How do organic growers feel about sewage sludge fertilizer?

10 years ago

Alias "biosolids"

Do any organic gardeners, farmers, orchardists use this stuff?

Do they use Class A (partly sterilized), Class B (completely unsterilized), composted, other forms?

I don't really mean the fully sterilized product, the most familiar being Milorganite. I use a small bit of that in potting soil for the iron content.

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Comments (4)

User
10 years ago
It's organic, but it's not got the greatest reputation thanks to the metal content that can be found in them. If one chooses to use them it can be important in some areas to keep track of the concentration of metals you're applying to your land.

While most of these metals aren't detrimental to plants in the concentrations they're found, it's human and environmental effect from over-use, improper use, and runoff/blowoff is of much more concern than most other organic fertilizers because of the metals they contain.

Those that live near fields where less composted classes of biosolids are applied it can be a rather stinky thing...occasionally making it hard for neighbors to sell their houses/land.
Kimmsr
10 years ago
Depends on the source of the biosolids. Some providers are not very careful about what goes in while others are. Like any other "fertilizer" due care in selection and use is necessary and "fertilizers" are a crutch for improper soil peparation, not a substitute.
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elisa_z5
10 years ago
Question: If a grower is to be certified organic, are they not allowed to use biosolids? I thought this was the case . . .

Since you asked -- the way I feel about it is that I would never use the stuff. We have two babies in the family living in high lead cities, and so lead and mercury and cadmium feel to me the way lice eggs used to feel when my kids were in elementary school -- stay away from them! (to prevent the possibility of permanent brain damage, all sources of lead in the child's environment need to be held in check.) I look for organic fertilizers that have the lowest concentrations of heavy metals--I don't want to be adding them to my soil, since they tend to build up with repeated applications. I'm not certified organic, and am only selling herbs at this time. That's my personal opinion, since you asked.
User
10 years ago
One huge problem with the biosolids industry/use is while there are levels that are monitored and enforced (much better now than in the past)...there's nothing keeping a farmer from using biosolids every year, or multiple times a year...and for many farmers the cheap nutrient additions far outweigh any other considerations as long as they're managing their runoff.

Many plants don't care if there's excess metals in the soil...and the buildup isn't cared about by many farmers as long as they can get their crops to market without crop loss.

When heavy rains leech these metals into water tables...or off the land (which is managed well)...or there's dry periods where the land gets airborne via wind...there's some environmental/health concerns going on.

Responsible farmers (and home gardeners) are usually more caring about this...many farmers, especially commercial farmers, really don't care about this, though...it's a cheap source of high nutrients.

How do organic growers feel about sewage sludge fertilizer?

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Kimmsr

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