'This is toxic,' property owners ask for ban on human waste dumping on farmland

BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. (WBMA) — A packed commission meeting in Blount County as dozens of land owners aired complaints about human sewer sludge dumping near their property. "Do you want to be on the front side and say we saved Blount County or on the backside saying there's nothing we can do at this point?" asked Derek Hickman. He says the companies are allowed to dump one million gallons per acre. He said there is no question the waste is running off into waterways.

Property owners are hoping the sludge dumping is outlawed or at least more heavily regulated. Speakers told of horrible smells coming from the slduge, worries about the human waste getting in creeks that feed into the river, and wildlife grazing on the contaminated land. The sludge comes from wastewater treatment plants in nearby cities. Companies are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to get rid of it.

The speakers contend current state regulations through ADEM are too lax and the agency does not have enough staff to thoroughly monitor the waste dumping. Nelson Brooke with Black Warrior Riverkeeper also revealed results of water sampling that showed heavy metals and toxic chemicals in Blount County creeks.

"I believe everything will move in the right direction. I believe they heard us today and I feel like they're gonna stand with us," said Jennifer Walker after the meeting. She owns a peach orchard. Walker said the nauseating smells from the sludge made her sick. Walker is also concerned about the human waste running off the nearby farmland where it's being applied into the creek they depend on for their orchard.

Walker said she has exhausted every avenue for help. Others like Brandy Little described the smell as 'rotting flesh.' She claimed to have seen twenty dead cattle on land that had been sprayed with the sludge that she called toxic.

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The biosolids are promoted as 'free fertilizer' for farmers. But a growing number of communities are taking a harder look asking questions about the health and safety of it.

"I'm excited the community has come together to stand up for what's going on and to make sure there is awarness out there," remarked Regina Allcorn who owns a cattle farm. Property adjacent to hers has had thousands of gallons of sewer sludge sprayed on it.

Following today's meeting we asked farmers who allowed the spraying on their property for interviews; they declined.

Speaking during the meeting Ricky Turner told the commission he had been in the biosold business for 30 years. He claimed ADEM was doing a 'great job' regulating biosolids and there were stringent setbacks for applying the sludge.

Julie Lay of Guntersville spoke about outdated regulations and how the sewer sludge was pouring in from other states that did not allow it. A petition has garnered 1,100 signatures.