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They don't dump it in the water. They dump it in the forests. In WA specifically, "sewage" is processed for as many contaminants as possible. Then, they put it
by dluan 8y ago
They don't dump it in the water. They dump it in the forests.
In WA specifically, "sewage" is processed for as many contaminants as possible. Then, they put it in trucks and drive into the Cascades and spray it in the forests. They call it bioremediation - but it seeps into the groundwater, which then goes to streams. Where do all the streams end up? Puget sound.
If you wander up past the locked gates of the timber roads near Snoqualmie or Snohomish, you'll find flame retardants, opioids, caffeine, fluorocarbons, and whatever other toxins that ultimately never gets absorbed by the forests.
By the way, this practice of using biosolids in agriculture or forests is very politically charged because there's a lot of money tied up with this industry and the people who wound up writing the bulk of the EPA regulation around this industry. Every time you hear of an E. coli outbreak in some vegetable, it's because of this.
This is something I wish more people knew about, or at least stop to consider where their waste ends up.
- dekhn 8y agoHmm. When you hear about E. coli outbreaks in vegetables, it's traced back to fecal contamination on the worker's or processing equipment's working surfaces. I looked to find any sources with high quality scientific evidence showing accumulation of toxic waste in timber roads in WA. I am an open minded scientist, if you post high quality work I'll read it and change my mind.
- dluan 8y ago"There are three general methods for applying biosolids to forests: 1) spray irrigation with either a set system or a traveling gun, 2) spray application by an application vehicle with a spray cannon, and 3) application by a throw-spreader or manure-type spreader. In the Pacific Northwest, the most common methods for forest applications are the throw-spreader or a vehicle-mounted cannon. Table 7.7 lists these application methods, their range, relative costs, advantages and disadvantages, and their suitability for biosolids of different solids contents." https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/documents/9380.pdf https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/documents/9380.pdf It was the top item of the first google search for "biosolids washington forest". Here's pictures if you're interested. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/land-based-investment/forests-for-tomorrow/forest_fert_presentation_feb2011_final.pdf https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resour... Here's another article from 20 years ago about the practice: http://thewatchers.us/wef/PacNW.pdf http://thewatchers.us/wef/PacNW.pdf
- dekhn 8y agoI was looking for articles that supported the health and sanitary claims of the up-poster. What you included shows the idea is not without merit.