Re: [compost_tea] Biosolids

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 11:29:59 -0400
Hi Lloyd -

Yes, residential waste can include some less-than-wonderful food resources, but they are still food resources for critters.  It is a concentration question. 

The microbes can take care of all the things you mentioned, if there isn't much toxic material.  And in residential waste, the relative percentage of horrible stuff is negligible.  The heavy metal load isn't high, the critters can sequester, tie-up, and put those toxics into not-plant available forms. 

But as you say, it's a dead give-away that there is something seriously not-residential waste in the waste stream if the folks giving the biosolid material away limit the amount that can be put on an area. 

It clearly says that a significant amount of non-residential waste is getting into the waste stream.  It should be a cost on industry that they have to remove any toxics they put into the waste stream BEFORE that water leaves their property.

The out-cry from industry when you say that is horrendous, however.  "We'll go out of business!  We can't afford!  It's too expensive!" is what is said. 

Wait a minute - is staying in business worth someone's life?  Where are our priorities? 

Water has to be cleaned up. 
The toxics in our water come from:
1.  some - not all, but some - businesses dumping waste into the water.  That should not be allowed.  If they add it to the water, they have to clean it up before it leaves the premises.  Documentation must be required.  Clean up has to be included in the cost of doing business.  We cannot accept imports into this country if the business doing the manufacturing is polluting the water in their country. 

Wouldn't that as a law make a huge impact? 

2. urban lawns, gardens, parks, school yards.  Leaching and run-off are the problems here.  Getting biology back into these soils stops the need for inorganic fertilizers, and pesticides.  We have to get working on these places. 

Contact your local school system or local government office that controls parks and recreational areas.  Get them on compost and compost tea.  Be aware that you will run smack into self-interest, however.  Be prepared to deal with it BEFORE you walk into the superintendent's office.  Who has the contracts for fertilizer?  Pesticide application?  The superintendent's brother?  Then DON'T start with the superintendent.  Who is his superior?  You go to that person, or to the education board, or whatever, and point out the graft.  Then you tell them there's a better way......

With lawns, we have to educate the public.  Any and all worthwhile ideas are gratefully accepted on how we can improve getting the message out. 

3. Agriculture in it's many forms.  Leaching and run-off is also the culprit here.  Lack of decent soil structure, which means the biology has been lost through the use of pesticides, high levels of inorganic fertilizer, and excessive and inappropriate tillage.  But the conversion to adding the proper biology and tilling-only-when-absolutely-needed is underway. 

The nay-sayers don't know it completely or fully yet, but the old paradigm of chemical ag is on it's way out.  Theirs is a dying mode of doing business. 

Still, we need help in getting this revolution to continue smoothly, with the least painful consequences for people doing the transition.  The organic movement started the movement, we all need to make sure it keeps going without a hitch.  Get involved in an organic group.  Buy organic.  Add your voice to the growing chorus. 

Support legislation that forces people who manage their soil improperly to have no choice but improve their practices.  I don't like having to live by imposed rules, but until the non-toxic way is learned, I'm afraid the limitations imposed by the Clean Water Act and by the NOP will be needed.  

Someday we won't need them, but for now, it seems to me, for the majority of people that don't want to learn what soil is all about, the law is the only force imposing limitations on toxics. 

Thoughts?  What have I overlooked? 

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
SFI Culiacan, Mexico
SFI Jerome, Idaho
http://www.soilfoodweb.com

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Received on Thu Jun 10 2004 - 12:25:33 EDT

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