The EPA is getting Sued…Again

The EPA is no stranger to lawsuits. Yesterday, the Center for Food Safety announced that they are joining the ranks of those filing lawsuits and planning a case against the government agency due to their crappy policies…literally.

According to the law, under EPA regulations, it is legal to dump sewage sludge on farmland. This byproduct of waste water treatment, according to some, is full of nutrients that enrich the earth when used as a fertilizer. However, research also indicates that sludge is filled with heavy metals, pathogens, and toxic chemicals. Center for Food Safety Executive Director Andrew Kimbrell says that the dumping of sludge on farmlands has killed farm animals, devastated crop yields, and even inflicted serious illness and health disorders on people who live and work near the dump sites.

Earlier this year, the Center for Food Safety filed a petition to have the dumping practices stopped, but the EPA determined that there was not enough negative evidence against it. Proponents say that dumping is stil done because it is a cheap, fast way to get rid of the sludge.

Kimbrell is confident that the court will rule on their side, since a judge ruled during past lawsuit regarding the sludge (filed by farmer Andy McElmurray) that the EPA’s sludge regulations studies were “fudged,” “fabricated,” and “fraudulent.”

“You rarely have a court decision bolstering your position,” Kimbrell added. “We look forward to a positive ruling on our petition, which calls for a full moratorium on this until they’ve done a full assessment of the food safety, human health, and environmental impacts.”

You can read more here.