Environmental groups across the state are raising a stink over sludge.
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League in conjunction with N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, held a press conference June 21 to discuss public health and the environment, and they are still waiting for answers.
Some groups argue sludge will contaminate water unless the state holds it to stricter standards. They are calling for a moratorium on spreading the sludge in the state’s critical watersheds, which they said is happening in Orange County.
Orange Water and Sewer Authority has a 2006 permit that allows the spreading of sludge, or biosolids — the solid byproduct that comes from treating dirty water and sewage — in Orange, Chatham and Alamance counties.
Some of the permitted sites are within their respective county’s defined critical watershed area; however, they are not within the area the state defines as a critical watershed.
The state deems treated sludge safe to dump in areas cleared by state permits, but groups including the league argue that even treated biosolids — regulated for certain chemicals — are harmful.
Sue Dayton, coordinator for the League’s N.C. Healthy Communities Project, said sludge is harmful because of some contaminants.
“The potential effects are very scary,” Dayton said.
The effects of biosolids on groundwater are important because the league said the state allotted permits to eight fields in the state, permits which they say violate the 1992 Watershed Water Supply Protection Act.
