Biosolids; just adding to the problem?

The topic of today’s blog is the issue of biosolids. More specifically I will be writing about the pros and cons of the application of biosolids for agricultural use, as well as what potential use of biosolids will have on the future of the agriculture industry. First of all, many people may not know what biosolids are; Biosolids are the result of treated wastewater from sewage plants. Now just thinking about spreading sewage waste across your garden may raise some issues, and spreading that waste across crops that we will later eat may give rise to even more sensitive issues.
First of all, I will state the pros and cons of using biosolids as agricultural fertilizer.
Pros
Recycles sludge instead of filling landfills or combusted.
Promotes farming.
A potentially free fertilizer.
A cost effective method of sludge disposal.

Cons
· Potential health hazard.
· May contain chemicals hazardous to the environment or to humans.
· Long term effects.
· Possibly transferable to crops.
(As stated by: Lynchberg College, Virginia.)

As you can see above, the potential pros of using biosolids to fertilize land generally have a positive impact on issues dealing with economy. While the potential cons focus more upon the effects on the environment and how it will affect our well being.


According to the report written by Rebecca Renner[1]; the accumulation of heavy metals in the soils could result in the damaging of the soil so much so that nothing can longer grow in it. In her report it also states that these heavy metals could also be taken in by the crops and then move into the resident animal life as well as the human population that consumes these crops. The accumulation of these metals may lead to a very toxic area of crops.

Personally I usually don’t take sides on topics and remain a neutral party… however; I tend to lean towards the cons of the use of biosolids as a more prominent list of issues to be concerned. I’m all for recycling and reusing things, but if those actions are accountable for the destruction of the environment or human health; then you can count me out. I would be concerned about the potential long term effects the biosolids have on the environment. The pros of biosolids states that it would be a beneficial alternative to burying it in landfills and would a much more cost effective way of dealing with the matter in the long run. Yeah, it would be nice to have these biosolids increase the yield of crops and have them cost less, but in twenty years if those same crops are now dead and the land now ruined; that’s going to be a problem. The next issue that grabs my attention is the health hazards and sanitary issues that the use of biosolids may have. Biosolids are literally just organic solids scraped up from sewage plants. This means that it contains a multitude of things that end up in the sewage system; human wastes and decaying matter. How would you feel if you knew that that corn on the cob that you just ate was sprayed with human wastes or decaying matter? Yeah, I would be grossed out too.


Sources:
Lynchburg College, Virginia.
(http://www.sencer.net/Outreach/pdfs/DCSymposium08/Posters/LUbiosolids.pdf)
Rebecca Renner; Sewage Sludge, Pros & Cons
(http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Sewage-Sludge-Pros-Cons.htm)
[1] http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Sewage-Sludge-Pros-Cons.htm