Sewage (Bio Solids) in Your Compost?

I'm actually a supporter of stringent regulations. I would hate to live in a country like China where you can pretty much do anything so long as it is profitable. Beijing is so bad they had to shut all the coal burning plants so they could host the Beijing olympics. Everyone wears those white face masks to filter the air they are breathing. It would be that bad in this country without regulations.

I do think our country has done a pretty good job of regulating pollution sources and I think most companies have done a pretty good job of complying with the regulations. I wouldn't want to run a company polluting an environment my own children had to grow up in.

I also believe when we get out of bed every day, we will face risks. Some are known. Some are not known. Deal to the best of your ability with the risks you are aware of and don't worry about the others.

When I'm driving a vehicle through an intersection with a traffic light and heavy traffic, I still look both ways before entering the intersection with the green light. I've avoided getting t-boned a few times by a vehicle running the red light because I was aware of the danger and dealt with the risk. The green light only means you can legally proceed. It doesn't mean you can proceed without risk.

Ted

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by whoose

My local dirt place informed me today they Bio Solids are (processed sewage sludge) used in their topsoil with compost that they sell. Is this stuff safe? Does it work? I assume it in not organic? What about the rest of the stuff that goes down the toilet?

Should I panic and replace the many yards of soil?

Till in a lot of dried leaves, and plant an overwintering crop. Don't let it go to seed/ keep it mowed. Till it in a month before planting out. Legumes or cereal ryegrass or a clover.

No, I can't tell you this works, but every .edu and .gov search I've done says it helps.

You can only do what you learn to do at first - and then adjust.

[whoose]

Finished the raised beds using mostly existing soil from containers. Inside the greenhouse is Organic out not.

[dmforcier]

Nice looking pepper plants. Whatcha growing?

[whoose]

Too many types cutting back to 64L and a really mystery hot one.

[whoose]

Bought some Organic compost from the local nursery, used one bag in a new raised bed and then read the ingredients. Wood and BIO SOILDS, what the hell. Can bio solids be considered organic?

[whoose]

Double Post

[zeuspaul]

Deceptive. If the label states OMRI then it is more than deceptive, it is wrong. Biosolids are excluded. They are probably using the term generically as in *derived from organic matter*.

[dmforcier]

Besides, who's to say that excreta from organically fed aminals isn't organic? Seems to me that's the definition of organic. I mean, everything poops.

[zeuspaul]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Besides, who's to say that excreta from organically fed aminals isn't organic? Seems to me that's the definition of organic. I mean, everything poops.

The USDA determines whether or not it is organic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organi...tes_of_America

In the United States, “organic” is a labeling term for food or agricultural products (“food, feed or fiber”) that have been produced according to USDA organic regulations, which define standards that “integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.” USDA standards recognize four types of organic production:

[whoose]

COSTCO has Miracle-Grow Organic potting soil. I read the list of ingredients and could not detect any bio-solids. The label did say some products diverted from the land fill????? What is that supposed to mean, anything the want????
The Organic labeling is really weak in my estimation.

[maxjohnson]

Originally Posted by whoose

COSTCO has Miracle-Grow Organic potting soil. I read the list of ingredients and could not detect any bio-solids. The label did say some products diverted from the land fill????? What is that supposed to mean, anything the want????
The Organic labeling is really weak in my estimation.

As far as I know it is legal to substitute the word biosolids with the word "compost". If you read the Milorganite bag it doesn't use the word biosolids anywhere.

Ecoscraps is a brand that don't use biosolids, their bags tend to be more expensive though.

[zeuspaul]

You need to look for OMRI on the bag. Organic is not sufficient. OMRI prohibits bio-solids/sewage sludge and compost derived from same.

Originally Posted by whoose

COSTCO has Miracle-Grow Organic potting soil. I read the list of ingredients and could not detect any bio-solids. The label did say some products diverted from the land fill????? What is that supposed to mean, anything the want????
The Organic labeling is really weak in my estimation.

[SQWIBB]

I am glad that this thread was bumped it was a good read.

I purchased some Milorganite last year not knowing what it was. After a bit of research I decided it wasn't worth using it to "Build Soil" however, it will be used in my flower beds and my parents flower beds, around some shrubs and on the lawn until it is finished, after that I will never buy it again. That is my personal opinion after extensive research and wont regurgitate what is already out there.

After doing a lot of researching and reading I decided to not purchase anymore soil amendments or fertilizers, with the exception of a bit of ferts for a few of my potted plants from time to time.

I can obtain Compost from my city's recycle center, they put out a compost analysis every other year or so, I have had folks more knowledgeable than me read the analysis and give it a thumbs up.
Many are concerned about Pesticides and Herbicides in city compost. From what I have gleaned of off the www is that herbicides/pesticides will break down/mineralize/etc... in the compost (Biodegredation).
Again, this is from my research and what I am comfortable with.

The water company also has compost that I will never use, my parents used it once and it was a mess, no analysis on this stuff so it can be almost anything.


If there are concerns of Heavy metals such as lead in your existing soil, plant some Sunflowers they are hyper-accumulators.

Phytoremediators such as certain types of Sunflowers absorb lead, and heavy metals like arsenic, zinc, chromium, copper, and manganese.
I'm guessing that the spent plants will need to be disposed of and not composted, how to properly dispose of the sunflowers, I have no idea.




I hope this isn't off topic but here is a little info on bagged mulch with the MSC Certification, I got tired of reading posts on other forums about how dangerous this stuff was and lots of folks just regurgitating the same misinformation.


I recently wrote to the Mulch and Soil Council about their certification process and here was their response.

Thank you for your inquiry. All MSC certified products are required to have an ingredient statement on the label. While it may not stand out prominently and you may have to read the “small” type, it MUST be there. An ingredient statement is a required element in the industry standards, and Its absence is an actionable violation of the certification agreement. We should note that if the product name is sufficiently descriptive of the product, i.e., shredded hardwood mulch, no additional ingredient statement is required.

Since many labels apply to products that are regionally sourced, it may list "natural wood products" or "forest products" as a generic category for virgin wood. Such products are generally made from hardwood or pine species.
Pallet grindings, construction materials, and any treated wood and/or wood products reclaimed from post consumer or post industrial uses must be labeled “reprocessed wood" or “recycled wood" in its ingredient statement. Treated wood containing CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) is not allowed in certified products.

You mentioned "milled lumbers” which we include in the virgin wood product category IF the following restrictions are met:
1. It is untreated wood
2. It represents mill scrap that has not been circulated as a consumer or industrial product.
For example, a pallet mill can sell its scrap from newly constructed but untreated and unsold/uncirculated pallets as virgin wood since the wood has not been exposed to potential contaminants. The same would apply to other wood products like shingle, fence, or wood truss manufacturers provided the same restrictions are met.




Then I asked about the dyes.

The dyes are ferric oxide for red, carbon black and various combinations for browns. These are essentially the same components used in cosmetics and are below any minimum safety reporting requirement of the Environmental Protection Agency. These dyes represent no danger to people, plants, animals or the environment.



So when buying bagged mulch.

• Look for the MSC Certification. Once you see this certification look for the ingredients statement. Just know that the Mulch and Soil Council do not certify against the possibility of pesticides in the mulch.
  

• Then look at the ingredients, you want to see the wording "Contains Natural Forest Products"

My 2 cents.

[zeuspaul]

SQWIBB, thanks for the informative post.

From what I have gleaned of off the www is that herbicides/pesticides will break down/mineralize/etc... in the compost (Biodegredation).


Not all herbicides break down in compost. Clopyralid does not. It has been banned in Washington state for this reason. It is still readily available (can be bought on Amazon). It is particularly bad for tomato plants.

Depending on where you live and what your friendly neighbors may or may not throw out in their green waste there is a chance that Clopyralid may be an ingredient.