Maryland environmental officials say a new study finds pets and wildlife are a significant source of waterway bacteria.
The Department of the Environment says researchers found waste from dogs and wildlife such as fox and deer accounted for about two-thirds of the bacteria in the watersheds of the Furnace Creek and Marley Creek, two Glen Burnie-area waterways where bacteria levels are above state standards. State officials said Tuesday that the findings suggest that failing to clean up after pets can affect water quality significantly.
Researchers studied eight Anne Arundel County watersheds and found the major contributor to bacteria was wildlife, followed by pets, humans, and livestock.
Source.
Maybe now they'll stop blaming and punishing the chicken farmer
ReplyDeleteIf humans and their pets have displaced wildlife which is no longer polluting "naturally" how much of the pollution from humans and pets merely offsets the the "original natural" pollution from the wildlife that was displaced?
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read this article I knew there would be someone defending the chicken waste!! It was a given. The reason there is no claim to chicken pollution is because Anne Arundel county IS NOT a chicken farming community. There are far more people than animals in Anne Arundel Co. If the investigation were done on the shore it would be primarily chicken and fertilizer pollution!
ReplyDeletehow much is coming from waste water treatment plants since there are more humans than animals in that area. That was never revealed was it? Just like the Wicomico and Manokin majority of this polution comes from illegal dumping from the waste water treatment plants. They have discharge pipes running into these bodies of water that are very well hidden and has been that way for years.
ReplyDeleteThis was Barrie's chant during the WWTP spills, and Ireton has referenced this study as well.
ReplyDeleteIf it's all the animals' fault and we've killed off a lot of their population and habitat, then howcuzit the Bay was so much cleaner back in the days of John Smith?
Hmmmm.
This is the TMDL for Bacteria, Joe. Not Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. Those all come from 2 main sources into the Bay: #1 Industrial and Urban Pollution, #2 Agricultural Runoff. Anon 3:10, it is the chicken farmer, but its also you and me. And worse yet, its the Baltimore, DC, southeastern PA, and Richmond metro areas. Don't fool yourself, urban sprawl is the real problem. We deal with that first and I guarantee you the pressure will be off our farmers.
ReplyDeleteHey, wait for that 6 feet pipe that can carry a man starts running into our river. usual ground filtration will be bypassed.
ReplyDeletenow our pets along with the mercury from our TNTC coal burners :>)are responsible? gimme a break.
leave our farmers alone!
ReplyDeleteyou like to eat, don't you?
or would you rather eat insects that we're not allowed to kill, anymore...like in china, india etc.