Like many things in the world, biosolids has its share of advantages and disadvantages. Biosolids, are nutrient rich, containing nitrogen, phosphorus and trace elements such as calcium, iron and zinc are found in biosolids. These nutrients are essential for crop production and growth. The application of Biosolids on agriculture actually reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Furthermore, the use of Biosolids reduces the farmer’s production costs and replenished the organic matter that had been depleted over time. The organic matter in the Biosolids improves soil structure by increasing the soil’s ability to absorb and store moisture. Along with its advantages there are some cons. The biggest one would have to be the potential health hazards associated with the usage of Biosolids. There are probabilities of the contamination of biosoils result from the accumulation of industrial waste. Its ‘true’ composition is unknown leading to the assumption that it may contain hazardous chemical. And as a result, these harmful pollutants can be transferred into our crops and make their way onto your dinner tables. Disadvantage is the distinctive odour they have -- depending on the type of treatment it has been through. Some biosolids have a strong odour that may be offensive to some people. The odour is caused by compounds containing sulphur and ammonium, both of which are plant nutrients.
All in all, the biosolids issue is truly stirring up some controversy in society. The advantages and disadvantages are seemingly equal. It all depends on the individual’s perspective of using ‘human waste’ to grow the foods we eat. It may seem unsanitary to many people because when you really think about it, it is like we’re consuming the waste we eliminated into our toilets, back into our bodies. But again, when you think about that argument, weare currently doing just that. We already use animal waste products as fertilizer, yet no argument is being held against it. Overall, biosolids can be very beneficial for our crops, under the right regulations. It’s time we start embracing the alternatives – get to know the benefits of using Biosolids.
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BioBlogs I have read and commented on:
Mary Abuecjo:
http://marysbioblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/all-new-fertilizer-thanks-to-you.html?showComment=1307584377243#c5706441718300282830Meg Sanchez:
http://megsbioblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/biosolids.html?showComment=1307584752381#c5682640987141735783
References:
http://www.toronto.ca/water/biosolids/index.htm
http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp
http://www.sencer.net/Outreach/pdfs/DCSymposium08/Posters/LUbiosolids.pdf
http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/faq/faq_results.php3?rowid=4255
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Sewage-Sludge-Pros-Cons.htm
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/nm/nasm/sewbiobroch.htm
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/biosolids/faq.html
Hey Kim! When I started researching about the topic, I had the same reaction you are describing in your blog! At first, I didn’t think that something that man-made could be used to grow something we eat. The advantages of biosolids show that they are good natural substitutes for fertilizers. They help in many way, not only enriching the soil with may useful nutrients but also helping the farmers on low-cost production. It is a dangerous thought, that possibly the harmful substances can be transferred to what goes into our stomachs. It is clear that this topic need some further investigation before all the developed countries agree to permit farmers to use this natural based fertilizer!
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, great post! I never thought to think of biosolids as a matter of perspective depending on the individual until now.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the issue of contamination, then there definitely needs to be some further study into the possibility of this happening. But while biosolids could be a nuisance to some, I agree that we really ought to consider the benefits of putting these nutrient-packed, cost-effective biosolids to use on our farms.