Hunting for Biosolids: WNY Garden Centers
For background about biosolids, see articles #1 and #2 on this topic.
In assessing whether to apply biosludge to farmland, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) promotes the Precautionary Principle:
"'When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context, the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof. … The responsibility to prove that sludge is clean and safe falls upon the community that generates it, and the government to impose and enforce regulations that protect public health and the environment. Any liability caused by contaminated sludge must be borne by the generator of the sludge, rather than by the [grower]'" (IATP, 1999).
I resonate with this guilty-until-proven-innocent approach when it comes to contamination. Since the safety of biosolids in gardening has not been adequately verified by research-- and in some cases, research indicates possible harmful effects-- I personally avoid applying compost and soil products that contain biosolids to my garden.
This month, I visited several hardware stores and garden centers to see if I could find biosolids in bagged soil and compost products. In addition to biosolids' application on conventional farm fields, municipalities turn this sewage treatment byproduct into bagged compost for residential use. These products can be purchased at garden centers around the country.
Some brands clearly advertise the presence of biosolids in their product, such as Dillo Dirt from Austin, TX. However, there is no labeling requirement. There is also no federal rule preventing non-organic fertilizers from using the word “organic” on their packaging (Build a Soil). For this reason, I found this Sludge News resource greatly helpful. This webpage lists known brands containing sewage sludge-- though it may not be complete.
Equipped with this list as a starting point, I visited Lowe's, Walmart's Garden Center, Ace Hardware, Clyde's Feed Company, and Lockwood's Garden Center-- all in my hometown of Hamburg, NY-- to hunt for biosolids.
Scott's / Miracle-Gro
The only brand on the biosolids list that I found-- at nearly every store-- was Scott's Miracle-Gro products: Performance Organics All Purpose Soil; Garden Soil for Vegetables and Herbs; Raised Bed Soil, and more. Several of their products list "compost" in the ingredients list, but do not disclose what type of compost.
I found this quote from Scott's on many websites: "Some of the most common organic plant foods [in our products] are bone meal, cottonseed meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, activated sewage, and manures."
I contacted Miracle-Gro customer service to ask if biosolids were included in any products. Sean stated that "according to our information, products do not contain anything like biosolids!"
I followed up, asking, "Some of your garden soil products list 'compost' in the ingredients, without disclosing what type of compost/where it came from. Is it possible to find that out? (ex. All-Purpose Garden Soil)." Sean was not able to answer the question, and directed me to Scott's Customer Service.
At Scott's, Customer Service Agent Kimber stated: " Regarding our compost, we do not use biosolids or sewage, our compost comes from composted forest products. The blend will be regionally specific but that is our standard for all products we manufacture."
Still curious about that widely shared sewage quote from Scott's, I messaged Scott's customer service once more. I pasted the quote and asked if Scott's previously used sewage in its products. Miguel, Scott's employee, stated that he could confirm that biosolids are not currently used in any Scott's products, but could not offer information about what they've used in the past.
Sun Gro
Another brand that included "compost" in the ingredients without details was Sun Gro's Black Gold products. Bruce Adams of Sun Gro informed me that their "compost does not contain bio-solids. Compost varies by region and may be derived from composted rice hulls, composted mushroom casing mix and/or composted dairy manure."
OMRI: the Organic Materials Review Institute
A product's lack of biosolids doesn't necessarily mean I want to use it. There are other ingredients in bagged soil products that I avoid, including chemical fertilizers, waste from dairy operations, and more.
I look for the OMRI stamp on a bagged soil or compost product before buying. OMRI is a "501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides an independent review of products, such as fertilizers, pest controls, livestock health care products, and numerous other inputs that are intended for use in certified organic production and processing. When companies apply, OMRI reviews their products against the organic standards. Acceptable products are OMRI Listed®" (OMRI 2019).
A complete list of OMRI listed products is offered at their website, here.
I found four OMRI Listed products in my travels this month:
Lockwood's Garden Center carries Bumper Crop potting soil and compost products. Their compost (soil builder) includes mycorrhizae (fungi) that plants need for optimal functioning.
Ace Hardware carries Whitney Farms Organic Potting Soil. Ingredients can be found at this link.
Clyde's carries OMRI Listed coconut coir. Coir is the part of the coconut seed between the shell and the outer coating. It is used as a sustainable alternative to peat moss in soil mediums.
Though SunGro's Fafard potting soil is OMRI Listed, the compost blend I found at Clyde's did not feature the OMRI stamp on the bag. The ingredients listed "compost" without indicating the source. I emailed to find out. Bruce Adams at Sun Gro confirmed that there are no biosolids used in the product, and it is "suitable for organic gardening." I will likely still choose OMRI-stamped products.
Conclusions
I didn't turn up any biosolids in bagged soil products for sale in Hamburg. What I learned is to call the company when a product lists "compost" without indicating the source.
Since soil products can use the word "organic" on their packaging without any connection to certified organic practices, I'm so grateful for OMRI's stamp, which I believe I can trust.
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Sources:
Adams, Bruce. Sun Gro Horticulture. Personal correspondence, August 22, 2019.
Build a Soil. "Did you know that harmful hormones antibiotics and toxins are hiding in your Organic fertilizer?" 2019.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. “Sewage Sludge and Food Safety.” 1999. www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Sewage_Sludge__Food_Safety.htm
Organic Materials Review Institute. https://www.omri.org/. 2019.
Scott's Customer Service. Personal correspondence, August 2019.
