Biosolids As Sustainable Agricultural Fertilizer, Good or Bad?

 

The use of biosolids (human waste) from sewage treatment plants are being used as sustainable agricultural fertilizers in other parts of the world. The though of using human feces might be seen as efficient or obscene by different people around the world based on if they are influenced by western views of human waste being unsanitary and disgusting. No matter your position on the matter, using biosolids as sustainable fertilizers use it pros and cons just like other current agricultural practices.

The advantages of using biosolids as a sustainable fertilizers include a reduction in the amount of money spent of fertilizers, biosolids usually contain about 4% nitrogen (this nitrogen molecule is released slowly over time), and biosolids also contain phosphorus. These two are just a few of the micronutrients can is provide in biosolids that is beneficial to crop growth. The addition of organic materials to the soil is another advantage that comes from the use of biosolids. An example of organic matters contributions to soil are it reduces runoff, reduces erosion, and improves the water and nutrients capacity of the soil. In the southern United States, Georgia, where soils are naturally low in organic matter, depend on biosolids that have been very beneficial to this uprising problem.

The disadvantages of using biosolids as sustainable agricultural fertilizers is the presence of metal that can be absorbed into the soil, metals such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc can be dangerous for growing plants in when there are large amounts embedded in the soil, pathogens like bacteria and parasites can find their way into crops fertilizers with biosolids and pose significant risks to the environment and human health, odour let off by biosolids can cause public disturbance within communities in the general area that there are being used.

 

Process of Creating Biosolids

The potential stakeholders in this issue of biosolids include farmers and the government. Farmers around the world can use the low cost fertilizers, biosolids for example, for their agricultural land with the same effects and results as alternate fertilizers like cow manure. The government also benefits by saving money from not having to pay thousand for the disposal of biosolids. The topic of biosolids needs some clear and in-depth research on chemical and health related issues to be certain that using this biosolids doesn’t pose any long term threats by chemicals and substances that can be harmful to our environment and our health. THe western view of human wastes as unsanitary and disgusting nuisance has blinded us from seeing the many advantanges of biosolids and the disadvantages that are very much similar to though of currently used agricultural practices and farming methods.

In the end, the advantages and disadvantages of biosolids are similar to those of the use of cow manure, which is a sustainable agriculture fertilizer that we already use in farming and gardening, so why can't biosolids be a realistic alternative to our current agricultural practices.

 

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