SF Public Utilities Commission misled Community Gardeners to accept Toxic Sewage Sludge.

The Organic Consumers Association joined by representatives of dozen of local environmental groups, many decent constituents will dump some of the giveaway SF Public Utilities Toxic Sludge on the Steps of City Hall. They will also hand a letter to Mayor Gavin Newsom to:

1. End all giveaways of this very Toxic Sludge marketed as Organic Compost.

2. Clean up the school yards and backyard gardens that have been contaminated
with this very Toxic Sludge marketed as Organic fertilizer.

San Francisco brags that it is heading to become a Green City and pushing programs some well thought out and others making a fool of itself. The giveaway of contaminated Sludge as "Organic Compost" is one of them.

The SF Public Utilities Commission for some years now has been touting its free giveaway of "organic compost" and "organic fertilizer". Some of us have know about this gimmick - but it is not always possible to convince the public at large about the SF Public Utilities Commission that first started this gimmick under the leadership of Susan Leal.

The present Director chosen by Mayor Gavin Newsom should have know better - considering that he will give his input on any decision in the pipe line linked to policy making - but, on this on Ed Harrington blew it. The Mayor of course is asleep at a wheel - bragging about this and that but failing on matter that really count - most.

San Francisco's sludge is very toxic - millions of gallons of contaminated run off water much of it contaminated by radiological contaminants adversely affect this toxic sludge. The SF Public Utilities Commission may tell you that they treat it, heat it - but will not show anyone the empirical data when it comes to testing the very toxic sludge. Here lies their vulnerability and here lies their exposure to other policies NOT well thought out.

Depleted Uranium was first tested at Hunters Point Shipyard. But, unknown to most folks - there are other areas around Pier 92 and by Pier 70 - that are hot spots - some contaminated by Radiological Contaminants and other contaminated by toxic Chrome waste, Mercury, Ammonia spills, Lead, PCBs and so on.

The Raw Sewage Plant situated in the Bayview Hunters Point on Phelps Street receives eighty percent of the City Raw Sewage and that from neighboring counties that most San Franciscans are NOT fully aware of. Add to that the contaminants I have mentioned above - dog and cat feces and you have a situation that is not very pretty. Over 100,000 dogs make their abode in San Francisco. Four times that - cats.

The noxious stew derived from industrial, hospital, commercial, residential, and radiological wastes and storm water runoff end up in places like the Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant in the Bayview Hunters Point.

Many of us know that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission constantly pollutes the Bay. The Weirs that perform an important role holding Secondary Effluents are in bad shape, much of them falling apart. The SF Public Utilities Commission is fully aware of this but chooses to fool the public with drab excuses.

Some years ago a Bond Measure was passed to upgrade both the Clean Water and the Waste Water system. The SF Public Utilities Commission chose to waste a lot of money on the Clean Water System and spent no money on the Waste Water System.

Some $2.4 billion dollars from San Francisco from the total of $4.6 Billion constitute the Bonds that SF Public Utilities Commission can play with. San Franciscans gave this Enterprise Department a Blank Check. Other contributions coming from the other Regional partners. Over 2.4 million residents receive benefits from the SF Public Utilities Commission linked to Hetch Hetchy and the Clean Water Enterprises.

The Sludge Program is a delicate matter that the SF Public Utilities Commission has chosen to deal on its own. Making decisions knowing fully well that Toxic Sludge should not be used to contaminate areas and food products - where human and other life are adversely impacted.

At the many SF Public Utilities Commission Meetings this good for nothing Enterprise Department will pass Resolution and Policies without much thought. San Francisco has the Precautionary Principle - but, I challenge you the SF Public Utilities Commission has not read the principles.

Thursday, March 4, 2010 between noon and 2 pm the protest will be held on the steps of City Hall. This time I hope better sense will prevail and the SF Public Utilities Commissioners think twice before it gives any free product that originate from the very Toxic Sludge - much of it contaminated for years by Radiological contaminants.


http://www.sfwater.org


Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy


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