Sewage (Bio Solids) in Your Compost?

[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?

[PaulF]

The city of Omaha has a sewage composting facility that produces a product called Omagro. This stuff is correctly composted so it is safe to use on gardens, both vegetables and flowers. It can be purchased in bags or bulk. I have used this compost and it is very good and very inexpensive. For me it is not worth the 100 mile drive but if I were closer I would buy a couple of truckloads every year. Correctly done, biosolids are very good compost and completely organic.

Just be sure of the process and that it is composted correctly.

[brownrexx]

Compost with biosolids can contain heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, etc) which can not be composted out.The facility should be able to provide you with a certificate telling you if it has been approved for vegetables. they may even have lab tests available but you have to ask or find them online at their website if they have one.

I think that there are different classes of composts which tell you if they are veggie safe I think that they are class Class A and Class B. You can google it.

[AlittleSalt]

While I haven't researched bio solids, I do know of place nearby that sells bags of it. It isn't cheap either.

[Worth1]

The Dillo Dirt Austin sells smells like a hog farm or a place a bunch of humans have been taking a dump.
They use composted bio solids and composted yard clippings and so on from peoples yards.
People dump all sorts of stuff down the drain and they do the same on their yards.
The same people that wont use the modern treated lumber on their raise beds will use this Dillo Dirt, that baffles me.

Probably nothing wrong with it but to me it is just creepy.

Worth

[Labradors2]

I wouldn't use it because of the heavy metals. I prefer to aged compost from herbivores.

Linda

[brownrexx]

Here's some info from Rodale

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/ga...op-good-plants

[zeuspaul]

Any compost derived from bio solids is specifically not organic according to OMRI certification standards.

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?

[brownrexx]

I never take the free compost when we drop off materials to our local composting facility. I garden organically and I have seen the landscapers dumping truckloads of grass clippings (almost definitely treated) into the pile. I only use untreated clippings in my compost made at home.

As I said in my first post, don't panic. Request information from the composting facility on the testing or certification of their compost and see what that says.

If you are not an organic gardener, then you are probably adding synthetic things anyway so maybe the compost with biosolids will not seem as bad as you first thought.

[Worth1]

Yes I did read the link.
when the EPA and government restrictions was brought up it made me think about something.
But I dont want to step on any toes and it is only my opinion and to each his or her own.
Yes there are rules and it is against the law to dump things down the commode but people break these laws all of the time.
This was brought up in a conversation I had with another guy some time ago.
He said they are okay because you are not supposed to put that sort of thing down the commode it says so on the label.
Really!!!
Then just go ahead and take off across the intersection without looking to see if cars are stopped because it is against the law to run a red light.
Try that on a motorcycle and see how long you live.
Next EPA limits.
Lets say that the heavy metals in the bio solids are at 50% of the maximum.
You use it twice and now you are at 100% of the maximum.

A very childish alarmist way of putting it but if you keep using it, the stuff will build up in your soil and will soon become a super fund site.
If the stuff still smells like human crap in my opinion it isn't degraded enough.

Worth

[Scooty]

Originally Posted by brownrexx

Compost with biosolids can contain heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, etc) which can not be composted out.The facility should be able to provide you with a certificate telling you if it has been approved for vegetables. they may even have lab tests available but you have to ask or find them online at their website if they have one.

I think that there are different classes of composts which tell you if they are veggie safe I think that they are class Class A and Class B. You can google it.

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I wouldn't use it because of the heavy metals. I prefer to aged compost from herbivores.

Linda

Heavy metals can't be "composted out", but...... it can be removed in a "green" manner. Look up phytoremediation or biosorption + heavy metals + algae. It's not commercial... yet..., there are a few places doing on smaller scale. It's been used in a few cases to clean up mining wastewater, accident spills, oil contamination of groundwater, etc...

[Worth1]

They also use ferns to remove toxic waste.

Worth

[maxjohnson]

I would use biosolids provided its my own waste and using bokashi composting. I don't trust other people poops.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by maxjohnson

I would use biosolids provided its my own waste and using bokashi composting. I don't trust other people poops.

This is the same thing that guy on Youtube said that has the channel growing your greens, John what ever his last name is.
He is a vegetarian.


Vegan slash vegetarian.
I dont consider anyone a strict vegan if they hurt any kind of animals or use animals for work.
I dont consider anyone a vegetarian if they consume any part of any animal including milk and cheese.
I consider any flesh from any animal to be meat.

The reason I am saying this is because I have had so many people tell me they dont eat meat and are vegetarians while they are eating milk cheese chicken and fish.
In other words there is no such thing as a strict vegetarian you either are or you aren't.


Worth.

[KarenO]

I would not grow my food in it. Would be fine for ornamentals, shrubs and grass I suppose.
KarenO