The Role of EPA

In 1993 503 Rule was developed to stop ocean dumping of sludge from municipal waste treatment plants. But EPA's Dr. Alan Rubin testified before the New Hampshire legislature that "[sludge] wasn't too toxic for the ocean [where much of it had been dumped previously]. The reason we got it out of the ocean was basically an image-political deal." Dr. Rubin continues to declare the safety of sludge in the face of evident to the contrary.

EPA is responsible for setting standards and for monitoring to evaluate if those standards are being met. They issued a report on Sludge Rules in which they indicate they plan to do nothing.

There are scientists within the EPA who disagree with the agency position on the use of sludge as fertilizer. In fact, the Center for Disease Control investigated the use of sludge because of information from one such scientist. CDC has issued a warning of the danger of sludge. They have also changed the rules for handling it.

The director of EPA says sewer sludge is safe, but there is growing evidence that it is not. There is concern in Chicago about safety, but EPA continues to defend it. And from that same article:

A spokesperson for Northfield, Illinois-based Kraft Foods, Inc. said the company refuses to accept food products grown on sludge-covered farm fields.

And another:
In Kern County, California, county supervisors voted to phase out the dumping of all but "exceptional-quality" sludge--one grade above Class A. Neither "exceptional quality" nor Class A sludge has been linked to pathogen hazards. "It frightens me . . . what we don't know about biosolids and what scientists may learn tomorrow," Supervisor Pete Parra told The Bakersfield Californian.