Stop Biosolids Land Application in the Prince George Area
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The Petition Statement: "We, the undersigned, are strongly opposed to the Application of Biosolids (which contain Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, PCBs, Triclocarban, Triclosan, Estradiol and Estrogenic Hormones, Nonylphenol and its Ethyloxylates, Dioxins and Furans) in the Salmon Valley & Greater Prince George Area." ------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for signing the petition below to keep this menace off our farmlands (please include your City in the comments section). Many interesting articles and links can be found at the site: sludgenews.org/news
Here are a few excerpts from one relevant article on the first page of that site, "Sludge, a free fertilizer for farmers, can pose health and environmental risks - by Rebekah L. Cowell - July 28, 2010":
"Sludge begins as human waste, manufacturing chemicals, landfill runoff—essentially, anything that flows down a drain, which makes knowing its contents nearly impossible. Sludge infiltrates the food chain through livestock that ingest sludge while grazing on sludge-applied fields or eating food grown in those fields. Sludge comes full circle when people eat the crops grown in the field, consume the meat or drink the milk of animals that directly or indirectly ingested the sludge. It can also enter waterways used for drinking water or irrigation." "No one really knows what is in any particular batch of sludge/ biosolids," said Dr. Jeffrey White, associate professor at N.C. State University's Department of Soil Science."
"The waste heads to a municipal wastewater treatment plant, which could receive materials from sources as varied as factories, schools, hospitals, laboratories and funeral homes, as well as runoff from landfills, septic systems and storm drains."If sludge were only manure, it would be less alarming. But sludge can contain thousands of chemicals, including arsenic, lead and mercury; parasites, radioactive material (found in urine from patients receiving chemotherapy) and microbes that cause diseases such as hepatitis A and food poisoning—even after the sludge has been treated at the wastewater treatment plant—according to the American Society of Civil Engineers." "Sludge can include triclosan, an antibacterial chemical found in many soaps, toothpaste, mouthwash, toys and plastic kitchenware. Because triclosan been linked to "superbugs," immune deficiencies, birth defects and other health problems, the FDA in April announced it's investigating the chemical's safety. (Many European countries and Canada have banned it from supermarkets and in materials that touch food.)"
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We are strongly opposed to any addition of the following undesirables to Farmland, all of which are specifically in the proposed sludge application, in addition to many others: PCB’s (Polyclorinated Biphenols), Thallium (rat poison), Lead - 90 lbs will be spread on property, Arsenic - 8 lbs will be spread, Mercury - over 7 lbs, Estrogenic Hormones (amounts above Median Canadian Concentrations), precursors to Testosterone, Androstenedione, and Progesterone, Triclosan - an endocrine disruptor found in many common household products, Triclosan is especially toxic to aquatic organisms such as freshwater algae, invertebrates and fish – over 44 lbs), Triclocarban (endocrine disruptor that interferes with normal hormonal action - 8 lbs), Nonylphenol and its Ethyloxylates (another endocrine disruptor that causes organisms to develop both male and female organs; decreases testicular growth, the formation of sperm, and testosterone levels in male fish, classified as toxic in Canada - over 215 lbs), Dioxins and Furans (some of the most toxic substances known to Science), Copper - 4000 lbs to be spread, Zinc - 1600 lbs to be spread.
Residents of Wright Creek Road, Salmon Valley and the greater Prince George area have very serious concerns regarding the Application of the City of Prince George Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) on 117 acres of Farm Land in the Wright Creek area and are strongly opposed to its Application. The Land in this particular Application is a sloped acreage that drains towards a Fish Bearing Creek one hundred meters from the Application Property. There is a household water well at a depth of nine meters less than 400 meters from the Application Property with a potential well recharge zone of up to several kilometres. There are many Springs within 400 to 700 meters from the Application Property as well as an Artesian Well at a distance of 1000 meters.
We are strongly opposed to any addition of the following undesirables to Farmland, all of which are specifically in the proposed sludge application, in addition to many others: PCB’s (Polyclorinated Biphenols), Thallium (rat poison), Lead - 90 lbs will be spread on property, Arsenic - 8 lbs will be spread, Mercury - over 7 lbs, Estrogenic Hormones (amounts above Median Canadian Concentrations), precursors to Testosterone, Androstenedione, and Progesterone, Triclosan - an endocrine disruptor found in many common household products, Triclosan is especially toxic to aquatic organisms such as freshwater algae, invertebrates and fish – over 44 lbs), Triclocarban (endocrine disruptor that interferes with normal hormonal action - 8 lbs), Nonylphenol and its Ethyloxylates (another endocrine disruptor that causes organisms to develop both male and female organs; decreases testicular growth, the formation of sperm, and testosterone levels in male fish, classified as toxic in Canada - over 215 lbs), Dioxins and Furans (some of the most toxic substances known to Science), Copper - 4000 lbs to be spread, Zinc - 1600 lbs to be spread.
We believe the Application proposed on Wright Creek Road is not adhering to, nor is in compliance with the OMRR (Organic Matter Recycling Regulation) and it’s Land Application Guidelines. It is reprehensible that the word “Organic” is used in reference to the above substances. e.g. OMRR Land Application Guidelines 1. Schedule 10 (Zinc levels both pre and post application exceed the Guidelines) 2. Schedule 10 “Sites that slope directly toward bodies of surface water (Alana Creek in this case) are also a concern. Any surface runoff following a residual (sewage sludge-Biosolids) application could potentially cause pollution of the water body.” “The potential for surface runoff and subsurface leaching loss increases with increasing slope angle and length.” The guidelines are full of cautions regarding potential water contamination. 3. Copper levels in the Biosolids exceed the limit for Class B Biosolids. A 15 year old waste water treatment permit PE-00146, is used to get around the problem.
The proposed application does not adhere to, nor is it in compliance with, The Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health with regards to Dioxin and Furans. From the Guidelines: “The Soil Quality Guidelines are not “pollute up to” levels for the environment, and were not developed for the purpose of determining acceptable levels of dioxins and furans in soil resulting from the application of sludge.” Also not adhered to are the BC Environmental Farm Plan Guidelines as the Copper levels exceed that which is safe for sheep. Many of these toxic substances bioaccumulate in livestock, fish, wildlife and eventually to us Human Beings.
Furthermore it is illegal in our great country of Canada to “import, manufacture, or sell (for re-use) PCB’s in Canada since 1977 and release to the environment of PCBs was made illegal in 1985”.
To provide or receive further information on this issue please contact Andy at: nosludgeonfarmland@gmail.com
Sponsor
andy - nosludgeonfarmland@gmail.com
Links
http://www.ejnet.org/sludge/index.html
http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1264&context=ealr&seiredir=1#search=%22Capital%20Regional%20District%20decision%20biosolids%22
http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/regu/bc-reg-375-96/84394/part-8/bc-reg-375-96-part-8.htmlhttp://www.nsen.ca/biosolids.php
http://www.nsen.ca/documents/Biosolids%20Overview_Mailout.pdf
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