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==Other SourceWatch resources==
==External links==* Dr. Steve Suppan, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, [http://www.iatp.org/documents/nanomaterials-in-soil-our-future-food-chain Nanomaterials In Soil: Our Future Food Chain?], organizational report, March 28, 2013.* [[Murray McBride]], "[http://thechronicleherald.ca/Letters/1260398.html No solid evidence that biosolids are safe to disperse]," The Chronicle Herald, August 27, 2011.*John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton, "[httphttps://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/1995Q3/index.html Flack Attack]", ''PR Watch'', Volume 2, No. 3, 3rd Quarter 1995.* Denny Boyles, [httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/images/2/2a/San_Fran_Enviro_Group_VS_Biosolids.pdf Group's Appeal Puts Kings County, Calif., Composting Facility on Hold], The Fresno Bee, February 26, 2004.
Text replacement - "{{#badges:" to "{{Show badges|"
{{#Show badges: | ToxicSludge|FoodRightsNetwork}} '''Biosolids''' is the Orwellian PR euphemism for toxic [[sewage sludge]]. The name was created and chosen in a PR contest by the lobby association for sewage industry, the [[Water Environment Federation]] (WEF). For more background see also [[The EPA's plan to bypass opposition to sewage sludge disposal]] and [[You say biosolids, I say sewage sludge]]. There is now a '''[httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Portal:Toxic_Sludge SourceWatch Portal on "Biosolids"]''' The Beyond biosolids, the sewage sludge industry now puts its waste product into bags labeled "compost" and promotes them through [[US Composting Council]], [[BioCycle]] and other front groups and partners.
Beginning in the 1990's the WEF, with the active encouragement and approval of the [[Environmental Protection Agency]], pushed for the disposal of sewage sludge on farm land after bans were imposed on dumping it in the ocean or incinerating it. The name change of sewage sludge to "biosolids" was crucial the image makeover for sewage sludge, a classic industry-government campaign of [[greenwashing]] to change the public perception of toxic [[sewage sludge]] from an accurate one of "hazardous waste" to the misleading image of biosolids representing safe "beneficial reuse," responsible "recycling" and healthy "organic fertilizer," lately including the ruse of sewage sludge as "organic compost."
On August 10, 2010, the [[Food Rights Network]] announced in a [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independent-scientific-testing-finds-toxic-contaminants-in-san-franciscos-free-organic-biosolids-compost-100335484.html news release] that "Independent tests of sewage sludge-derived compost from the [[Synagro]] CVC plant -- distributed free to gardeners since 2007 by the [[San Francisco Public Utilities Commission]] in their "organic biosolids compost" giveaway program -- have found appreciable concentrations of contaminants with endocrine-disruptive properties. The independent tests were conducted for the Food Rights Networkby Dr. Robert C. Hale of the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences."
In an [httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/images/2/2f/Compost2010_analysis-5.pdf August 6, 2010, letter reporting on his findings] to the Food Rights Network Robert Hale wrote: "A sewage sludge-derived compost from the Synagro CVC plant, distributed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in their "compost give away" program, was analyzed for synthetic pollutants. Several classes of emerging contaminants with endocrine disruptive properties were detected in appreciable concentrations, including polybrominated diphenyl ether ([[PBDE]]) flame retardants, nonylphenols (NPs) detergent breakdown products and the antibacterial agent [[triclosan]]." '''PDFs are attached here of the letter and the data:''' <ref>[httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=File:Compost2010_analysis-5.pdf Hale Letter 8/6/10]</ref> <ref>[httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/images/f/ff/SanFran_compost2010_NPs.pdf Hale Data NP]</ref> <ref> [httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/images/5/58/SanFran_compost2010_PAH.pdf Hale Data PAH]</ref> <ref>[httphttps://www.sourcewatch.org/images/1/10/SanFran_compost2010_PBDE.pdf Hale Data PBDE]</ref>
=="Toxic Sludge Is Good For You!"==
Authors [[John Stauber]] and Sheldon Rampton tell the history of the word "biosolids" in their 1995 book ''[https://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy.html Toxic Sludge is Good for You'']. * "The ([[Water Environment Federation]]'s) proposal to create a 'Name Change Task Force' originated with [[Peter Machno]], manager of Seattle's sludge program, after protesters mobilized against his plan to spread sludge on local tree farms. 'If I knocked on your door and said I've got this beneficial product called sludge, what are you going to say?' he asked. At Machno's suggestion, the Federation newsletter published a request for alternative names. Members sent in over 250 suggestions including 'all growth,' 'purenutri,' 'biolife,' 'bioslurp,' 'blackgold,' 'geoslime,' 'sca-doo,' 'the end product,' 'humanure,' 'hu-doo,' 'organic residuals,' 'bioresidue,' 'urban biomass,' 'powergro,' 'organite,' 'recylite,' nutricake,' and 'ROSE,' short for 'recycling of solids environmentally.' In June of 1991 the Name Change Task Force fnally settled on ''''biosolids''',' which it defined as 'the nutrient-rich organic byproduct of the nation's wastewater treatment process.'" <ref> John Stauber and Sheldon Ramtpon, [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/tsigfy.html Toxic Sludge Is Good For You! LIes, Damned Lies and the Public Relations Industry], Pages 105-106, Common Courage Press, 1995.</ref>
==Downplaying risks==
The PR campaign surrounding sludge is aimed at keeping people unaware that sludge is being used as fertilizer so they cannot make informed decisions about its risks. [[Milorganite]] fertilizer, for example, is sold in all 50 states in bags describing it as a natural "organic fertilizer." Small print at the bottom of the bag states that it is "produced only by Milorganite Division--[[MMSD]]." Outside Milwaukee, very few people know that "MMSD" stands for "[[Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District]]," and that they are spreading sewage sludge on their lawns and gardens.
==Resources==
===ReferencesOther SourceWatch Articles===<references/> ==Case studies==*[[You say biosolids, I say sewage sludge]]
* [[Food Rights Network]]
*[[biosolidsSewage sludge]]*[[You say biosolids, I say sewage sludge]]* [[Scientific Studies of Sewage Sludge]]* [[Sludge contaminants]]* [[Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey]]*[[The EPA's plan to bypass opposition to sewage sludge disposal]]* [[Sewage sludge giveaways, producers, and brands]]*[[Water Environment Federation]]
* [[US Composting Council]]
* [[BioCycle]]
*[[Water Environment FederationSludge News]]*[[Sewage Sludge Primer]] ===PRWatch Articles===* [[User:Rebekah_Wilce|Rebekah Wilce]], [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/03/11311/more-free-sludge-calabasas-california-offers-free-sewage-sludge-compost More Free Sludge! Calabasas, California Offers Free Sewage Sludge], ''PRWatch.org'', March 6, 2012.* [https://www.prwatch.org/users/35298/sara-jerving Sara Jerving], [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/03/11310/sewage-sludge-rash-texas-musical-fest-goers-blame-dillo-dirt Sewage Sludge Rash: Texas Musical Fest-Goers Blame "Dillo Dirt"], ''PRWatch.org'', March 2, 2012.* Rebekah Wilce, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/01/11187/neighbors-occupy-road-blockade-sludge-trucks Neighbors Occupy Road, Blockade Sludge Trucks], ''PRWatch.org'', January 2, 2012.* Rebekah Wilce, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/12/11121/sludge-industry-reveals-resource-recovery-spin Sludge Industry Reveals "Resource Recovery" Spin], ''PRWatch.org'', December 15, 2011.* Rebekah Wilce, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/11/11092/meet-kelloggs-sludge-puppet Meet Kellogg's Sludge Puppet], ''PRWatch.org'', November 9, 2011.* [[Lisa Graves]], [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/10/11068/children-gardening-sewage-sludge-los-angeles-schools-alerted Children Gardening in Sewage Sludge: Los Angeles Schools Alerted], ''PRWatch.org'', October 11, 2011.* [[Jill Richardson]], [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/10/10923/los-angeles-and-kern-countys-epic-sewage-sludge-battle Los Angeles and Kern County's Epic Sewage Sludge Battle], ''PRWatch.org'', October 5, 2011.* Jill Richardson, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/09/10926/would-you-sewage-sludge-facebook Would you "Like" Sewage Sludge on Facebook?], ''PRWatch.org'', September 12, 2011.* Jill Richardson, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/08/10922/alec-exposed-protecting-factory-farms-and-sewage-sludge ALEC Exposed: Protecting Factory Farms and Sewage Sludge?], ''PRWatch.org'', August 4, 2011.* Jill Richardson, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/05/10768/why-monterey-bay-aquarium-greenwashing-sewage-sludge Why is Monterey Bay Aquarium Greenwashing Sewage Sludge?], ''PRWatch.org'', May 20, 2011.* [[John Stauber]], [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/08/9378/san-franciscos-free-organic-biosolids-compost-toxic-sludge-and-not-good-you San Francisco's Free "Organic Biosolids Compost" is Toxic Sludge, and Not Good For You say biosolids!], ''PRWatch.org'', August 17, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/07/9330/gavin-newsom-hopes-leave-his-sludge-san-francisco Gavin Newsom Hopes to Leave his Sludge in San Francisco], ''PRWatch.org'', July 27, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/07/9257/chez-sludge-complaint-filed-regarding-francesca-vietors-threat-guardian Chez Sludge: Complaint Filed Regarding Francesca Vietor's Threat to the Guardian], ''PRWatch.org'', July 13, 2010.* John Stauber, I say [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/07/9243/chez-sludge-how-sewage -sludge-industry-bedded-alice-waters Chez Sludge: How the Sewage Sludge Industry Bedded Alice Waters], ''PRWatch.org'', July 9, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/spin/2010/04/9005/acsh-makes-alice-waters-poster-child-toxic-sludge ACSH Makes Alice Waters a Poster Child for Toxic Sludge], ''PRWatch.org'', April 13, 2010.* Jill Richardson, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/03/8982/toxic-sludge-taints-white-house Toxic Sludge Taints the White House], ''PRWatch.org'', March 29, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2010/03/8949/waiter-there-toxic-sludge-my-organic-soup Waiter, There is Toxic Sludge in my Soup!], ''PRWatch.org'', March 16, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/spin/2010/02/8885/san-franciscos-toxic-sludge-its-good-you San Francisco's Toxic Sludge: It's Good for You!], ''PRWatch.org'', February 8, 2010.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/spin/2009/05/8359/toxic-sludge-better-ever Toxic Sludge: Better than Ever!], ''PRWatch.org'', May 3, 2009.* John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/spin/2009/04/8352/toxic-sludge-still-good-you Toxic Sludge is Still Good for You!], ''PRWatch.org'', April 28, 2009. ===External Resources===
* Brady Welch, [http://www.sfbg.com/2010/03/23/shit-show Shit show: What has the SFPUC has been dumping in city gardens?], San Francisco Bay Guardian, March 23, 2010.
* Gayathri Vaidyanathan, [http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/26/26greenwire-biosolids-tracking-efforts-a-jumble-of-researc-37390.html Biosolids Tracking Efforts a Jumble of Research With No Clear Answers], ''New York Times'', Greenwire, August 26, 2010.
===Case Studies===
*[[You say biosolids, I say sewage sludge]]
===References===
<references/>
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[[Category:Doublespeak]][[category: sewage sludge products]] [[Category:Toxic Sludge]] [[Category:Food Rights Network]]
