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Citizens
for Agricultural and Rural Responsibility (CARR) is a non-partisan group
formed by Town of Hector, NY residents concerned
about the health of our families, our community, and the rural
land we love.
We are teachers, carpenters, farmers and scientists; homeowners
and renters; young and old. |
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We
Do not Want Sewage Sludge
Dumped
Near Our Homes! |
What
is Sludge?
Sludge is treated sewage from city wastewater plants.
Some farmers spread sludge products (also called “biosolids”)
on their fields for organic content and/or as a substitute for lime. The
main reason farmers use sludge is that it is cheap.
Sludge contains human waste, as well as anything that goes into city sewer
systems, such as household cleaning products, medications, industrial
chemicals, hospital waste, and pathogens (disease organisms). Sludge used
to be dumped into the ocean, but the practice was so destructive that
it was outlawed in 1991.
Sludge use has been banned by some European countries (Switzerland, Netherlands),
while other countries have called for bans (France, Finland, Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom). In the United States, many communities
have banned the dumping of sludge in order to protect their families,
their property, and their towns.
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Why
should you be concerned about sludge in our area?
The EPA tells farmers that sludge is safe, but the agency isn’t
telling the whole truth
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:• Sludge contains many
toxins, chemicals, and compounds that are known to be harmful to humans,
wildlife, and soil.
• Treated sludge contains heavy metals and chemicals that are known
to be harmful to humans and the environment.
• These contaminants build up with repeated applications of sludge,
leading to degradation of cropland.
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• Run-off from sludge contaminates
wells and streams with chemicals and disease organisms.
• Airborne sludge particles cause health problems for workers and
neighbors.
• Cities and industry are trying to get rid of their sludge cheaply.
They can’t dump it in the ocean anymore, so they are sending it
to us. |
The
EPA’s Inspector General tells the public that the EPA does not effectively
regulate sludge:
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What can
we do?
We CAN protect our families, our farms, our land,
and our future.
Please join us for one of two scheduled informational meetings with a panel of experts who will help us understand what the use of sludge means to our community.
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