From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Rhode Island

has anyone ever had the solids ( final reclaimed product )tested from you local sewege treatment plant?

i know a product has been sold for years claiming to be from the process .

just wondering because if the irons ,etc, are not to high it might make a good composted matter to add into the soil?
although id suspect any living matter would be destroyed in the treatment process?

we are planning on having some tested but thought i would also ask

thanks
pap

11/8/2007 5:44:03 AM

Ohio

Email Tom Beachy Pap, he would be able to tell ya.

Brooks

11/8/2007 6:12:58 AM

Sheridan . NY

hi dick---- we did look at erie pa city waste mix for the grapes 3 years ago it was a mix of brush grass and treatment plant and some cow shit it test very hi in iron and acids and other stuff-------- and so they mix the brush and the grass with it --which did not smell good at all --penn state try it but abandoned it---craig

11/8/2007 7:37:20 AM

Indiana

Its what ruined my patch. Perhaps it was the excessive amounts, but it didnt even grow pumpkin plants...some of them flat out died in it.

Mike Frantz and Stan Pugh have had great luck with it....I think it depends on the facility.

Tom

11/8/2007 8:17:16 AM

southwest MO

Pap e-mail me [email protected]

11/8/2007 9:57:22 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Here in New York State, there pretty tough on facilitys that return the out put (sewage treated water) back into creeks or steams. The sewer treatment plant here in Waterville just won another state award for having the best small sewage treatment plant in the state. I know Mr. Langone and I do get a lot of the compost to use on different jobs. The DEC only recommends one inch of it per year on your garden if your going to eat the vegetables. As far as testing Dick, I know the Village pays a little over $1,000.00 for the test that they have to have done on the solids. The solids are what they call the product as it comes off of the compressor belts before its mixed with woodchips and then sets for two months. As it sets, air is blown threw the pile after it reaches 150 degree for a peroid of so many days. To get any of this compost, you have to sign a release form stating Mr. Langone gave you a test results form that states it passed the DEC recommendations. I did use this my first year out and it was my best season.

11/8/2007 10:24:11 AM

Ohio

Tom, what was it that it did to your soil, I remember us talking about it but cant remember what you had to much of, was it a over load In Iron?

Brooks

11/8/2007 10:59:37 AM

Indiana

My Iron has always been high, I run 110-120 ppm in tests in the biosolids and tests on my native soil. From that standpoint, it should be a non-issue.

In my case, the only thing that can be determined is wrong with stuff from all the testing I have done is a deficiency in Mn.

There has to be something in human waste or the process that caused my sample to be toxic or deficient to the pumpkins. Something that isn't tested.

My 2000 tons of bad dirt is now in a huge mound and 600 tons of new 2 year old leaf compost to be delivered any day. Hopefully the dump it in the right area as I am flying down to Florida tonight late to hang out with Eddy Z for a few days.

Tom

11/8/2007 11:30:07 AM

[email protected]

Pap, my cousins have used that in their patch this season, but not sure of the soil test yet. I know they did a soil test BEFORE they added it into the patch. I can check with them and get back to you.

11/8/2007 11:39:07 AM

[email protected]

Another question on that though, they have used that and leaf compost as their only source of organic matter into the patch. Is that going to be enough to bring the levels up where they need to for pumpkins, that is something I'm not sure of. I would probably use it along with horse/cow fertilizer but not as the only source, or would it not matter?

11/8/2007 11:40:49 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Not quite a treatment plant but this company makes a peletized or liquid product from organic wastes.

http://www.ibrcorp.com/

Test results:

http://www.ibrcorp.com/pofc.html

11/8/2007 11:47:44 AM

Mn

If you are using reclaimed or composted sewage waist i would highly recomend that you DO NOT USE IT!!! I recently watched a documentry movie on it. It turns out that a lot of it is not regulated. Heavy matels and basically anything that gets flused down the toilet or drain ends up there. There are, most likely, some very green facilities but i would still shy away from using it. That movie that i watched...can't remeber the name unfortunatly.. Was showing the effects on land and health of communities that recycle that stuff.. Pretty scary......i wouldn't to worried about it to much though. I just recomend you do not use it.

11/8/2007 5:31:23 PM

Dallas, Oregon

I agree with pumpkin grower, do not put in patch. You may have good results at first but over time it's the heavy metals that build up that will get you. Once their in you can start looking for a new patch

11/9/2007 12:55:32 AM

Germany

I´m not sure what material you mean, but if it is compost out of the "kanalisation " that means the dirt water from toilets and so on , then IMHO hands off. In Germany its not allowed for agricultural use because of the risk of zinc, copper, cadmium and chemicals from industry, medicine and so on.
And you may have tomatoes for free

11/9/2007 7:23:31 AM

Ohio

Pap you may want to ask Jerry Rose. If iam correct he has used some in the past. I really dont know what the results were, but i think he blew some up useing it.

11/9/2007 11:52:10 AM

webster n. y. u.s.a.

in the past i've used compost from the local sewage treatment plant.they mix sludge with composted leaves and it's free to local residents. my next soil test showed a level of phosphates extremely high.i'm told it will years for this to leach out.this year i picked up a load of composted leaves before they were mixed with the sludge.

11/9/2007 9:34:16 PM

Puyallup, WA

Here are the facts about TAGRO treated sludge regarding heavy metals or other elements that seem to be scaring the sh*t (pun intended) out of my fellow growers.

http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=725

I use approximately 35 yards a year in my patch....for the past five years. The roots of the plants love this stuff!
I've hit 1200# consistently......however, it could be the reason I cannot hit 1400...who knows.;>)

11/9/2007 10:07:43 PM

Ohio

Several coal companies use the sludge from municipal treatment plants on their reclaimed land with a lot of success for grasses in spite of limited topsoil.

11/11/2007 8:52:00 PM