On March 13, let's get rid of the image of 'Gil-SLUDGE-manton'

To the Daily Sun,

Attention Gilmanton residents:

On March 13th, please vote YES on Article #4 to ban the use of biosolids.

The other day, a friend of mine referred to our town as “Gil-SLUDGE-manton.”

Sludge is another term for biiosolids. Sludge is “any solid, semisolid or liquid waste generated from municipal, commercial or industrial waste water treatment plant.” (EPA RCAA (26A)). In other words, sludge is what remains after the liquids are removed from sewage. Contaminants in sludge could include hazardous waste, chemicals, viruses, bacteria and heavy metals such as mercury, zinc and lead.

But why refer to Gilmanton as “Gil-SLUDGE-manton”? The reason is simple. In 2016, Resource Management, Inc. (RMI) confirmed in a letter to me that they delivered over 2,600 “wet tons” of biosolids to Gilmanton: 753.98 tons of Class A and 1910.79 tons of Class B. I do not have the totals for 2017, but based on the number of delivery truckloads I saw I can't imagine that it was any less.

Yes, there is a terrible odor from sludge, but the worst is that no one can guarantee that it is safe. Farmers claim that it's been used for hundreds of years without issue, but there are new viruses, bacteria and hazardous waste to deal with. Waste water treatment plants have guidelines that they must meet, but during a tour of the Concord facility I asked if all of the viruses and bacteria were eliminated. The response was that “some bacteria is good.” That is not a guarantee.

A tour of a Gilmanton field prompted another question when a clod of sludge spread in a prior year was visible. Since the sludge hadn't broken down and the field had been mowed and baled, I asked if clods could have been picked up in the bales. The answer was yes. Could the hay be fed to cows? Yes. Is there potential for a hazard to get into the cow's system and to our table as dairy products or meats? My impression of the answer to that question was that livestock aren't tested for sludge effects. Again, no guarantee of the safety of this “fertilizer.”

I appreciate our local farmers who do not rely on sludge to replenish their soil. The few that do should find a better solution. The health and welfare of our families, neighbors, pets, wildlife, water and land is too valuable to risk.

On March 13th, please join me and vote YES on Article #4 to ban the use of bio-Solids (Class A and Class B) in our town.

Barbara E. Swanson

Gilmanton