Thank you for your interest in learning more about hazardous and other industrial wastes in fertilizer. It has only been in recent years that the public has become aware of this method of disposal, and only then because of the persistence of a few Washington farmers, a small town mayor and the outstanding investigative skills of a Seattle Times� reporter Duff Wilson. The resulting investigative series 'Fear in the Fields: How Hazardous Waste Becomes Fertilizer' was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for public service reporting. Duff Wilson's book 'Fateful Harvest, the True Story of a Small Town, a Global Industry and a Toxic Secret' was published in 2001 just days before the attacks of September 11, 2001. Needless to say, the book was overshadowed by the tragic events of 9/11. As you enter this site to learn more, keep in mind that our children bear a disproportionate burden of the consequences from toxins released into the environment. While we cannot claim this method of disposal is the cause of the rise in childhood health problems, it may be a contributing factor. The most recently released Food and Drug Administration�s Total Diet Study for the period 1991-96 would seem to support at least cause for concern, recording a 50% rise in dietary arsenic since 1986 for both toddlers (2 year olds) and adults age 60-65 and a doubling of dietary arsenic for toddlers between 1984 and 1996.[1] We are at a point in history, where the silent majority � those who care about the environment and children�s health � can no longer afford to remain silent. The consequences of environmental change are all around us, and like 'canaries in the coal mine' our children are paying the price as sentinels. Statistics on childhood illnesses since 1980 are staggering. Asthma has increased 142%; cancer continues to rise at 1% per year; birth defects are rising; and 17% of all children under age 19 have some form of developmental disability[2]. Even the EPA acknowledges the 'probable cause' is 'environmental toxins' and that most likely the damage is being done in-utero. We have a unique opportunity to unite behind this issue that literally affects every one of us, and send a clear message to our elected officials that we want nothing less than a clean environment, and healthful food. I implore you to get involved and stay involved until this method of disposal has been banned and protective standards set. Please join me in protecting our future by demanding safe food and fertilizer. The cure is prevention. Patricia Anne Martin Former Mayor, City of Quincy Here is a link that might be useful: Safe Food and Fertilizer

I'm not sure if this will help, but it might, so here goes. Not all metals found in soil are toxic. Here in Wisconsin, our native soil is high in iron and aluminum. We also have high levels of calcium and magnesium. There is a lot of limestone around here. Potassium and phosphorous are both metals, found in fertilizer. There are certain metals that are toxic, even in small amounts, and this list includes lead, mercury, and cadmium. There are several metals that are essential nutrients to certain plants, but toxic if present in high concentration, and this list includes copper, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt and vanadium. It helps to know the pH of the soil. Soils that are high in pH, 7.5 and up, tend to hold onto metals. Soils with a pH of 6.5 or below tend to release metals into solution, where they can be taken up by plant roots. This is a huge subject, and I'm sure that others will add more information.

I don't know about your area, but the Susquehanna River in PA catches runoff from abandoned coal mines, and I have heard that the natural contamination from that vastly overshadows any from TMI. Are there any mining operations near you? Other possiblities would be military installations and abandoned industry dump sites. Active industry could also be a factor if any near you use uranium for anything. Children have, for example, received lead poisoning by living near car paint shops. The glow-in-the-dark dials they used to paint on watches were more radioactive than the ones out now...do you wear one of those, or live near a place where they were made? If you can't get answeers, I would call Homeland Security and see if they have any ideas on the subject. They should be monitoring for that sort of thing anyway. :(

GREAT QUESTION and one I am sure is of interest to all. In the plumbing, pipe fitting and HVAC industries originaly the only pipe available was iron pipe. When comparing the volume of pipe sizes we must use a formula that considers the cross sectional area rather than the diameter thus each increase in pipe size approximately doubles the volume. The actual formula for comparison is: Large Diameter Squared divided by the Small Diameter Squared . Example 3/4" compared to 1/2" = (.75x.75)/(.5x.5) = .5625/.25= 2.25 From this we can see that a 3/4" pipe has 2.25 times the volume of a 1/2" pipe. Another basic rule of thumb, if you double the diameter you increase the volume by four times. Understanding that all pipe layout formulas were originally developed for iron pipe it then stands that as new materials became available they were manufactured in sizes that approximated their iron pipe equivalent thus we see copper, PVC, or CPVC listed in "Nominal" sizes. This means a 1/2" nominal copper pipe will be slightly different in size but for all intents and purposes it would meet the volume requirements of a 1/2" iron pipe thus we see the other piping materials listed in the same size variations as iron pipe. While we common think of the word "Schedule" as meaning a time table of events, properly the word Schedule means "A table" thus in the piping specifications each size of pipe is listed in a table of specifications and the number or letter indicates which table applies to the product in question thus we see iron pipe,PVC or CPVC pipe listed as Sched. 20, Sched.40, sched.80 etc. Rather than use the schedule numbers copper pipe is defined by a Letter indicating which table of specifictions apply. While the specifications are listed alphabetically Copper pipe is classified as Heavy Wall, Standard or Medium Wall, and Light wall. It was merely by co-incidence that copper pipe designations seem to be backwards: Example 1/2" Nominal Copper Pipe: TYPE k - Heavy Wall OD 0.625 ID 0.527 Wall thicknes .049 TYPE L - Medium Wall 0.625 0.545 .040 TYPE M - Light Wall. 0.625 0.569 .028 As you can see, even though the Type K heavy wall pipe has the thickest wall the ID of the pipe still remains slightly larger than its fractional designation but for the purposes of standardization all three types have the same OD so the fittings are interchangeable. Copper pipe is manufactured in two varieties. The 10ft long lengths of rigid copper pipe that we are most familiar with is properly called "Hard Drawn Copper Pipe". They also make 60' or 100' rolls of "Annealed Copper Pipe" and we must be very careful not to confuse Annealed Copper role pipe with Copper tubing which is made to an entirely different sizing standard. (Copper tubing is made to the ASTM-CTS standard--CTS =Copper Tubing Standard). FYI-While CPVC is manufactured to Pipe Standards the CPVC pipe that we commonly see in the hardware stores is also made to the CTS standard rather than Pipe standards. Primarily copper fittings are made in the hard drawn copper standard however there are copper fittings such as you describe which appear to have been cast rather than drawn or formed from copper pipe. These fittings are properly called "Wrought Copper fittings." Under the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) whenever copper pipe is run under a slab within the confines of a structure we must use wrought copper fittings and all joints must be brazed rather than soldered. Under both the International Residential Code and the Uniform Plumbing Code all three types of copper, K,L & M may be used for both Supply (the water line from a well or municipal main to the structure) and Distribution (Lines within a structure.) however the IRC only permits type M inside a structure if it is above ground. Type K-Heavy wall copper pipe can be obtained through most home supplies or hardware stores by special order or you can but it from a Plumbing or Heating Supply house but as a rule it is only used for applications that involve pressures or temperatures that exceed the allowable limits in general plumbing use. We commonly use type K roll pipe for direct burial supply lines but the use of type K in general plumbing within a structure would be considered serious overkill. While type L (med.wall) copper is considered the industry standard today in years past type M (thin wall) was considered the standard for residential service and type L was primarily used in commercial applications thus the overwhelming majority of residential structures that have copper pipe have type M thinwall pipe and even that has proven to provide 50+ yrs of service when properly sized and installed correctly. It is true that under some rare conditions copper pipe does exhibit wear in the form of pin holes, but in the final analysis it can also be said that those problems are directly attributed to water quality or in many cases improperly sized pipe which resulted in excessive velocity of flow. Copper pipe will exhibit internal wall erosion if the velocity of flow exceeds 10feet per second and it is for that reason that the codes now define a Fixture Unit method of determining proper pipe size. In regards to water quality. If you live in a region that has water quality issues that are detrimental to copper pipe, I must then wonder what those issues are doing to your general health as well. In my personal opinion rather than worry about finding a pipe that will tolerate those problems I think the homeowner and his or her family would be much better served to consider installing a water treatment system to correct the problem.