The EPA and many states have been deregulating sewage sludge to the point
where this toxic sludge is now allowed to be dumped on farmlands where food
is grown. Rather than be treated as a hazardous waste, it is now redefined
as a nutrient. Even “organic” food can be grown in field where sludge from
major cities has been dumped. This sludge is highly toxic and sometimes
even radioactive, since many industries (sometimes even nuclear ones) are
legally allowed to dump their waste into the sewer system.
The grassroots National Sludge Alliance is supporting this federal
legislation which would label sludge-applied foods. Please forward this
far and wide, since it is virtually unknown and the mainstream
environmental groups have totally failed to address this issue.
Write your legislators and don’t stop!
This and other legislation can be found at the most excellent
government-info search page: http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu:8100/gpo/ (go
to Search GPO Access)
If you need to know how to contact your congresspeople, go here:
http://www.vote-smart.org/congress/105/
To find out who your federal (and state) legislators are, go here:
http://www.vote-smart.org/ (where it asks for your zip code)
For background on sewage sludge, read the “Sludge Hits the Fan” chapter
from the book “Toxic Sludge is Good for You! — Lies, Damned Lies and the
Public Relations Industry” at
http://www.envirolink.org/issues/sludge/sludge.html
Mike Ewall
Pennsylvania Environmental Network
http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/pen
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H.R. 289
To amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the egg, meat, and
poultry inspection laws to ensure that consumers receive notification
regarding food products produced from crops, livestock, or poultry
raised on land on which sewage sludge was applied.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 7, 1997
Mr. Serrano introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the egg, meat, and
poultry inspection laws to ensure that consumers receive notification
regarding food products produced from crops, livestock, or poultry
raised on land on which sewage sludge was applied.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NOTIFICATION TO CONSUMERS OF FOOD PRODUCTS PRODUCED ON LAND
ON WHICH SEWAGE SLUDGE HAS BEEN APPLIED.
(a) Adulterated Food Under Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.--
Section 402 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 342)
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(h)(1) If it is a food (intended for human consumption and
offered for sale) that was produced, or contains any ingredient that
was produced, on land on which sewage sludge was applied, unless--
``(A) the application of sewage sludge to the land
terminated more than one year before the date on which the
production of the food or ingredient on the land commenced;
``(B) the food bears a label that clearly indicates that
the food, or an ingredient of the food, was produced on land on
which sewage sludge was applied; or
``(C) in the case of a raw agricultural commodity or other
food generally offered for sale without labeling, a sign is
posted within close proximity of the food to notify consumers
that the food, or an ingredient of the food, was produced on
land on which sewage sludge was applied.''.
(b) Adulterated Food Under Egg Products Inspection Act.--Section
4(a) of the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 1033(a)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (7);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(9) if it is derived from poultry that are raised, or
that consume animal feed produced, on land on which sewage
sludge was applied, unless--
``(A) the application of sewage sludge to the land
terminated more than one year before the date on which
the poultry began to be raised on the land or the date
on which the production of the animal feed on the land
commenced; or
``(B) the container bears a label that clearly
indicates that the egg or egg product was derived from
poultry that are raised, or that consume animal feed
produced, on land on which sewage sludge was
applied.''.
(c) Adulterated Food Under Federal Meat Inspection Act.--Section
1(m) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601(m)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (8);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (9) and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) if it is derived from livestock that grazed, or
consumed animal feed produced, on land on which sewage sludge
was applied, unless--
``(A) the application of sewage sludge to the land
terminated more than one year before the date on which
the livestock began grazing on the land or the date on
which the production of the animal feed on the land
commenced;
``(B) the carcass, part thereof, meat or meat food
product bears a label that clearly indicates that the
livestock grazed, or consumed animal feed produced, on
land on which sewage sludge was applied; or
``(C) in the case of a carcass, part thereof, meat
or meat food product generally offered for sale without
labeling, a sign is posted within close proximity of
the item to notify consumers that the livestock grazed,
or consumed animal feed produced, on land on which
sewage sludge was applied.''.
(d) Adulterated Food Under Poultry Products Inspection Act.--
Section 4(g) of the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453(g)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (7);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(9) if it is derived from poultry that was raised, or
that consumed animal feed produced, on land on which sewage
sludge was applied, unless--
``(A) the application of sewage sludge to the land
terminated more than one year before the date on which
the poultry began to be raised on the land or the date
on which the production of the animal feed on the land
commenced;
``(B) the poultry product bears a label that
clearly indicates that the poultry was raised, or
consumed animal feed produced, on land on which sewage
sludge was applied; or
``(C) in the case of a poultry product generally
offered for sale without labeling, a sign is posted
within close proximity of the item to notify consumers
that the poultry was raised, or consumed animal feed
produced, on land on which sewage sludge was
applied.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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