Study Confirms Presence of Harmful Chemicals in Biosolid Garden Products

Date: September 18, 2006

Source: News Room

A recent study conducted by Chad Kinney, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Eastern Washington University, found dozens of medicinal, industrial and household compounds in treated sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, that are often sold to homeowners to enhance lawns and gardens. Most disturbing is the fact that at least some of the compounds, which can consist of drugs, flame-retardants, disinfectants and other harmful chemicals, were present in every sample regardless of the wastewater treatment method employed. Kinney and his team studied nine biosolid products from seven states: Washington, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado, Texas and Iowa. The study was published in online editions of the journal Environmental Science & Technology and supported by the U.S. Geological Survey's Toxic Substance Hydrology.

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