Difference between revisions of "Mulch and Soil Council"
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{{#badges: ToxicSludge}} | {{#badges: ToxicSludge}} | ||
| − | The '''Mulch and Soil Council (MSC)''' is a [[trade association]] "for all all producers of horticultural mulches, consumer potting soils and commercial growing media," according to its website.<ref>[http://www.mulchandsoilcouncil.org/about/what.php About the Mulch and Soil Council, 2010] Mulch and Soil Council Website Accessed April 18, 2011.</ref> The MSC is based in Manassas, Virginia. | + | The '''Mulch and Soil Council (MSC)''' is a [[trade association]] "for all all producers of horticultural mulches, consumer potting soils and commercial growing media," according to its website.<ref>[http://www.mulchandsoilcouncil.org/about/what.php About the Mulch and Soil Council, 2010] Mulch and Soil Council Website Accessed April 18, 2011.</ref> The MSC is based in Manassas, Virginia. The Council was formerly the National Bark and Soil Producers Association. |
| − | The MSC promotes the | + | The MSC promotes the "certification of" and industries of commercially prepared composts and mulches; thus, these mulches, potting soils and growing media may contain [[sewage sludge]] disguised as "[[biosolids compost]]." Several members of the MSC's Board of Directors work for companies that promote the spreading of [[sewage sludge]] on food-growing lands, including [[Rick Mahoney]] of [[Garick]], an environmental consulting company based in Cleveland, Ohio, that promotes "[[biosolids]]." Other board members come from biosolids promoting companies like [[The Scotts Company]] and [[SunGro Horticulture]]. |
| + | |||
| + | The MSC has a certification process that combines lab analysis with greenhouse growth testing, the results of which spurred the MSC to form certain "acceptable levels" of metals, pH and salt solubility in mulches and other growing media. However, the MSC allows for up to 10 ppm [[chromated copper arsenate]], a compound of [[copper]], [[chromium]] and [[arsenic]] that often appears in mulches due to treated wood--wood used in construction and resulting from demolition--being ground up into mulches. The MSC also does not test for other heavy metals that may be present in [[sewage sludge]] compost.<ref>[http://www.mulchandsoilcouncil.org/certification/cca.php MSC Protocol for Determining Chromated Copper Arsenate Levels in Horticultural Mulches, 2010] Mulch and Soil Council Website Accessed April 18, 2011.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Sewage sludge]] contains a host of [[sludge contaminants|contaminants]], including pathogens, [[antibiotics]], [[heavy metals]] like [[cadmium]], [[silver]], [[lead]] and [[mercury]]. Food should never be grown in [[toxic sludge]]. | ||
==Contact Info== | ==Contact Info== | ||
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===Board of Directors=== | ===Board of Directors=== | ||
| − | [[Brian Faircloth]], President | + | *[[Brian Faircloth]], President |
[[Suwannee River Mulch & Soil]] | [[Suwannee River Mulch & Soil]] | ||
Cross City, FL | Cross City, FL | ||
| − | [[Steve Liffers]], Vice President | + | *[[Steve Liffers]], Vice President |
[[Coastal Supply Co. Inc.]] | [[Coastal Supply Co. Inc.]] | ||
Dagsboro, DE | Dagsboro, DE | ||
| − | [[John Leber]], Secretary/Treasurer | + | *[[John Leber]], Secretary/Treasurer |
[[Swanson Bark & Wood Products]] | [[Swanson Bark & Wood Products]] | ||
Longview, WA | Longview, WA | ||
| − | [[Ken Allen]] | + | *[[Ken Allen]] |
Hope Agri Products, Inc. | Hope Agri Products, Inc. | ||
Hope, AR | Hope, AR | ||
| − | [[Mike Lange]] | + | *[[Mike Lange]] |
[[Black Gold Compost Co.]] | [[Black Gold Compost Co.]] | ||
Oxford, FL | Oxford, FL | ||
| − | [[Eoin Lehane]] | + | *[[Eoin Lehane]] |
[[Oldcastle Lawn & Garden, Inc.]] | [[Oldcastle Lawn & Garden, Inc.]] | ||
Atlanta, GA | Atlanta, GA | ||
| − | [[Brent Lester]] | + | *[[Brent Lester]] |
[[Colorbiotics]] | [[Colorbiotics]] | ||
Ames, IA | Ames, IA | ||
| − | [[Kathryn Louis]] | + | *[[Kathryn Louis]] |
[[SunGro Horticulture Canada LTD.]] | [[SunGro Horticulture Canada LTD.]] | ||
Bellevue, WA | Bellevue, WA | ||
| − | [[Rick Mahoney]] | + | *[[Rick Mahoney]] |
[[Garick]] | [[Garick]] | ||
Cleveland, OH | Cleveland, OH | ||
| − | [[Marc Powell]] | + | *[[Marc Powell]] |
[[Conrad Fafard, Inc.]] | [[Conrad Fafard, Inc.]] | ||
Anderson, SC | Anderson, SC | ||
| − | [[Randy Tyre]] | + | *[[Randy Tyre]] |
[[Waupaca Northwoods Inc.]] | [[Waupaca Northwoods Inc.]] | ||
Waupaca, WI | Waupaca, WI | ||
| − | [[Mark West]] | + | *[[Mark West]] |
[[The Scotts Company]] | [[The Scotts Company]] | ||
Marysville, OH | Marysville, OH | ||
| − | [[Robert C. LaGasse]], Executive Director | + | *[[Robert C. LaGasse]], Executive Director |
[[Mulch and Soil Council]] | [[Mulch and Soil Council]] | ||
Manassas, VA | Manassas, VA | ||
| − | [[John Hazard Jr.]], Legal Counsel | + | *[[John Hazard Jr.]], Legal Counsel |
Webster, Chamberlain & Bean | Webster, Chamberlain & Bean | ||
Washington, D.C. | Washington, D.C. | ||
| − | [[Bill Fonteno]], Technical Advisor | + | *[[Bill Fonteno]], Technical Advisor |
[[North Carolina State University]], Horticulture Department | [[North Carolina State University]], Horticulture Department | ||
Raleigh, NC | Raleigh, NC | ||
==Articles and resources== | ==Articles and resources== | ||
| + | Add Cornell article | ||
===Related SourceWatch articles=== | ===Related SourceWatch articles=== | ||
Revision as of 16:25, 18 April 2011
{{#badges: ToxicSludge}}
The Mulch and Soil Council (MSC) is a trade association "for all all producers of horticultural mulches, consumer potting soils and commercial growing media," according to its website.[1] The MSC is based in Manassas, Virginia. The Council was formerly the National Bark and Soil Producers Association.
The MSC promotes the "certification of" and industries of commercially prepared composts and mulches; thus, these mulches, potting soils and growing media may contain sewage sludge disguised as "biosolids compost." Several members of the MSC's Board of Directors work for companies that promote the spreading of sewage sludge on food-growing lands, including Rick Mahoney of Garick, an environmental consulting company based in Cleveland, Ohio, that promotes "biosolids." Other board members come from biosolids promoting companies like The Scotts Company and SunGro Horticulture.
The MSC has a certification process that combines lab analysis with greenhouse growth testing, the results of which spurred the MSC to form certain "acceptable levels" of metals, pH and salt solubility in mulches and other growing media. However, the MSC allows for up to 10 ppm chromated copper arsenate, a compound of copper, chromium and arsenic that often appears in mulches due to treated wood--wood used in construction and resulting from demolition--being ground up into mulches. The MSC also does not test for other heavy metals that may be present in sewage sludge compost.[2]
Sewage sludge contains a host of contaminants, including pathogens, antibiotics, heavy metals like cadmium, silver, lead and mercury. Food should never be grown in toxic sludge.
Contents
Contact Info
10210 Leatherleaf Court, Manassas, VA 20111 | Tel: 703.257.0111 Fax: 703.257.0213
The MSC's Board of Directors contact information can be found here.
The MSC's Staff contact information can be found here.
Board of Directors
- Brian Faircloth, President
Suwannee River Mulch & Soil Cross City, FL
- Steve Liffers, Vice President
Coastal Supply Co. Inc. Dagsboro, DE
- John Leber, Secretary/Treasurer
Swanson Bark & Wood Products Longview, WA
Hope Agri Products, Inc. Hope, AR
Black Gold Compost Co. Oxford, FL
Oldcastle Lawn & Garden, Inc. Atlanta, GA
Colorbiotics Ames, IA
SunGro Horticulture Canada LTD. Bellevue, WA
Garick Cleveland, OH
Conrad Fafard, Inc. Anderson, SC
Waupaca Northwoods Inc. Waupaca, WI
The Scotts Company Marysville, OH
- Robert C. LaGasse, Executive Director
Mulch and Soil Council Manassas, VA
- John Hazard Jr., Legal Counsel
Webster, Chamberlain & Bean Washington, D.C.
- Bill Fonteno, Technical Advisor
North Carolina State University, Horticulture Department Raleigh, NC
Articles and resources
Add Cornell article
Related SourceWatch articles
References
- ↑ About the Mulch and Soil Council, 2010 Mulch and Soil Council Website Accessed April 18, 2011.
- ↑ MSC Protocol for Determining Chromated Copper Arsenate Levels in Horticultural Mulches, 2010 Mulch and Soil Council Website Accessed April 18, 2011.
External resources
External articles
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