Biosolids - Human Waste as Fertilizer

It's easy to harshly pass judgement on the idea of biosolids - they are, quite plainly, treated sewage.  The idea may seem gross or unsanitary to some, but it's important to remember that learning more should come before decision-making and opinion-forming.

For this reason, it is important to answer: What exactly are biosolids?
As stated above, biosolids are treated sewage, particularly nutrient-rich organic materials that are produced from the treatment of domestic sewage, in a treatment facility of course.  These materials can be processed and recycled to be used as fertilizer, resulting in productive soils and stimulated plant growth.  Biosolids can also be returned to the environment in other ways.

An in-depth look at how biosolids are treated.
(Click here for bigger version.)

The domestic wastewater generated from sewage treatment facilities is used to create biosolids.  Before even reaching the facility, it is possible for pre-treatment to begin, as this is sometimes mandatory for industrial facilities (to make sure they are void of any hazardous contamination).  The incoming wastewater is monitored; if the sewage can be treated and recycled, it is put through biological, chemical, and physical processes to remove solids and separate water.  Disease-causing and -transferring organisms  are controlled through sanitization.

It's the wastewater treatment process that's the reason why we have biosolids in the first place.  This treatment improves the quality of waters around Canada, due to regulations on dumping waste in bodies of water.  The wastewater now must be treated; biosolids recycled or buried in landfills.

Illustrating a positive of biosolids.

POSITIVES:

• Crop production can be improved due to biosolids used as fertilizer
• Water quality is protected
• Landfill space is conserved
• Cost effective and creates jobs (good for the economy)

NEGATIVES:

• Health hazard due to possible dangerous chemicals
• Contamination could easily occur due to improper treatment
• Decreases property value
• Odour (described as "distinct" and "like a sewer")

Actress and Halifax native, Ellen Page,
expressed her take on biosolids in NS.

Although the treatment processes biosolids are put through in order to ensure the safety of their use, the lack of knowledge on the material and its exact composition makes many people uneasy.  The use of biosolids caused a "stink" in August of last year when used in Halifax.  Ellen Page, a Halifax native, even came out to speak on the issue, saying: "It's taking industrial waste, waste from hospitals, businesses, households, full of man-made chemicals, highly toxic, proven carcinogens, radioactive material, and they're putting it on our soil.  They're putting it into our ecosystem."  The actress represented the views of many Haligonians, saying she would like to see more research and public input on biosolids.

I feel mixed on the use of biosolids.  I think that I would like to see more research and learn more about waste treatment in general before making a decision on their use. However, I think that biosolids, if completely safe, have a lot of potential in making improvements in the world, and a lot of negative feedback on the use of biosolids most likely comes from bias or misconception, especially the Western view that the use of waste in anything is gross and unsanitary.


Sources:

• "Biosolids: Fertilizer or Pollution?" Lynchberg College Virginia. Apr. 2008. Web. 3 June 2011. <http://www.sencer.net/Outreach/pdfs/DCSymposium08/Posters/LUbiosolids.pdf>.
• "Biosolids Management." City of Toronto. Web. 3 June 2011. <http://www.toronto.ca/water/biosolids/index.htm>.

• "Biosolids.com | About Biosolids: Biosolids Benefits." Biosolids.com. 2002. Web. 03 June 2011. <http://www.biosolids.com/benefits.html>.
• "CWWA - FAQ - Biosolids." CWWA/ACEPU. 2010. Web. 03 June 2011. <http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp>.
• News, Cbc. "Biosolids Cause Stink in HRM - Nova Scotia - CBC News." CBC.ca. 16 Aug. 2010. Web. 03 June 2011. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/08/16/ns-biosolids-stink-halifax.html>.

My comments can be found on these entries:
http://kennedy-a.blogspot.com/2011/05/biosolids-eco-friendly-choice.html#comments
http://biologyisnotbohring.blogspot.com/2011/06/sounds-interestingwhat-is-that-style.html#comments

Technology is a Life Saver!

We often talk about the time we spend texting, talking on the phone, watching television, surfing popular social networking sites, and playing video games.  We reflect on how they have impacted our lives.  Sometimes we forget the amazing technological inventions that make our cellphones and computers seem insignificant.  Outstanding advancements have been made that not only increase our understanding of how the body works, but are - in some cases - capable of saving people's lives.

A modern stethoschope (top) and
sphymomanometer (bottom).

Inventions that most people are familiar with are the stethoscope and the sphygmomanometer.  Invented in 1816, the stethoscope is used to listen to a patient's heart, chest cavity, and pulse points.  Doctors/nurses commonly listen for irregular heartbeats, congestion in the lungs, and restored blood flow during blood pressure checks. It is also considered the most informative, reliable tool used in diagnosing cardiovascular disease.  The sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure - the modern version comprised of a band that wraps around the upper arm, pump, and component that displays the reading.  Blood pressure can be monitored over time by physicians with this.  The ability to do so brought hypertension (chronic high blood pressure - a life-threatening condition) to the attention of physicians.  The stethoscope and sphygmomanometer are very important contributions in understanding the circulatory and respiratory systems.


Endoscopy is a procedure in which the inside of a person's body is examined using an endoscope.  Consisting of a long, thin tube, with a light and video camera attached, an endoscope allows the images of the inside of the patient's body to be seen on a screen.  Doctors can watch the recording of this to look at the interior surfaces of the patient's tissues/organs.  Breathing disorders, chronic diarrhea, internal bleeding, stomach ulcers, and urinary tract infections are most commonly diagnosed or investigated with the use of an endoscope.  Endoscopes may also retrieve foreign objects or enable biopsies.

Sir Doctor Frederick Banting

Insulin is injected to control blood sugar in people with diabetes.  It works by assisting the movement of sugar from the blood into the body's tissues and stopping the production of sugar by the liver.  Before the discovery of insulin, lives of diabetics were quite grim.  There was no medication to regulate blood sugar levels.  Near-starvation diets of a few hundred calories a day were found to extend some diabetics' lives by a couple years.  These diets resulted in extremely malnourished and underweight patients.  It was a Canadian, Frederick Banting, and his assistant, Dr. Charles Best, who discovered insulin.  Banting even received the Nobel Prize in  Medicine in 1923.


I am extremely thankful for modern medicine and the advancements that continue to be made in the field.  I know that a greater understanding of the internal systems of the body may one day save my life and I think it is important for everyone to reflect on this.  It is also important to recognize that many of our loved ones may not be here without the current technology and knowledge the medical field is equipped with.


Sources:

• "Frederick G. Banting - Biography." Nobelprize.org. Web. 09 Apr. 2011.<http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1923/banting-bio.html>.
• "History of Stethoscopes and Sphygmomanometers." Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Biomedical Research & Science Education (HHMI). Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/museum/exhibit98/content/b6_17info.html>.
• "Insulin Injection." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. 01 Feb. 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682611.html>.
• Pollick, Michael. "What Is a Stethoscope?" WiseGEEK. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-stethoscope.htm>.
• "What Is Endoscopy? What Is An Endoscope?" Medical News Today. 12 June 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153737.php>.
• Wickford, Hannah. "Diabetes Before Insulin Was Discovered." EHow. Web. 09 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/facts_5498585_diabetes-before-insulin-discovered.html>.

My comments can be found on these entries:

• http://graceelkhechen.blogspot.com/2011/02/proud-to-be-canadian.html?showComment=1304612846779#c1227991365935696560
• http://bioblogstuff.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-wonderful-life-thanks-to-technology.html?showComment=1304613254596#c3983764069762809184

Feeding a Growing Population vs. Conserving Biodiversity

Not only does sustainable agriculture have significant positives for humans, its counterpart - industrial agriculture - proves to be very damaging in several ways.

Sustainable agriculture is one of the steps to creating a healthy planet once again.

Sustainable Agriculture
In my opinion, when it comes to the sustainable vs. industrial debate in agriculture, sustainable agriculture is the morally correct option. Animals are raised in much more humane ways when they are on sustainable farms - they are not given chemicals or other unnatural products and are not kept in tiny crates their whole lives.  It's not only the animals who live healthier and happier lifestyles in sustainable agriculture. It is also healthier for consumers to eat food raised using this method, due to the lack of chemicals and more nutrients.  Farmers and rural communities also benefit as fair wages and working conditions are available for farmers, which in turn lets rural communities prosper.  The environment is protected through sustainable agriculture, as it takes an ecological approach and takes into the account relationships between organisms and environments. Sustainable agriculture is designed to not have the negative impacts on the planet that industrial agriculture does - specifically by lack of harmful chemicals, not over-working plots of land, and using natural resources at an acceptable rate to meet demands.

An industrial chicken farm.

Industrial Agriculture
The method of industrial agriculture is very damaging to animals, consumers, farmers, farming communities, and the earth. Animals are raised in inhumane conditions, spending the majority of their time in tiny crates. They are often pumped with chemicals; there is little to no respect for the animals in industrial agriculture. Consumers benefit from cheaper prices for their food, however, the quality, taste, and nutritional value of the food is not at the same level as food raised by sustainable agriculture methods. Many workers have been replaced by advanced machinery, taking away many job opportunities. Furthermore, farmers and other workers are often underpaid to maintain cheap production costs (and in turn, cheap selling prices and hefty profits). Farming communities are hurt by industrial agriculture as there becomes less demand for their goods due to the takeover by industrial agriculture. Rural communities are often unable to thrive due to competition, especially in profit and speed of production.  Finally, the planet is negatively affected due to heavy use of chemicals, unnatural substances, rapid depletion of natural resources, and an overall disregard of the environment's well-being.

Hundreds of pigs are crammed into inhumanely sized cages in
industrial farms.

Biodiversity
In order for more effective mass production, industrial agriculture restricts biodiversity by only breeding what is considered to be more efficient or higher quality. Eliminating diversity within a species is very dangerous, as that species becomes more vulnerable to being wiped out completely. This is another issue that has arisen from industrialism in farming.

In my opinion, the benefits of sustainable agriculture greatly outweigh and outnumber the benefits of industrial agriculture.




Sources:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/intro/comparison/
http://lifemorenatural.com/?p=1155
http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-67637-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
http://www.sustainabletable.org/intro/whatis/

My comments can be found on these entries:
http://kennedy-a.blogspot.com/2011/03/sustainable-agriculture-vs-industrial.html?showComment=1299594781887#c5726667570789859416
http://jessy3149.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post.html?showComment=1299777075314#c8603703915155182406