4 ms·

It's fun thinking about McMurdo as it relates to what long term habitation would be like on some place like the Moon or Mars (except this is like easy easy mode

It's fun thinking about McMurdo as it relates to what long term habitation would be like on some place like the Moon or Mars (except this is like easy easy mode). The waste there would actually be super valuable for growing food in.

nullc 4y ago
Sludge has been used as fertilizer... though this is also why there are some huge areas contaminated with PFAs-- they got dumped down drains and ended up in sludge sold off as fertilizer.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- AceJohnny2 4y ago
  PFAs?
  - arcanemachiner 4y ago
    https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm
  - Amorymeltzer 4y ago
    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_substances https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_subst... See also: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained and https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm tl;dr: Long-lasting, persistent, linked to negative health outcomes, under (increasing?) regulatory scrutiny e.g. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-su...
  - jseutter 4y ago
    A groups of substances that are useful to give plastics certain qualities. They are currently unregulated, and, due to their small size, found pretty much everywhere, including in our bloodstream. Several of them are "forever" substances that will take a very long time to break down. It's one of the reasons off-gridders are recommending not to drink unfiltered rainwater, even in climates where it was traditionally safe, because PFAS are found in dust. Dust forms the basis for raindrops. Scientists and the general public are starting to become concerned about these substances, and at least one preliminary study indicates they might interfere in the body's ability to react correctly to vaccines. More studies are needed, and given the potential for long-term effects, the studies might take a long time.
    - lantry 4y ago
      piggy backing on your comment: the only way to get PFAs out of your blood is to drain it! donate blood yall!
      - jjtheblunt 4y ago
        if they measure it in urine samples, doesn't that mean there's another path?
- blamazon 4y ago
  In Massachusetts one can purchase Boston-wastewater derived fertilizer pellets in bulk from the commonwealth water authority: https://www.mwra.com/03sewer/html/baystate.htm https://www.mwra.com/03sewer/html/baystate.htm
  - reaperducer 4y ago
    Milwaukee, too. You can't purchase Chicago's directly, but it's sold on an industrial scale to farmers in the Midwest. Some zoos sell their untreated animal waste. One brands it "Zoo Poo."
    - munificent 4y ago
      Here in Seattle, the zoo sells it as "zoo doo".
    - candiddevmike 4y ago
      Milorganite, smells like shit. Need to keep the dog inside so he doesn't roll on it when it's applied.

nullc 4y ago

Sludge has been used as fertilizer... though this is also why there are some huge areas contaminated with PFAs-- they got dumped down drains and ended up in sludge sold off as fertilizer.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
AceJohnny2 4y ago
PFAs?
- arcanemachiner 4y ago
  https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm
- Amorymeltzer 4y ago
  Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_substances https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per-_and_polyfluoroalkyl_subst... See also: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained and https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm tl;dr: Long-lasting, persistent, linked to negative health outcomes, under (increasing?) regulatory scrutiny e.g. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-su...
- jseutter 4y ago
  A groups of substances that are useful to give plastics certain qualities. They are currently unregulated, and, due to their small size, found pretty much everywhere, including in our bloodstream. Several of them are "forever" substances that will take a very long time to break down. It's one of the reasons off-gridders are recommending not to drink unfiltered rainwater, even in climates where it was traditionally safe, because PFAS are found in dust. Dust forms the basis for raindrops. Scientists and the general public are starting to become concerned about these substances, and at least one preliminary study indicates they might interfere in the body's ability to react correctly to vaccines. More studies are needed, and given the potential for long-term effects, the studies might take a long time.
  - lantry 4y ago
    piggy backing on your comment: the only way to get PFAs out of your blood is to drain it! donate blood yall!
    - jjtheblunt 4y ago
      if they measure it in urine samples, doesn't that mean there's another path?
blamazon 4y ago
In Massachusetts one can purchase Boston-wastewater derived fertilizer pellets in bulk from the commonwealth water authority: https://www.mwra.com/03sewer/html/baystate.htm https://www.mwra.com/03sewer/html/baystate.htm
- reaperducer 4y ago
  Milwaukee, too. You can't purchase Chicago's directly, but it's sold on an industrial scale to farmers in the Midwest. Some zoos sell their untreated animal waste. One brands it "Zoo Poo."
  - munificent 4y ago
    Here in Seattle, the zoo sells it as "zoo doo".
  - candiddevmike 4y ago
    Milorganite, smells like shit. Need to keep the dog inside so he doesn't roll on it when it's applied.