8 ms·

Interesting their waste would be collected and put into fields given the serious health risks involved. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/61646.php htt

Interesting their waste would be collected and put into fields given the serious health risks involved. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/61646.php https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/61646.php

trav4225 8y ago
There are also other scary health risks in that region: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11711136 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11711136
- krastanov 8y ago
  This is a fascinating story, but it seems unfair to single out "that region" when disasters of ignorance like this happen all the time in both developed and developing countries.
  - trav4225 8y ago
    Yup, certainly didn't mean to single it out. However, that is the region most known among geologists as an erionite hazard.
TheBill 8y ago
Bird droppings & phosphate were in such high demand that entire islands like Naru were strip mined for it up into the early 1900's. Haber/Bosch did not kick off until 1909 leading to manufactured fertilizer. Also death from starvation is a pretty serious health risk.
chabes 8y ago
In organic systems, manure should be composted. According to the NOP (§205.203(c)), raw manure must be composted unless: - Applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption; - Incorporated into the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles; or - Incorporated into the soil not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles. Edit - There’s much more to the compost standards. For more info, see here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Manure%20in%20Organic%20Production%20Systems_FINAL.pdf https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Manure%20...
sevensor 8y ago
I was talking about this with one of the farmers from my CSA. They sell eggs as well as produce. She told me, "I'd love to let the chickens loose in the fields," partly because of the fertilizer, and partly because they eat bugs that eat crops. But apparently this is forbidden because of the disease risk.
markdown 8y ago
Using human waste (night-soil) in the fields was a common practice in England, Japan, India, and elsewhere for centuries.
- chabes 8y ago
  “Night-soil” is much more palatable than “humanure”

trav4225 8y ago

There are also other scary health risks in that region: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11711136 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11711136

krastanov 8y ago
This is a fascinating story, but it seems unfair to single out "that region" when disasters of ignorance like this happen all the time in both developed and developing countries.
- trav4225 8y ago
  Yup, certainly didn't mean to single it out. However, that is the region most known among geologists as an erionite hazard.

TheBill 8y ago

Bird droppings & phosphate were in such high demand that entire islands like Naru were strip mined for it up into the early 1900's. Haber/Bosch did not kick off until 1909 leading to manufactured fertilizer. Also death from starvation is a pretty serious health risk.

chabes 8y ago

In organic systems, manure should be composted. According to the NOP (§205.203(c)), raw manure must be composted unless: - Applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption; - Incorporated into the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles; or - Incorporated into the soil not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles. Edit - There’s much more to the compost standards. For more info, see here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Manure%20in%20Organic%20Production%20Systems_FINAL.pdf https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Manure%20...

sevensor 8y ago

I was talking about this with one of the farmers from my CSA. They sell eggs as well as produce. She told me, "I'd love to let the chickens loose in the fields," partly because of the fertilizer, and partly because they eat bugs that eat crops. But apparently this is forbidden because of the disease risk.

markdown 8y ago

Using human waste (night-soil) in the fields was a common practice in England, Japan, India, and elsewhere for centuries.

chabes 8y ago
“Night-soil” is much more palatable than “humanure”