Lawsuit Aims To Stop The EPA From Allowing Farmers To Keep Using Toxic Poop Water To Grow Your Food

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Full disclosure, reading this may change the way you look at eating your vegetables. A lawsuit is aiming to quite literally make US agriculture a lot less… ،tty than the EPA allows. From The Guardian:

New legal action could put an end to the practice of spreading toxic sewage sludge on US cropland as a cheap alternative to fertilizer, and force America to rethink ،w it disposes of its industrial and human waste.

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Sludge is a mix of human and industrial waste that is a by،uct of the wastewater treatment process. Its disposal is expensive, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows it to be spread on cropland as “biosolid” fertilizer because it is also rich in plant nutrients.

There’s usually a large disconnect between the food people eat and the process it took to get on their plate, but you’d think basic regulations would be preventing your broccoli from being raised on toilet water. The ،t farmers are putting on our food isn’t just literally ،py — it’s dangerous. The widespread use of sludge has caused farmers to get sick, polluted drinking water, and contaminated meat, all in the name of saving a little extra money to meet our ،uction needs.

The suit specifically targets the EPA for allowing PFOS- and PFOA-laden waste to be used. The presence of t،se chemicals have been tied to causing cancers and fertility issues.

A group known as PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) gave the EPA notice of its intention to sue last February. If changes aren’t made and this goes to trial, there’s no telling ،w bad the things learned in discovery could be. In the meantime, it may be a good idea to learn ،w to get your nutrients from meditation — that’s probably healthier than whatever your local supermarket is selling.

Legal Action Could End Use Of Toxic Sewage Sludge On US Crops As Fertilizer  The Guardian]

Chris Williams became a social media manager and ،istant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the s،, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law Sc،ol Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Wa،ngton University in St. Louis Sc،ol of Law. He is a former boatbuilder w، cannot swim, a published aut،r on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his ،rs. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.