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Re: Farmer Survey



Susan K. Snow wrote:
> 
> Wed, 24 Sep 1997 23:11:35 -0400
> Mr. Clarence W. Walker of Indust., Commercial, Muni., and Agri. Waste
> Processing Systems & Eqpt. wrote:
> 
> > Bottom line...how do we convert organics that would otherwise be
> > landfilled into a smouldering pathogen/carcinogen breeding anaerobic
> > monutainous eyesore or burned?
> [snip]
> 
> Is organic material such yard and garden wastes, animal manures,
> agricultural vegetation linked to cancer?  Not from what I can detect
> from the International Agency for the Research of Cancer.

The answer to your question is YES. If you're having trouble detecting
FACT , pull a sample of compost from your innocuous yard and garden
waste from the bottom of the stacked pile(18 in. in) and have it tested
for phenolic compounds which are Class 1 carcinogens at <1ppm. Please
report your findings to the list. While you talk about lead from
batteries, please also inform us, of how you remove all of the garden
chemicals from those gardens and lawn wastes of those who chose to use
them. I do believe that most are carcinogenic. How many green waste
composters even test for the presence of these compounds? 
> 
> However, manmade chemicals--work place asbestos, solvents, chemicals in
> printing inks, pesticides, some chemicals that may be in fertilizers,
> diesel and petroleum products, some cleaning agents, properties of
> ethylene glycol ethers, toxic metals, including beryllium, radiation,
> and numerous other human created substances are among the suspects.
> http://www.iarc.fr/monoeval/allmonos.htm

Thanks for giving us humans credit for the metals and compounds listed
above. All this time I thought that they occured naturally and were the
gift of a superior being.
> 
> These and other manmade chemical are highly concentrated in municipal
> solid waste and therefore, landfill leachate.
> http://www.envirolink.org/pubs/rachel/rhwn090a.htm
> They may be attached to the organic fraction of the waste stream, such
> as printing inks are attached to paper or mixed in with organic matter
> in or when sewage sludge is composted.

After reading this I can only ask one question. Where and in what
discipline did you receive your degree? 
> 
> Does composting destroy or temporarily dilute these fractions? When they
> are continually laid down and ultimately tilled into the soil, are they
> not accumulative?

Why are you asking this question? If you already know the answer, state
your source and share it with us.
> 
> Turning composted vegetation and manures into the soil has been
> practiced by man and nature since time began.  However, mixing composted
> mixed waste is more recent.  This apparently occurs due to the public's
> acceptance of composting sorted materials, and their opposition to
> incinerators, landfills, and dumping or burning of sewage sludge.

Just a small lesson from history: At the turn of the century, mine ores 
and chemicals were being open dumped just outside the city limits, on
top of the ground. These same metals and compounds are used in consumer
products today. Little or no traces of pollution can be found today,
from these old sites. Looks like the microbial attack in an aerobic
environment over a long period of time cleaned up the site. Do you
suppose that the time frame could be shortened given the right microbes,
under the right conditions? We do know that ANAEROBIC landfill
conditions hinder the process. Kinda like anaerobic compost curing.
> 
> [snip]
> > Making high quality, safe compost to rigid standards is part one..part > two is achieved when the organics are returned to the soil
> [snip]
> > and GETTING THE PRODUCT TO THE USERS

What did we lose here between the SNIPS? I have old timers disease and
can't remember the part you chose to delete.
> 
> Why are the U.S.EPA standards for sewage sludge not as rigid as the
> German or Dutch standards?

What would it matter? Your postings for ZERO Tolerance don't fit either.

  Is this because the Dutch regulations would
> more than likely eliminate mixed waste composting as an industry?

I know of one company that it wouldn't.
> 
> It is not in my family's best interest that mixed waste compost be
> spread on farms or private and public lands.  The reason many Americans
> are turning to certified organics is because of the concern of toxic
> substances being added during growing and processing. How sustainable is
> spreading composted toxics onto the soils, crops?

We say, bad compost full of nasty toxics and heavy metals, BOOOOO!!!!
We say, safe, quality compost no matter what the source, YEAAAH!!!
> 
> BTW, I strongly recommend and participate in composting sorted organic
> materials including vegetation (and food wastes) and animal manures.
> Wherever composted materials have been added to my soil, the soil has
> become rich and dark in the color due to added humus, and earth worms
> are multiplying.

This is most admirable. Come to Arkansas and look at the worms frolicing
and having babies in mixed solid waste compost.
 
Phil Fredericks
http://www.uark.edu/~ecti/

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