticals (Ciprofloxacin, Diphenhydramine and Triclocarban), four anions (nitrates/nitrites, fluoride and water-extractable phosphorus), three steroids (Campesterol, Cholestanol and Coprostanol), and a number of toxic flame-retardants in nearly every single sample tested. Many of the other contaminants tested for showed up in a high percentage of samples as well."
The article notes that San Franciscans were initially pleased with the offer of free garden compost, but upon learning that the supposedly "organic" material was actually composed of sewage sludge from nine California counties, angry residents returned the material—by dumping it at the Mayor's office. San Franciscans evidently did not buy into a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) video presentation that claims that San Francisco's biosolid compost is non-hazardous and non-toxic.
What's in That Compost and What are the Risks?
Pretty much anything and everything that gets flushed or goes down the drain ends up in the sludge/biosolids and, subsequently, in the compost. This includes chemicals from products such as window cleaners, detergents, fabric softeners, spot removers, oven cleaners, drain cleaners, and more, as well as pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Sewage sludge and composts made with it contain a wide array of concentrated toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and infectious heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting compounds and pathogens.
According to Broadwater, the vast majority of the components of the sludge/biosolids are insufficiently regulated, or not regulated at all. These include "such metals as beryllium, chromium and thallium; such chemicals as dioxins, PCBs, and pesticides; such hormones as progesterone and testosterone; such drugs as codeine, digoxin, and erythromycin; and various bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worm cysts, and fungi. Exposure to these contaminants can occur through direct contact, inhalation of particles and gases, and ingestion of contaminated plants and water." Broadwater also says that, " . . . these contaminants poses health risks, especially for children, who are more susceptible than adults due to their rapidly developing nervous, immune and endocrine systems."
Citing a particular sewage sludge/biosolid component, Broadwater has stated that, "Cadmium, for example, is a carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting heavy metal toxic to the liver and kidneys, which is readily absorbed by root crops and leafy green vegetables. The limit for cadmium (39 ppm) is 108 times the concentration found in background soil (0.36 ppm), and the amount in the Morro Bay compost (3.7 ppm) is 10.3 times that soil level. Federal and state regulations allow cadmium soil concentration to build up to 20 ppm, which is 13 to 25 times higher than allowed in Ontario, Germany, Denmark, and Norway. In setting the limits on cadmium, and other metals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not consider exposure of children, dietary exposure, or simultaneous exposure to multiple contaminants, and it used a cancer risk factor 100 times less protective than it uses in water and air regulations."
The 2008-2009 Annual Report of the President's Cancer Panel raises more concerns. The report states that, "The Panel was particularly concerned to find that the true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated. With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread." The report further notes that 1,000-2,000 new chemicals are introduced into the environment each year, and that "In the United States, about 42 billion pounds of chemicals are produced or imported daily. Many of these chemicals are used in massive quantities exceeding one million tons per year."
With regard to insufficient government regulation, the report states, "Exposure limits have been set for some of these substances, but the vast majority are unregulated . . . " and, " . . . many of the current U.S. standards and related regulations for chemical and other exposures were set in the 1950s, and few are stringently enforced." and, "The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA)101 may be the most egregious example of ineffective regulation of environmental contaminants. This legislation was intended to give EPA authority to control health risks from chemicals in commerce. TSCA grandfathered in approximately 62,000 chemicals. . . " and, ". . . TSCA does not include a true proof-of-safety provision. At this time, neither industry nor government confirm the safety of existing or new chemicals prior to their sale and use. In fact, because companies are required by TSCA section 8e to report information about known health hazards caused by any of their products, to... avoid litigation or the costly ban or restricted use of a product, chemical companies generally do not conduct toxicity tests."
Not surprisingly, given those facts, and the fact that so many of those chemicals end up in the sewer, there have been many well-documented incidences of severe health effects, and even deaths among persons and animals exposed to sewage sludge/biosolids.
Yet, sewage sludge/biosolids is marketed nationwide as a safe, useful fertilizer.
Why the Push to "Sell" Composted Sewage Sludge to the Public?
If the risks are so great, why is distribution of compost made from sewage sludge/biosolids permitted to continue?
Money has been cited as the major factor that led to the sewage industry's push for public acceptance of sewage sludge/biosolids as a safe form of fertilizer. Over ten million tons of the sludge are produced every year in the United States. This creates a major waste disposal problem for the treatment plants. Convincing people that the material is a wonderful free resource for growing crops has proven to be the cheapest disposal method available.
Money has also been cited with regard to the alleged failure by the government to expose the threats and stop the use of sludge as fertilizer. Puzzling to many is the fact that, in the face of numerous well-documented stories of serious health impacts to humans and livestock, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to work with sewage industry groups to convince people that sewage sludge compost is safe.
There have been numerous allegations of government corruption associated with the issue. The Sourcewatch article, "You Say Biosolids, I say Sewage Sludge" includes these comments: "In 1992, former EPA official William Sanjour testified before the Georgia State Senate on the "close working relationships formed with government officials who are lured by the huge profits made by the waste management industry. . . . The power of this industry to influence government actions is further enhanced by the ease with which government regulatory officials are hired by the industry. Over thirty state and federal officials have gone over to the waste management industry in the southeast region. . . . This practice extends even to the highest levels of government. William Ruckelshaus, a former Administrator of EPA and a close advisor to President Bush, is CEO of the second largest waste management company in America. . . . With this kind of influence and power, trying to have a meaningful hazardous waste reduction program . . . is, frankly, like trying to have a meaningful egg laying program after you've let the fox into the chicken coop."
Also allegedly driven by the profit motive is the chemical industry, which is behind some efforts to push sewage sludge/biosolids as a safe product. For example, the American Council on Science and Health, allegedly a front group for the pesticide and chemical industries, among others, is allegedly bankrolled by a long list of polluting industries, and has strongly supported the San Francisco PUC's compost program.
Involvement of the chemical industry has not surprised researchers. Should the general public accept the idea that sewage sludge is a dangerous material, the next steps might include a closer examination of the chemical products that are sources of the toxins in that sludge, and perhaps a campaign to rein in or curtail the use of those products.
Academics backing the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer have also been accused of succumbing to lure of money. An article published by Academe Online, "When Research Turns to Sludge", by Steven Wing, states, "WERF is a nonprofit organization funded jointly by municipalities that produce sludge, corporations that spread it, and the EPA, which established regulations in 1993 intended to protect health and the environment from sludge. In a 2005 article in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, Caroline Snyder, professor emerita at Rochester Institute of Technology, describes an "unholy alliance" of government, industry, and academics working to promote land application of sludge, to prevent stricter regulations, and to influence research. She also describes attacks on EPA and university scientists who questioned the safety of current regulations.
‘Like other industry groups that rely on so-called sound science to promote their practices, WERF likes to fund university scientists to provide an aura of authority and independence. According to the University of Arizona's Water Quality Center, which is funded by municipalities that produce sludge, corporations that spread sludge, and the National Science Foundation, "University interactions with industry provides [sic] credibility with the general public." This is a good fit, because academics need funding and publications to advance their careers, and industry-associated groups can help."
The Pro-SludgePublic Relations Campaign
The book "Toxic Sludge is Good For You" by, is a general treatment of the workings of the public relations industry. In one chapter, the authors exposed the public relations campaign conceived to convince the world that sewage sludge is a beneficial resource, and not at all harmful.
The authors' discussion of the campaign includes coverage of their interactions with Nancy Blatt, Director of Public Information of the "Water Environment Federation" (WEF). The WEF is the sewage industry's main trade, lobby, and public relations organization. Its original name was the "Federation of Sewage Works Associations." Its research arm is the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF).
Blatt reportedly complained about the book title, "Toxic Sludge is Good For You", stating that it might harm the WEF campaign to change the image of sewage sludge. She stated that, "we're launching a campaign to get people to stop calling it sludge. We call it "biosolids." It can be used beneficially to fertilize farm fields, and we see nothing wrong with that."
The very name "biosolids" could easily give the impression that the sludge is entirely from biological origins, although nothing could be further from the truth. The use of the more appealing name for "sludge" appears to have been an effective tool in the campaign to create a new image for the lowly sewage treatment byproduct.
The WEF's Public Relations campaign was conceived by its public relations firm, Powell Tate. That firm is, according to the Stauber and Rampton, "a blue-chip Washington- based PR/lobby firm that specializes in public relations around controversial high-tech, safety and health issues, with clients from the tobacco, pharmaceutical, electronics and airlines industries." Fifteen years have passed since "Toxic Sludge is Good For You" was originally published. The WEC and Powell Tate appear to be flourishing. The PR campaign and the controversy continue.
What Has Been, and What Will be the Impact on Our Communities and Environment?
While the pro-and anti-sludge forces argue, locals are faced with safety concerns related to having used the sewage sludge/biosolids compost in their gardens. Broadwater has stated, "Once spread on land, the synthetic chemicals and heavy metals in sewage sludge persist for decades and centuries, and accumulate with each successive application. . . "
What impacts has the use of sewage sludge compost had on Morro Bay to date? Some effects may never be known, but available information appears to indicate the likelihood that toxins have been ingested and absorbed by residents who worked with the compost and consumed produce grown with it. Some of the contaminants will remain in the soil, and other contaminants will have been spread by watering, with the potential of infecting other humans and wildlife.
If contaminants from the compost have been watered into the soil, have they found their way to the Bay and the ocean? Morro Bay is criss-crossed with underground streams that could carry the contaminants far from the points where the compost was applied. If excessive watering was done, the toxins may have traveled to the Bay and ocean via the storm drains. Many residents have noticed that at times, the "seafoam" along the shoreline looks more like soap suds, and during the recent dredging of Morro Bay Harbor, a number of residents complained that the material being deposited on the beach gave off strong fumes that burned their eyes and noses.
An Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson stated that the fumes from the dredged material were merely the product of decaying organic matter. However, the symptoms experienced by the residents are similar to those experienced by persons exposed to the noxious chemicals and irritant gases known to be emitted by sewage sludge, i.e., hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals), etc. According to the EPA report "Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices," ". . . persons exposed to biosolids have reported health complaints including "include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches; nausea; cough; chest tightness; congestion; shortness of breath; drowsiness; skin lesions; and mood disorders (Schiffman et al. 2000; Lewis and Gattie in press; Shields1)."
One of the most concerning chemicals concentrated in sewer effluent and sludge is the carcinogenic and mutagenic chemical, nonylphenol. Its effects are discussed in detail in the December SLO Coast Journal article, "Nonylphenol is Polluting the Water in Morro Bay and other Coastal Areas" by Carol Georgi and Karl Kempton. According to researchers at Cal Poly's Biological Sciences Department, the chemical is "the major pollutant threatening the marine life in Morro Bay . . . "
There are no government regulations limiting the amount of nonylphenol in sewage sludge applied to land. It is believed that liver tumors in Morro Bay fish (gobies) probably result from nonylphenol in the water. Broadwater has stated, "The concentration of nonylphenol in goby livers is more than 22 times the average found in Morro Bay sediment, a clear indication of bioaccumulation and incremental contamination of the food chain. The concentration in oysters is more than 11 times the level found in that sediment. Gobies may be the canaries of the bay." More information can be found in Carol Georgi's December, 2010 SLO Coast Journal article, "Ocean Creatures." According to Georgi, nonylphenol is "a man-made chemical that breaks down from nonylphenol ethoxyates (compounds added to industrial and household detergents) when processed by wastewater treatment plants."
With stories such as this one, the experiences of people exposed to the dredge material, and the reported illnesses of surfers (the residents who arguably spend the most time in the Bay and the ocean), the possibility seems high that extremely dangerous contaminants from sewage have reached, and are becoming increasingly concentrated in the Bay and ocean waters.
What Can and Should be Done?
The Morro Bay/Cayucos WWTP conducts all of the regular testing required by law to detect regulated contaminants in effluent and in sludge/biosolids. The Army Corps of Engineers conducts required testing before depositing dredged materials on the beach. Yet, it appears that the testing is insufficient to protect us from a myriad of potentially-dangerous substances. Given that sewage sludge may potentially contain any of tens of thousands of contaminants, and the fact that relatively few of the dangerous components of sewage sludge are regulated, the failure of these agencies to detect all potentially-harmful contaminants is not surprising.
Experts have recommended pressuring government officials to ban the use of sewage sludge/biosolids as a soil amendment, and to require disposal of the material in a manner that minimizes the risks to humans and the environment. Because the toxins remain in the environment for a very long time, it has also been suggested locally that the Army Corps of Engineers be required to expand testing of dredged materials destined to be deposited on the beach.
Meanwhile, experts also recommend that members of the public take action to protect themselves. The most obvious recommendation is to use only soil amendments/composts mixes that are labeled "organic" and certified as being free of sewage sludge.
The public can also help to control the problem by exercising caution regarding what is flushed and what is poured down the drain. The evidence shows that, although temporarily out of sight and out of mind, those chemicals and pharmaceuticals can come back to "bite" you, your children, and your children's children.
