PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH ACCEPTANCE OF ORGANIC WASTE RECYCLING

1. Composting

The composting of human or animal wastes involves the following disease risks:

• From the pathogens normally present in the raw wastes (called primary pathogens), and

• From fungi and actinomycetes that grow during composting (called secondary pathogens).

The primary pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminthes can initiate an infection in
healthy individuals, while secondary pathogens usually infect people with debilitated immune
systems, such as those weakened by primary infections or respiratory diseases

2. Algae Production

Production of waste-grown algae involves some public health risks due to:

• Contamination of the pathogens normally presents in raw wastes, and

• Accumulation of heavy metals and other toxic compounds in algae cells.

Pathogen die-off in the algal ponds can take place due to the ultra-violet light, algal toxins produced
by algae cells, competition with other microorganisms, inhibitory environments such as high pH
during photosynthesis, and sedimentation with sludge. However, a complete removal of pathogens
never exists in practice, because they may be protected by self-shading of algae and clumping with
sewage solids.

3. Fish Production

Since organic wastes such as sludge and animal manure can contain a large number of pathogens,
fish rearing in a waste-fed pond obviously have a risk of becoming contaminated by these
pathogens. In this regard, fish are considered to be indicators of the sanitary condition of the fish
pond water, in which the microbial flora present in the fish body directly reflects the microbiological
condition of the water from which they are taken. According to Feachem et al. (1983), three distinct
health problems associated with fish culture in ponds enriched with human and/or animal wastes
are:

• The passive transference of pathogens by fish, which become contaminated in polluted water.

• The transmission of certain helminths whose life cycles include fish as an intermediate host, and

• The transmission of other helminths with a life cycle involving other pond fauna such as snail
hosts of schistosomes.

Cloete et al. (1983) reported that the skin, gills and intestines of the wastegrown fish from a pond
system treating cattle feedlot effluents contained large numbers of bacteria, including potential
pathogens. However, similar bacterial numbers, including potential pathogens, were also associated
with the skins, gills and intestines of naturally grown fish. This suggests that the health risk involved
in the consumption of waste-grown fish might not be substantially different to that of natural fish
populations. In both cases, the tissues and blood appeared to be sterile, which would contribute to a
much reduced health risk.

4. Aquatic Weeds

The cultivation of aquatic weeds may cause health problems by:

• Contamination of the people who work in the aquatic pond operation with pathogens in the
water,

• Contamination of the plants with pathogens and toxic materials such as heavy metals and
pesticides, and

• Providing habitats (pond & plants) for various vectors.

Concerning the first and second health problems, the risk of contacting pathogens by workers and
contamination of plants with pathogens can be minimized if the waste is adequately treated to
eliminate pathogens before applying to aquatic plants. This step is necessary as pathogen removal in
an aquatic system is not very effective. Direct fertilization of aquatic weed ponds with nightsoil
should be avoided as the risk is high and it reduces the acceptability of the product.

5. Land Treatment of Wastewater

Land treatment of wastewater provides many potential benefits but carries with it the risk of
contamination of human and animal food. Land treatment can produce an equal or better quality of
effluent than a conventional treatment process, but the public is not aware of it. To be a successful
method of wastewater treatment and reuse, the public acceptance of land treatment as a safe and
suitable method is very important. The major health concern is possible pollution by nitrogen, heavy
metals, toxic organic compounds and pathogens.

Nitrogen

Although nitrogen is nontoxic and inert, it can act as a simple asphyxiant by displacing the oxygen in
air to levels below that required to support life. Inhalation of nitrogen in excessive amounts can
cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and death. Excess concentration of nitrate
(greater than 10 mg/L, NO3-N) in drinking water will be the major health concern for infants under 6
months of age. The major pathway of concern in land treatment is conversion of the wastewater
nitrogen to nitrate and percolation to drinking water aquifers. All three land treatment methods are
quite efficient in nitrification of the wastewater nitrogen.
Heavy Metals and other Toxic Organic Compounds

The pathways of potential concern are movement of metals and other toxic organic compounds to
drinking water sources and translocation of these compounds through the food chain to human. The
plants grown on a land treatment site can accumulate toxic compounds in their leaves, stems and
fruits. Removal of metals and toxic compounds is generally effective in all three land treatment
methods with that effectiveness retained for considerable period of time. Since the problem of
heavy metal and toxic compound pollution is more serious with respect to sludge application to
land.

Pathogens

The pathogens of concern in land treatment systems are bacteria, parasites and viruses. The major
pathways of concern are to the groundwater, internal or external contamination of crops,
translocation to grazing animals and human, and off-site transmission via aerosols or runoff.