Recycled human waste on hay fields

[Duffster]

My original intent was to find out how many people thought it unusual for a fellow to refuse to feed hay to his mules because it was fertilzed with human waste.

Bluntly, I think the guy is off his rocker and must have more money than brains.

 

[jinman]

Bluntly, I think the guy is off his rocker and must have more money than brains.

:laughing: I think he's a bit obsessive, but hardly off his rocker. He's a great neighbor and cares a lot about his animals. He just can't get past his repulsion with human waste. I think there are lots of folks who share his disgust. Some of them can't even change their kid's diapers without throwing up.:confused2:

 

[aczlan]

It is interesting what will upset the stomachs of some people. My wife worked as a Dairy Herdsman for years and has no problem with being knee deep or covered in cow poop (in fact, our first Christmas after getting married, we went down and checked on the cows before opening any presents), but she cannot stand mucus. A snotty tissue will make her want to barf. As such, I get the snotty noses and she gets the poopy diapers (just kidding, we both do the poopy diapers and I get the snotty noses when I am home).

Aaron Z

 

[SPIKER]

from what I know on this is that the "TREATMENT" they talk about is generally pumping it into a large pond and aerating it pump in air or spray the sewage up into the air to give a lot of bacteria chance to dine on it. they eat the main stuff and the left overs is supposed to be treated. ya I wouldn't want it on MY food but food on the hay for horses mules is fine.

Ive looked at job offers in plants like this couldnt get past the smell though the $ was good. but not THAT good...

there are several Amish field in local area that have signs for the local sewage treatment plant (FERTALIZER) so I dont ever buy LOCAL food from those place... :x ya more of a thought but if the waste is not thoroughly treated then it is passing though to the fields it is sprayed on. I do think there are some laws coming that might prohibit its use on crop production fields and force to go to land fills which is common and is often used to TOP the land fill.

Like others said if often contains heavy metals and or condoms ect if the waste is not first cleaned of debris. main problem is the use of common storm sewer/waste drains all going through the treatment plant which adds more drain oil ect into the solid stuff.

mark

 

[jinman]

Ive looked at job offers in plants like this couldnt get past the smell though the $ was good. but not THAT good...

What's that old saying? Waste is a terrible thing to mind.:laughing:

 

[bdeboer]

Local septic pumper was put out of business here last year, after admitting dumping 140K gallons on farm fields. Part of the problem here is runoff, especially in the winter, when the ground is frozen. Spreading on fields is now illegal here. One reason this guy got caught was that he was spreading on fields that were not his, and the owner's didn't want his sewage. One reason we get more regulations is that common sense isn't that common.

One of the local pumpers here, purchased his own farm for this purpose after the nearby municipalities would no longer take it. He did say something about record keeping and seasonal restrictions on certain fields due to runoff. He also only grows hay so that he has more access to the fields.

 

[brin]

Everyone should see the danger in using human waste on the surface to grow anything...itis the run off that can get into the water table and flow onto other crops. We all have to beware of the dangers of antibiotics entering our bodies on a regular basis since when we really need them they will not be effective if our bodies have already become accustomed to them. Human sewage other than being disgusting contains medications or all types and you do not want to take any chance these second hand medications are entering your body not to mention the diseased contained in human sewage !!!!

 

[dmccarty]

We looked at some land years ago when we were property hunting that had had sludge applied to the fields. The sludge had been applied a few years before we saw the land and you could not see any sign. Or smell it either.

They were growing corn on the land when we saw it.

There was a disclosure about the sludge. I do remember heavy metals being a possibility. Using the sludge was regulated but I don't know how well the rules were enforced. I would think it would take quite a bit of sludge to have negatively effected the land we saw. Seems like there were two fields each about 25 acres. That is ALOT of land to cover in poo in any density.

I surely would not want to eat veggies off that land after the sludge had been applied.

Some one else beat us to the contract so we did not buy the land. It sure was pretty though.

Later,
Dan

 

[sweettractors]

Someone in the food chain, one way or another, ate the veggies off that 50 acres of corn. Ken Sweet

 

[CrownHawg]

I too agree that I would NEVER use human waste (treated or otherwise) on a food growing operation. BUT! Who here thinks there are no hormones, antibiotics or even pathogens in chicken litter? I know many folks who swear by it for gardens. Of course it is "seasoned", but the thought that chickens are somehow "cleaner" than humans has me perplexed.