Published May 21. 2024 12:09PM
by Amy Miller amiller@tnonline.com
Members of Save Carbon County gathered outside the Carbon County Administration Building on Thursday morning to introduce the group’s latest effort to combat the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer on area farms.
The group is conducting an ad campaign in the Times News over the next 30 days. The ads will urge the public to support local farmers by buying directly from the farm, but also asking whether or not the farm uses sewage sludge on its lands as fertilizer.
Lucy Freck, officer for Save Carbon County, said that it is important because people don’t know all the dangers of sewage sludge, including PFAs and other harmful contaminants.
Sewage sludge is the byproduct of human excrement that has been, in recent years, the focus of groups because a company is providing the sludge to farms for use as fertilizer.
Freck said that there are tests that can be done with water to ensure PFAs and other contaminants are removed from water during the cleaning process, however there are no such tests for the sludge.
“Where does it go after they remove it from the water?” she asked. “In the sludge.”
She also cited other states’ farming lands that have been harmed as a result of this practice.
Save Carbon County, which is a group of environmentally-conscious people, have made it their mission to address issues like sewage sludge because it can harm residents.
The group said that approximately 5% of Carbon County farms are using the sludge at this time.
Linda Christman, president of Save Carbon County, said that the group will not give up on this fight until “sewage sludge is properly monitored, tested, and regulated.”
“We also believe that local government should have a meaningful say in the use of sewage sludge so that they can protect their residents,” she added.
Freck said that the new ad campaign will hopefully bring to light some of the issues that using sewage sludge as fertilizer has on farming.
“The impact of sewage sludge use goes well beyond the lands where the sludge is used,” Freck said. “It negatively impacts a way of life not only of farmers and their livelihood, but that of residents and neighbors who live around the site. It impacts their health and quality of life.”
The group is also offering signs to farms that say, “This Farm is Sludge-Free” at no cost. Signs will be delivered to any farmer who calls 570-676-2644 and asks that a sign be delivered.