Farmers, homeowners square off over use of sludge

Virginia Business
November 2005

Farmers have been spreading biosolids, or recycled sewage sludge, on their fields for more than 20 years, but some state residents are raising a stink over the practice as Virginia’s suburban areas move closer to farms.

In Isle of Wight County, the Board of Supervisors recently asked state health officials to deny four of five requests to spread sludge over local farm fields near residential areas. Local business owners and residents of Amherst County protested a request by a farmer to use sludge on land near Piney River. And Fredericksburg residents have been circulating petitions to ban local companies from using sludge in forests.

For farmers, sludge is a free, organic alternative to chemical fertilizers. Fertilizers can represent as much as two-thirds of a farm’s annual production costs, according to Wilmer Stoveman, director of government relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau. Without this resource, many farmers — facing increases in fuel and other costs — won’t be able to stay afloat, he says.

“We feel like this is the best use of biosolids,” adds Stoveman.

Opponents, of course, have an entirely different view. They complain about the smell and worry about the potential health and environmental effects. Added to their frustration is the fact that local governments have no control over the issue. The Virginia Health Department issues permits to farmers and regulates the use of biosolids, including which crops they can be appllied to and how closely they can be spread near waterways and residences.

A recent study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Gen-eral Assembly’s investigative arm, has added fuel to the controversy.

The study criticized the health department’s oversight and enforcement of the sludge program. Sludge was applied to fields more than 1,100 times last year. Inspectors handled 55 complaints but conducted only 19 routine inspections during the year. To remedy the problem, the report recommends that, among other things, the health department hire more inspectors. JLARC, however, did not take a position on the safety of sludge.