The WSJ piece 12 days ago ('Development Boom Meets Smelly Reality', Aug. 8, p. A5) didn't mince words about the odious repercussions of living in a subdivision which features biosolid processing. Well, what is it anyway? Basically, it describes an operation, such as at Indianhead - outside St. Augustine, FL - in which human waste is converted to compost. That 'end point' we are informed, is relatively benign and the compost just smells "earthy". It's the preliminary phase that has left residents aghast with one exclaiming: "The odor is like a beast and your nose will just start dripping."
That's because before the compost end point 3 million gallons a day of brown waste water have been formed from human shit. In this phase:
"Tanks of brown liquid bubble and the air initially delivers a knockout blow."
This is the phase most residents are exposed to. This is before the next phase, when chips from shredded trees and yard waste are blended with the reeking biosolids and cured for at least 60 days at temperatures that kill pathogens."
But until then, those pathogens are alive and well and brewing in the uncured sewage sludge (see top photo).
How the hell did things get so bad? Basically, too many people pouring into assorted subdivisions and generating too much shit day to day. According to the WSJ piece:
"The fight (in St. Augustine) echoes others around the country over treated human waste known as biosolids. The U.S. generates at least 4 million dry metric tons of it annually according to data from the 41 states tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency. About 60 percent of that is treated to remove pathogens and applied to farms and gardens, the rest is landfilled or incinerated."
One consultant for Indianhead quoted in the piece, asserts the biosolids are getting a bad rap. According to her:
"Using them to make compost saves landfill space, sequesters carbon and replaces synthetic fertilizer."
All of which is noble and of benefit to the planet, or rather its human inhabitants, many of whom are pushing for the notion of adding even more people, increasing birth rates. Well, all well and good but then they can't complain about the proliferation of biosolid operations.
As for the people suffering from Indianhead's revolting odors, a handful of them sued in June, "alleging nuisance and negligence. They also seek to block a permit needed to process biosolids."
We wish them the best of luck but maybe they ought to have done more serious consideration before plunking down $385k- 450k two years ago and noticing the odors then. But being told by the developers, "the odors are from landscaping and will soon abate once construction stops."
That was the cue to take your money and head for the hills or anywhere else.
See Also:
About Our Situation | Stop the Stink, St. Augustine
And:
St. Augustine Stinks...Literally - Major Problem for St Augustine Locals
And:
'I want the stench to stop:' Woman says an odor has invaded their part of St. Augustine
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