Most people in rural Ontario are probably tired of reading about the biosolids issue. Unfortunately, for many rural residents, the issue is a daily routine. When you have to deal with a farmer who lives by the attitude; "it's my land and I don't care what my neighbors think, I will do what I want with it", and when this farmer does not use the sewage sludge on his farm, where he raises his family, you have to wonder what happened to morals and respect?
We thought 6 years ago, we had found our dream home--a hobby farm in a rural community an hour from the city. What we did not know, as is what happens to a lot of unsuspecting buyers, was that the real estate agent did not bother to mention that a few farmers in the area use biosolids (pathogenic human feces and untested industrial chemical waste) to fertilize their crops. Had we known, we definitely would have shopped elsewhere, as will a lot of people who will discover this is happening, thus affecting everyone's property values!!!
As much as the locals and the municipal officials want to ignore the fact that this is happening in their community or that it is not in their backyard, so they don't give a damm, the fact is that this does affect everyone!
Despite the fact that I personally have received hundreds of documents from scientists, doctors, researchers and citizens, who have either complained about adverse health effects or concerns about the potential risk to human health, environment and property values in the area, the practice still goes on!
Whether the farmer who uses biosolids (sewage sludge, human feces or whatever you want to call it) on crops that grow hay, soya, wheat or corn, it all ends up back on your kitchen table. The hay is fed to the cow, which is milked or slaughtered for meat or the soya, wheat or oats, which is sold to the mills and ends up in cereal, breads, etc.; it all ends up in the FOOD CHAIN!!!
Year after year of saturation of the biosolids (sewage sludge) on the fields, how long before it reaches the water tables that feed rivers, lakes, streams and our wells? Has your well become contaminated for no apparent reason?
Have we become such a complacent society, that unless we can see, touch or smell it, it does not concern us? Well, I had to burst your bubble folks, but this concerns every citizen who eats/drinks or plans to buy property in rural Ontario!!!!
The only way this is going to change is if Ontarians stand together and demand policy change and stop the application of biosolids on agricultural land of Ontario--our FOOD CHAIN!!! There is an
online petition, please help put a stop to this insanity!!!
We will be applying to Mpac to have our property reassessed to reflect the decline in our property value and would encourage anyone who is adjacent to or near a field that is being sludged to do the same. If you or anyone you know has been adversely affected by the application of biosolids or their animals have become ill, please contact myself; Wendy Deavitt--705-924-3765.
