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Hazardous Waste to Fertilizer Links
“Fateful
Harvest, the True Story of a Small Town, a Global Industry and a Toxic
Secret” (Website Link) -- Duff Wilson's newly released book documenting
how this issue was exposed and how widely spread this method of disposal
has become.
“Factory Farming” (Website Link) -- The Environmental
Working Group reviews industry reports to EPA on final disposition of hazardous
waste and finds that over 270 million pounds of toxins -- lead, cadmium,
dioxin were sent to farms or fertilizer manufacturers from 1990-1995.
“Wastelands” (Website
Link)-- The California
Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), together with Safe Food and
Fertilizer and organizations from across the country, analyze 29 commercial
fertilizers from 12 states for toxic metals.
EPA's Background
Report on Fertilizer Use & Contaminants (PDF - Acrobat Format) --
As a result of “Fear in the Fields” the EPA examines fertilizer use and
contaminants, acknowledging that they don't know how much of the 110
billion pounds of fertilizer used annually in this country is made from
hazardous waste.
EPA's proposed fertilizer rule (Website Link) --
Resulting from a legal challenge to EPA's proposal to continue an exemption
for certain zinc hazardous waste fertilizers, the proposed rule would
regulate all zinc fertilizers based on content of select heavy metals and
dioxin.
Washington's fertilizer website (Website Link) -- This
site provides a database of fertilizers sold in WA state, including the
levels of several heavy metals. Since many of the fertilizers are also sold
in other states, this site may be useful in helping you select a fertilizer
that is cleaner than dirt.
Protecting
Children's Health (Website Link) -- Read what the EPA's Office of
Children's Health Protection (OCHP) has to say about the effects of
environmental toxins and the increased incidence of asthma, childhood
cancer, developmental/neurological disorders, etc. OCHP knew nothing about
the disposal of hazardous wastes as fertilizer until contacted by Safe Food
and Fertilizer.
In Harm's Way
(PDF - Acrobat Format) -- Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)
explore the link between toxic chemicals in the environment and their effects
on children's health, especially neurological & developmental.
Hazardous
Waste in Fertilizer Brochure (PDF - Acrobat Format 288kb) -- This
brochure provides the basic information on this issue, in a non-technical
manner. Easy to understand. Please feel free to print off and
distribute widely.
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