heavy burden on the public taxpayer, Who lately has had to respond to a vari—
ety of local and federal funding ventures in the eld of waste control. Against
this strategy, then, must be weighed the benets of keeping phosphates and
other contaminants out of the environment in the rst place by eliminating
their sources. Where sewage is returned to the soil, as in the “sewage farm—
ing” of some European cities, there is a double benet: the need for phos—
phate fertilizer is reduced and the nutrients in the sewage contribute to the
growth of useful crops instead of to the growth of algae [52].
Finally, the overreliance on useful but limited concepts such as BCD have
helped to foster a waste control strategy that has serious aws. In the case of
eutrophication, the strategy overlooks critical facts in aquatic biology that
frustrate the intent to maintain high levels of dissolved oxygen
in the water.
In the case of toxic wastes, to be discussed in the next chapter, the strategy
concentrates immense resources in efforts to screen out dangerous materials
'
released by human activities instead of preventing such release in the rst
place. Historically, the strategy has served to protect man from waterborne
diseases, but the ways of man have changed, and the strategy is now being
badly battered in attempts to meet new health threats produced by man himself rather than by nature.
'
_
[1]
Martha ]. Kefelle and Paul D. Uttormark, Problem Lakes in the United States,
prepared for the Ofce of Research and Monitoring, Environmental Protection
Agency, December 1971.
[2]
Charles G. VVilber, The Biological Aspects of Water Pollution (Springeld, 111:
Charles C Thomas, 1969), p. 143.
[3] W. T. Edmondson, “Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Algae in Lake Washington af—
ter Diversion of Sewage,” Science, August 14, 1970, Vol. 169, 690—91.
[4] W. T. Edmondson, G. G. Anderson, and Donald R. Peterson, “Articial Eutrophication of Lake Washington,” Limnology and Oceanography, 1956, Vol.
1, 47—53.
[5]
“Metro—The First Ten Years. 1958—1968,” a publication of the Metropolitan
-
Council of Seattle, pp. 1—39.
[6]
“Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Algae in Lake Washington,” p. 691
see
.
[7]
TheCost of Clean Water, Volume 11: Cost Eecüoeness and Clean Water, Envi—
‘
ronmental Protection Agency (Washington, DC.: U.S. Government Printing
.
Ofce, March 1971).—
[8] W. T. Edmondson (Professor of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle),
personal communications, March 30, 1971 and August 28, 1972.
144
Overfed
ety of local and federal funding ventures in the eld of waste control. Against
this strategy, then, must be weighed the benets of keeping phosphates and
other contaminants out of the environment in the rst place by eliminating
their sources. Where sewage is returned to the soil, as in the “sewage farm—
ing” of some European cities, there is a double benet: the need for phos—
phate fertilizer is reduced and the nutrients in the sewage contribute to the
growth of useful crops instead of to the growth of algae [52].
Finally, the overreliance on useful but limited concepts such as BCD have
helped to foster a waste control strategy that has serious aws. In the case of
eutrophication, the strategy overlooks critical facts in aquatic biology that
frustrate the intent to maintain high levels of dissolved oxygen
in the water.
In the case of toxic wastes, to be discussed in the next chapter, the strategy
concentrates immense resources in efforts to screen out dangerous materials
'
released by human activities instead of preventing such release in the rst
place. Historically, the strategy has served to protect man from waterborne
diseases, but the ways of man have changed, and the strategy is now being
badly battered in attempts to meet new health threats produced by man himself rather than by nature.
'
_
[1]
Martha ]. Kefelle and Paul D. Uttormark, Problem Lakes in the United States,
prepared for the Ofce of Research and Monitoring, Environmental Protection
Agency, December 1971.
[2]
Charles G. VVilber, The Biological Aspects of Water Pollution (Springeld, 111:
Charles C Thomas, 1969), p. 143.
[3] W. T. Edmondson, “Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Algae in Lake Washington af—
ter Diversion of Sewage,” Science, August 14, 1970, Vol. 169, 690—91.
[4] W. T. Edmondson, G. G. Anderson, and Donald R. Peterson, “Articial Eutrophication of Lake Washington,” Limnology and Oceanography, 1956, Vol.
1, 47—53.
[5]
“Metro—The First Ten Years. 1958—1968,” a publication of the Metropolitan
-
Council of Seattle, pp. 1—39.
[6]
“Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Algae in Lake Washington,” p. 691
see
.
[7]
TheCost of Clean Water, Volume 11: Cost Eecüoeness and Clean Water, Envi—
‘
ronmental Protection Agency (Washington, DC.: U.S. Government Printing
.
Ofce, March 1971).—
[8] W. T. Edmondson (Professor of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle),
personal communications, March 30, 1971 and August 28, 1972.
144
Overfed