Upcoming: - Tuesday, October 12 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2:00/7:30pm Courthouse - Wednesday, October 20 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' WORK SESSION 7:30pm Courthouse - Wednesday, October 27 PLANNING COMMISSION 7:30pm Courthouse --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteers Needed: - Sunday, October 24 Steeplechase at Oak Ridge. Rural Nelson will earn a donation for working the admission gates and facilitating the parking. Workers needed 9am-1pm and 1pm until dark. Please help us out financially by volunteering your time. Thanks! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RURAL NELSON MINUTES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, 2004 RURAL NELSON OFFICE The speaker for the evening was C. W. Williams, Chair of the Biosolids Information Group, who came to talk about what local governments can do to control sludge dumping and what citizens can do for protection. He began by thanking us for inviting him to a democratic (in the broad sense!) meeting, where varying opinions can be aired. Biosolids are what's left over from a municipal waste water treatment plant after water has been treated. It is organic, and has minerals in it. The more you clean up the water, the higher the concentration of sludge is produced. If you are in a large metropolitan area with hospitals, many hazardous wastes may be found in the sludge. The old, the ill and the young, who have not developed their immune system, are more susceptible to viruses or bacteria contained in sludge. In this respect it is a pollutant. Sludge is now being transported from cities to counties with small populations because land is cheaper in rural communities. The state says it is safe. "Who exactly, is saying it's safe?", C.W. asked. He read us correspondence with Gov. Warner's Health and Human Services Director for the state, who denied him the right to film a state open meeting dealing with biosolids. The Health Dept. says biosolids are nutrients, and therefore are safe. C.W. pointed out that there is nothing published by the state about the dangers of biosolids. The state claims that this issue has not been tested. In some instances the state is actually promoting the use of sludge. C.W. claims biosolids are often unsafe. When sludge was spread near where he lives, his wife and neighbor became sick and the stench was horrible. The state, according to C. W., is protecting those who use sludge, rather than those who are being affected by it because they live near where it has been spread. What is actually in sludge? C.W. showed us studies done by Drs. Gattie and Lewis that discovered that sludge contains hazardous materials: viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical irritants. EPA now requires testing on 15 different potentially carcinogenic elements found in sludge (out of a possible 300-plus possibilities). The waste industry lobbies for easy permission to sell and dump sludge. Those who have immune suppression problems, as a result of cancer treatments, asthma, or transplant immunity issues, can be seriously affected by the toxic elements of sludge. It is also full of pathogens found in dust and water particles. Lawsuits are being brought against the generators, haulers and users of sludge in New Jersey and several other states. C.W. told us about a Georgia dairy farmer who spread sludge on his land, and lost all his cattle due to sludge application. It also destroyed the fertile land of his farm. He recovered for the loss of his cattle and is now suing for loss of his land. C.W. said that he defends the right of people to use biosolids IF they are used in a responsible and cautious manner. Fifty-eight percent of the sludge that is spread in Virginia comes from out of state. Any use of sludge should require a highly visible warning sign. There are benefits to sludge. It does contain nitrogen and phosphate. There are 43 counties permitted to receive biosolids in Virginia, which is the second largest importer of sludge in the U.S. after Pennsylvania (the same duo leads the list of importers of garbage). Biosolids also contain salts, which reduce crop production. Too much nitrogen in the soil endangers the cattle, which eat the hay grown in such soil. According to C.W., haulers of sludge and politicians are refusing to recognize the dangers of biosolids because there is so much money to be made in its sale. C.W. showed us a video of interviews with people who became ill with skin and respiratory diseases after sludge was spread near them, without any warning. Their doctors wrote letters confirming the problems these people had. There appears to be no accountability because health departments do not do the monitoring that should be required to check on sludge dumping. The haulers do not do any monitoring. We cannot regulate what happens out of state, but in-state we have a rule that biosolids cannot register under 10.5 PH. Haulers will not measure for it. It is not in their economic interest to do so. He was asked what would constitute "responsible" use of biosolids. He answered that it can be put down on soils 20 inches deep, but root vegetables cannot be grown for many months after the soil is treated with biosolids. It cannot be put in water. There are some places it would be all right to spread sludge: for example forests without streams that are not on a slope, and ex-mining areas that are being reclaimed, where it can be injected safely. EPA sets down minimum standards for the use of biosolids. States can make more rigorous standards, but not more lenient ones. We have 95 counties in Virginia, 43 of which are receiving sludge. C.W. recommended that Supervisors of counties legislate to force monitoring sludge. There are companies, such as Campbell Soup, that won't accept ingredients grown in sludge. Communities need to know what is in the biosolids that come into their county. C.W. would like to see counties test sludge, and if they find that the material is illegal, have the authority to require that the sludge be taken up. In the state of Virginia, sludge was first regulated by the Dept. of Environmental Quality but later was put under the jurisdiction of the Health Dept. When questioned as to why the use of sludge is promoted without publishing complete and correct information about it, C.W. was told that the department was concerned that the haulers would sue. Amherst County as well as Nelson both have applicants hopeful of getting permission to lay down sludge in these counties. Respectfully Submitted, Mary Buford Hitz, Secretary The next Rural Nelson meeting will be Wednesday, November 3rd at 7:30pm. The program will be a videotaped presentation by Ed McMahon entitled "Protecting Gateway Communities". The video deals with ways to protect tourist communities from "cookie-cutter" and sprawl development. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kim T. Cash Field Officer Rural Nelson, Inc. P. O. Box 401 (622 Front Street) Lovingston, VA 22949 434.263.5000 Email: info@ruralnelson.org www.ruralnelson.org