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IIIIIIIIIIII
<br />Lowman et al.
<br />in participant statements, issues raised, and
<br />terminology used suggest that the health and
<br />environmental issues identified here warrant
<br />attention from environmental health scien-
<br />tists and public health officials. Although dif-
<br />ferences in the composition and treatment of
<br />sewage sludge, land application methods, and
<br />geographic features of application sites make
<br />the transferability of results to other locations
<br />uncertain, case reports indicate that similar
<br />health and quality of life issues are raised in
<br />other states and countries (Harrison and Oakes
<br />2002; Lewis et al. 2002; Lowman et al. 2011;
<br />Shields 2002).
<br />Conclusion
<br />Most respondents suggested that if land appli-
<br />cation continues, it should be conducted in
<br />a more just and democratic way-one that
<br />informs people who may be affected by the
<br />application before it occurs, takes commu-
<br />nity input seriously and adapts the practice
<br />accordingly, and ensures that people and their
<br />environment are kept safe from harm.
<br />Phil Brown (2003), a professor of sociology
<br />at Brown University who has studied contami-
<br />nated communities worldwide, concluded,
<br />Virtually all cases of contaminated communities are
<br />detected by lay discovery, largely because affected
<br />populations tend to notice environmental prob-
<br />lems. As well, scientists and government agencies
<br />are not usually carrying out routine surveillance
<br />tbat would detect such problems.
<br />Surveillance and monitoring of land
<br />application of sewage sludge is limited, and
<br />enforcement of the rules is weak (Harrison and
<br />Eaton 2001; Lowman et al. 2011; U.S. EPA
<br />2000, 2002). Community members are key
<br />witnesses of land application events and their
<br />potential impacts on health, quality of life, and
<br />the environment. As such, they may consider
<br />documenting their experiences by taking photo-
<br />graphs and keeping diaries with dates, times,
<br />and descriptions of application events, truck
<br />traffic, odor, physical reactions, environmental
<br />impacts, or other observations. Residents' docu-
<br />mentation and ideas for improvements to land
<br />application offer a distinct perspective on the
<br />practice that industry and government officials
<br />lack. Meaningful involvement of community
<br />members in decision making about land appli-
<br />cation of sewage sludge will strengthen environ-
<br />mental health protections.
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