Biosolids are a great fertilizer...as long as you enjoy eating Salmonella

            The increasing effects of global warming have a huge impact on the planet, so of course people want to find green alternatives to the use of pesticides and green house gases. However this does not mean that we have to fertilize the soil with our own poop.

            Biosolids are human wastes that have been treated so that they can be used “safely” on the land. They are organic materials that are rich with nutrients, and are therefore useful fertilizers that can improve the productivity of soils and plants. Its nice that people are trying to recycle everything, but this practice is simply disgusting.

However, I am not opposing the use of biosolids because they sound disgusting. Honestly, I would be all for this green alternative, if they didn’t present a risk to human health. The Canadian water and waste water association is the organization that monitors the use of biosolids in Canada. When asked if the use of biosolids is a safe practice, their response is “if the practices are sufficiently conservative and if (rules are) followed properly, (the biosolids) show no significant risk to the environment or human health” (Canadian water and waste water association). What do they consider to be significant? Can the small risks become significant risks? Are they aware of the diseases and bacteria present in human waste?

Protective gear worn when handling raw sewage. 

There are four different types of harmful human disease causing organisms present in biosolids. These four groups are bacteria, protozoa, viruses and parasitic worms. There are two different types of biosolids, class A and class B. The type of treatment that was applied to the biosolid determines what class it belongs to. “Class B biosolids may contain the same types of pathogens as the source sewage, but at reduced concentrations” (centers for disease control and prevention). This is not only truly disgusting, but also very dangerous for people. Land that has been treated with Class B biosolids must be kept closed off to the public for at least a year after they have been applied to the land because it is not safe for the public (centers for disease control and prevention).

Salmonella bacteria

You may actually be familiar with some of the pathogens that are present in these biosolids. Salmonella, the Norwalk virus, E. Coli and Giardia are just some enteric organisms that are in biosolids. Enteric organisms are a type of organism that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. If these organisms come into contact with a person, they have the potential to cause disease, or that person could become a carrier of disease. These diseases can also seriously affect sensitive populations, such infants, children and the elderly.

In ones mind, the thought of using biosolids is nice. We are fertilizing the earth, while recycling at the same time. But are we willing to risk the health of other human beings? Biosolids actually have the potential to cause death. Are we really willing to risk all of this just so that we can recycle our poop?

Blogs I commented on: 

connies bio blog

natasha bio blog

Works Cited

"CWWA - FAQ - Biosolids." CWWA/ACEPU. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp>.

"Frequently Asked Questions | Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) | US EPA." Index | Water | US EPA. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/wastewater/treatment/biosolids/genqa.cfm>.

"Guidance For Controlling Potential Risks To Workers Exposed to Class B Biosolids - PREPRINT." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2002-149/2002-149.html>.

"NutriBlend | FAQ." NutriBlend Biosolid Land Application. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.nutri-blend.com/faq/index.htm>.