Senator Ellie Kinnaird will host a press conference in the press room at the NC General Assembly on Monday, June 21 at 3 p.m. Senator Kinnaird will discuss the findings of a new report to be released by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. The League’s report, “Sludge Spreading in Critical Watersheds of North Carolina,” discusses the spreading of sewage sludge on farmlands in these critical watersheds. The report lists the locations of each field and summarizes the risks to public health and the environment. At the press conference, the League’s Sue Dayton will present a series of maps showing the locations of each of the sludge fields.

Under federal and state law, only a handful of contaminants in sludge are tested and regulated, leaving hundreds if not thousands of additional uncontrolled substances. These substances include pathogens, toxic metals, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, hormones, steroids, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and landfill leachate.

Senator Kinnaird and the League will announce an action agenda to address the sludging of critical watersheds.

For more information contact Sue Dayton at 336-525-2003 or sdayton@swcp.com

PHOTO OP

-end-