Op/Ed: Editorial on biosolids ignored results of state panel's study

The News & Advance’s May 14 editorial, “Questions still abound about use of sludge,” is yet another example of how the editors and publisher of this newspaper refuse to let the facts get in the way of their opinions. In dismissing the most recent evidence for the safety of biosolids — presented by a special panel created by the Virginia General Assembly — the editors have abandoned any pretense of objectivity and fairness, and ignored what were once considered sacred principles of professional journalism.

It’s never easy to admit you are wrong. But most fair-minded people, when presented with overwhelming evidence, will usually grant the possibility that the other side may be right. But when you control the only newspaper in town, you apparently don’t have to admit anything. When confronted with inconvenient facts you just ignore them. Then you intensify your campaign to promote controversy by keeping the story on the front page and constantly repeating unsupported claims and questions that have already been answered.

This is not news and honest opinion. It is cynical propaganda that demonizes thousands of dedicated water treatment professionals, small business employees and farmers who depend on an agricultural product that is clearly safe and beneficial.

As referenced in the editorial, in 2007 the General Assembly created an expert panel to address health and environmental questions about the land application of biosolids. Its members, appointed by the secretaries of Natural Resources and of Health and Human Resources, included physicians, public health educators, university researchers, sanitation professionals, environmental and public health officials, and private citizens. This was the impartial panel that the opponents of biosolids had been demanding.

For 18 months, the panel reviewed the latest scientific studies on biosolids and potential effects on human and animal health and on water and air quality. It also received testimony from individual citizens in support of and in opposition to biosolids, and from a number of outside experts, including researchers and state and federal environmental officials.

In December 2008 the panel issued its final report, which was endorsed by Preston Bryant, secretary of Natural Resources, and Marilyn Tavenner, secretary of Health and Human Resources.

The report included the following conclusions:

* The panel said that it had “uncovered no evidence or literature verifying a causal link between biosolids and illness.”

* The panel found no evidence that the use of biosolids has any more effect on water quality than other farming operations.

* The panel said “there is no scientific evidence of any toxic effect to soil organisms, plants grown in treated soils, or to humans via bio-accumulation pathways from inorganic trace elements (including heavy metals) found at the current concentrations in biosolids.”

These are the very issues that were raised in the editorial. But because the panel’s conclusions didn’t confirm the editors’ prejudices, they were ignored and the integrity of the panel denigrated.

Also ignored by the editors was an exhaustive survey by three state epidemiologists of the available research on biosolids and health. The 2008 report, which was commissioned by the Virginia Department of Health, was cited in the panel report as follows:

“ … (T)here does not seem to be strong evidence of serious health risks when biosolids are managed and monitored appropriately. Human health allegations associated with biosolids usually lack evidence of biological absorption, medically determined human health effects, and/or do not meet the biological plausibility test.”

For readers who would like to judge for themselves about the safety and benefits of biosolids, the full expert panel report is available at www.virginiabiosolids.com.

When confronted with editorial columns that consistently fail to provide any factual basis for the opinions offered, readers of The News & Advance may reasonably conclude that these opinions also fail the plausibility test.

Hooks is with the public relations firm Crockett+Hooks, which has offices in Richmond and Lynchburg. The firm provides services to the Virginia Biosolids Council, an organization comprised of biosolids producers and applicators.