Please cosponsor H.R.254, the Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act.

Toxic sewage sludge used to be dumped into the oceans, killing fish and marine life. After public pressure put an end to ocean-dumping, toxic sludge began to be spread on farmland, touted as natural "fertilizer." Today millions of pounds of sludge are dumped on farmland used for animal grazing, to produce animal feed, and even to grow food!

Toxic sludge used to grow non-human food crops is, by law, allowed to contain dangerous levels of pathogens, viruses and bacteria. The sludge pathogens that survive sewage "treatment" are the hardiest super-bugs, bacteria that have developed a resistance to anti-microbials and antibiotics.

Toxic sludge used on food crops must be processed to reduce pathogen contamination, but is still rife with heavy metals and all manner of industrial chemicals from flame retardants to metal plating compounds.

If it isn't safe to dump in the oceans, it isn't safe to spread on farmland and pasture land!

H.R.254 is a good first step towards an outright ban on the disposal of sewage sludge on farmland, however, the bill should be amended to extend the number of years that must pass before farmland that has been contaminated with sewage sludge may -- if ever -- be used for grazing, to grow food, or to produce animal feed. Additional legislation should be introduced to encourage an investigation into the impacts that sewage sludge dumping has on farmland -- as well as water and air quality in the area -- and on the possibilities for remediation of contaminated soils.