Re: Composting WWTPs and composting (Was Re: [compost_tea] Re: MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2004 11:39:14 -0800

Tom:

All of these citations are known. There is a popular misconception that hu=
man feces somehow magically contains heavy metals. The heavy metal content=
 in sludge/biosolids comes from people dumping into the sewage system produ=
cts such as paint, paint thinners, solvents, etc. that contain heavy metals=
. You can institute a program to educate and mostly those programs work. P=
eople will dump less toxic material than before the programs. However, alo=
ng comes Joe citizen and says: "Gee, everybody else is following the rules =
so what does it hurt if I dump my radiator fluid down the drain instead of =
taking it to the hazmat center for proper treatment. After all, I am only =
one person." And the next thing you know, heavy metal content of the input=
 starts rising.

There is no known way to process heavy metals out of sludge with any type o=
f processing designed to break down the material and treat for pathogens. =
The only known way to mitigate heavy metals is through dilution. This is w=
hy composting biosolids is so valuable. Composting will dilute the heavy m=
etals proportionally. It will not get rid of them.
  
As I mentioned, part of the heavy metal problem is education. People just =
don't realize that they can't simply dump everything down the drain. This w=
as a myth sold by the people who were pro centralization of waste processin=
g to get people to buy into loss of local control. If you put a person on a=
 septic system and state, "Dump x, y and z materials into your septic and y=
ou are responsible to get the system pumped when it breaks down." you will =
get far greater compliance. As long as people have the idea that stuff jus=
t magically disappears down the drain, we will continue to have heavy metal=
s problems. By the way, highly industrial areas used to be the biggest con=
tributors but most municipalities have put in programs to trap and separate=
 toxics as part of the business permits. Biggest offenders are hair salons=
, radiator shops and so-called clean, electronically based, manufacturing. =
  

It's a funny paradox that the EPA and other gummint organizations are now p=
romoting decentralized systems for waste disposal because they are cleaner =
and easier to monitor.
 
Human waste is no more toxic than any other monogastric animals and is far =
safer than most chemical inputs used quite routinely in farming. Human was=
te from a residential area contains far lower levels of heavy metals than a=
n industrial area in general but human waste is not, by nature, loaded with=
 metals.

Ted Peterson
SOE






Received on Sun Dec 26 2004 - 17:41:25 EST

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