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Re: Help! Model Ordinances, Direct Marketing Farmer Surv



Sheryl N. Swink wrote:
> 
> Dear Susan,
> You wrote:
> >Are you aware of the kind of compost being peddled by Clarence W. Walker
> >and others?  Not all compost is alike!  Certainly, what we make at home
> >is probably the best, especially if we are not using sewage sludge or
> >mixed municipal solid waste.
> >
> >However, those on Clarence's list, Wastenot, are peddling far more than
> >clean, environmentally safe compost . . ..
> [The rest of the posting with details follows at the end of my response]
> 
> Oops!
> Thank you, Susan, for contributing more details about Mr. Walker's
> "composted organics." I certainly agree with you that this is not the kind
> of product I would envision myself or others buying at a farmer's market,
> at least not if we were fully informed of the nature of the product! I read
> the following message from Cary Oshins of Rodale Institute:
> 
> >Clarence walker wrote:
> >>Maria, Would it be appropriate for producers of professionally and
> >>safely made composts to take their composted organics to such markets as
> >>a means of reaching the farmers and possibly even educating those who
> >>are interested in the value of composting as an alternative to
> >>landfills?
> 
> >Clarence, while it would be acceptable to sell compost at a farmer's market,
> >it would hardly be economical.
> >Cary Oshins
> >Rodale Institute
> 
> I understood this to be referring to compost derived from such things as
> yard and kitchen waste and possibly manures Compost is (was?) being made
> from such material collected at the curbside in Seattle (not the manures).
> I'll have to check and see if any undesireable materials have been added to
> the composting program there since I last checked. I hope they have not
> moved toward being so inclusive as Clarence Walker's friends. That
> certainly is not what the customers I worked with were looking to buy! I
> responded as I did because I felt that enterprising farmers and others who
> were making whatI thought was the kind of compost you or I would be
> interested in should be discouraged from investigating a marketing
> possibility.
> 
> Thank you again for your informative reply,
> 
> Sheryl Swink
> 
> >However, those on Clarence's list, Wastenot, are peddling far more than
> >clean, environmentally safe compost.  One peddler-activist claims:
> >''...We develop systems and produce compost from sludge, septage, mixed
> >MSW, restaurant and carwash trap waste, animal waste by-products, and
> >yes even landfill leachate...creosote,and a wide range of PAH's,
> >chlorinated and halogenated hydrocarbons including PCB's, dioxins, VOC's
> >have all been in the mix.''
> 
> >I personally have no problem using animal manures to heat up the pile
> >and add nutrients, but I have a big problem with compost on farms and
> >gardens which have used sewage sludge, landfill leachate, mixed
> >municipal solid waste, cartrap wastes, PAH's, chlorinated and
> >halogenated hydrocarbons including PCB's, dioxins, VOC's.  Furthermore,
> >some creative persons are looking to compost radioactive wastes, pulp
> >and paper mill waste, oil and gas wastes including normally occurring
> >radioactive material.
> 
> >There is no wonder why companies like Wheelabrator Environmental
> >Services which was a major player in the incinerator industry, is now in
> >the composting business.  Where else to get rid of that ash without
> >regulations on fertilizers, potting soil, and compost?
> 
> >There is some good information on sewage sludge (a.k.a. biosolids) in
> >chapter 8 of the book, Toxic Sludge is Good for You.  Chapter 8 is
> >entitled The Sludge Hits the Fan and is located at
> >http://www.envirolink.org/issues/sludge/sludge.html
> 
> >Since you are at Cornell, I suggest you also read The Cause for Concern
> >at http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/wmi/  You will need the Adobe Reader to
> >download it in it's PDF form. The report compares standards around the
> >world and discusses the problems with the US EPA regulations which
> >protect industry but not public health.
> 
> >Another source of information regarding standards for sewage sludge and
> >compost comes from the paper version of the newsletter, WASTENOT, edited
> >by Paul and Ellen Connett of St. Lawrence University in Canton, New
> >York.
> 
> > WN #241 has a chart which was reprinted with permission from
> >Composting Frontiers, Spring 1993, page 3. Editor Susan Mazzochi. Waste
> >Not says this is an excellent quarterly newsletter that is directed to
> >provide "direction on composting for waste management." For more
> >information, contact Composting Frontiers, 19 Girard Place, Maplewood,
> >New Jersey 07040-3107. Tel: 201-762-4912. Fax: 201-761-5415.
> 
> >I do not have the software to make a chart, therefore cannot give all
> >that data that was in #241 in this email. However, for comparison,
> >I'd like to share some of the standards for toxic heavy metals allowed
> >in both compost and sewage sludge in the United States and in other
> >progressive countries.
> 
> >The federal [U.S.] government standards for Clean Water Act section 503
> >'High Quality' Sludges/Sludge Composts (also known as biosolids) in
> >mg/kg weight follows; the second number is the CWA 503 Ceiling
> >Concentrations:
> >
> >cadmium         39 - 85
> >chromium        1200 - 3000
> >cobalt          ---
> >copper          1500 - 4300
> >lead            300 - 800
> >mercury         17 - 57
> >molybdenum      18 - 75
> >nickel          420
> >selenium        36 - 100
> >zinc            2800 -7500
> 
> >To compare
> >The Dutch Compost Sludge Quality Standards for Very Clean
> >Compost/Sludge:
> 
> >arsenic cadmium   chromium  copper lead    mercury  nickel  zinc
> > 5/15    0.7/1.25  50/350  25/75  65/100   0.2/0.75 10/30    75/300
> 
> >The German Compost/Sludge Quality Standards:
> 
> >none for arsenic
> >cadmium  1.5/1-1.5
> >chromium  100/10
> >copper   100/6
> >lead    150/100
> >mercury 1.0/1.0
> >nickel   50/5
> >zinc    400/150-200
> >
> >Canadian Compost Quality Standards
> >                Ontario  British Columbia   National Guideline
> >arsenic         10       13                     13
> >cadmium          3        2.6                    2.6
> >chromium        50.       210.                  210.
> >cobalt          25.        --                    26.
> >copper          60.       100.                  128.
> >lead            150       150.                   83.
> >mercury         0.15        .8                  0.83
> >molybdenum      2          --                   7
> >nickel          60.         50.                 32.
> >selenium        2          --                   2.6
> >zinc            500.      500.                  315
> 
> >When you look at the numbers, do you wonder why our health in the United
> >States is worth less than the health or life in the Netherlands, Germany
> >and Canada.  Will our children be able to compete in a world where the
> >United States allows higher levels of toxic metals, especially lead in
> >high quality sludges and composted sewage sludge?
> 
> >BTW, when I posted these numbers to Mr. Walker's online discussion list,
> >he had me delisted and banished.  Contrary to what Clarence W. Walker
> >states, he does not want to hear from those who oppose him or the
> >environmental community. Can we really afford to continue poisoning our
> >soils and life on earth, including our children, in order that
> >industries can make money by composting industrial wastes?
> >
> >
> >
> >Susan Snow
The above constitutes specifically legally actionable slander, libel,
direct and specific lies, and gross distortion of anything remotely
resembling facts.
I defy Ms. Snow to prove that she has ever once reviewed a test result
of my compost...ever! 
I defy Ms. Snow to show that she has even once reviewed my
standard...ever! 
I defy Ms. Snow to prove that she has even once reviewed the contents of
my compost...ever!
I defy Ms. Snow to prove that she has ever reviewed any product that I
have produced...ever!
 I defy Ms. Snow to prove that she has even once looked at, tested, or
touched a single product that I have distributed...ever!  

Ms Snow, as the owner of the WASTENOT list I am reluctantly forced by
your lack of professionalism to disclose that you were removed from the
wastenot list specifically because of your activities such as the
above.Whereas others in the environmental recycling community are
actively interested in and supportive of raising the arts and sciences
of composting and working together for the good of all you seem to be
obsessed with negativity and obfuscation. Is this really reflective of
the good work of the many of us in the environmental, recycling,
composting, agricultural community who are trying to work along posive
lines? I think not! Please try to stick to the truth...even if the truth
doesn't always seem to serve your seemingly nefarious ends.
-- 

Atlanta International Communications,Inc./Sales Reps. & Consulting Svcs.
See our web site! Updated 07-14-97 http://www.mindspring.com/~atlintlcom
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