HR 2064: Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act

Organic Consumer Association:

Sewage sludge: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) euphemistically calls it “biosolids.”

But what is it really? And why should you care?

Ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor the Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act.

As this article explains, sewage sludge is:

. . . whatever goes into the sewer system and emerges as solids from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Sludge can be (its exact composition varies and is not knowable) any of the 80,000 synthetic chemicals used by industry; new chemicals created from combining two or more of those 80,000; bacteria and viruses; hospital waste; runoff from roads; pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter drugs; detergents and chemicals that are put down drains in residences; and, of course, urine and feces flushed down toilets.

This toxic stew is sold to farmers who use it to fertilize food crops—a fact most consumers don’t know, because food producers and retailers aren’t required to tell you.

Congressman Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) wants to change that. That’s why he’s introduced a bill (H.R. 2064) that would require the food industry to label products that have been grown in farmlands that use sewage sludge as fertilizer.

Please tell your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Sewage Sludge in Food Production Consumer Notification Act!

 

Thank you!

Katherine, for the OCA team