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SLUDGE PROBLEM: IT'S CALLED BIO-SOLIDS -- BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT AS "SLUDGE".

August 13, 2009

NEWSWATCH'S MAX WARK EXPLAINS.

THIS IS SLUDGE BEING SPREAD ACROSS A FARMER'S FIELD IN TWEED.

THAT BLACK STRIP IN THE DISTANCE IS, FOR THE MOST PART, MADE OF HUMAN WASTE-- SOMETHING THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU SQUEAMISH.... BUT ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT... THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.

SMITH:

"IT WILL HAVE BEEN WELL TREATED BEFORE IT COMES OUT ON THE FIELD.

IT'S NOT JUST FLUSHED OUT AND SPREAD ON THE FIELD."

SMALL COMFORT FOR SOME, IT SEEMS.

AT LEAST ONE RESIDENT HAS VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS....

SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT HEALTH RISKS FROM EITHER BREATHING THE FUMES FROM THE WASTE.... OR POSSIBLY DRINKING CONTAMINATED WELL WATER....

AND WHILE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA, AT RISK OF SPARKING RESENTMENT FROM HER FARMING NEIGHBOURS...

BUT BRIAN MARISSET DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM AIRING HIS OPINION... HE'S BOTH AN ORGANIC FARMER AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR.

MARISSET:

"THERE'S JUST TOO MANY UNKNOWNS WITH SLUDGE.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY RELUCTANT TO DO ANY FULL SPECTRUM TESTING."

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY HAS MADE IT'S DECISION ABOUT THE USE OF SLUDGE...

SHANNON:

"THE COUNTY OF PRINCE EDWARD WILL NOT BE DOING SLUDGE SPREADING."

AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF DEBATE, COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED IN FAVOUR OF PUTTING A MORATORIUM ON THE SPREADING OF SLUDGE TWO YEARS AGO.

NOW THEY TREAT IT AND TRUCK IT OFF FOR SAFE DISPOSAL INSTEAD OF GIVING IT TO LOCAL FARMERS.

SHANNON:

"IT'S CERTAINLY MORE COSTLY THAN FORMER PROCESS WAS BUT IT IS RELATIVELY EFFICIENT."

COST SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN REASON WHY ANY FARM WOULD USE SLUDGE.

SAVING UP TO 100 DOLLARS AN ACRE, MANY FARMERS CAN RE-COUP A GREAT DEAL OF CASH BY BROKERING A DEAL WITH A MUNICIPALITY FOR THEIR SLUDGE AS OPPOSED TO USING FERTILIZER.

MARISSET:

"ANYTHING THEY DO TO SQUEEZE THAT EXTRA NICKEL THEY'LL DO IT."

THE FAMILY IN TWEED WOULD LIKE THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT OF THE LOCAL AIR AND WATER.

IF NOTHING ELSE, THE PROCESS WOULD AT LEAST ENSURE TEMPORARY PEACE OF MIND IN THE ONGOING SLUDGE DEBATE.... WITHOUT RAISING TOO MUCH OF A STINK WITH HER NEIGHBOURS.

MAX WARK, CKWS NEWSWATCH, PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY.

IT'S CALLED BIO-SOLIDS -- BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT AS "SLUDGE".

FARMERS USE IT AS FERTILIZER FOR THEIR CROPS.

WITH THE JURY STILL OUT ON THE POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS OF MIXING HUMAN WASTE WITH SOIL, A TWEED RESIDENT IS HOPING TO PUT AN END TO THE SPREADING OF SLUDGE IN THEIR AREA.

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