SLUDGE VICTIMS

He said that while some sludge is better than others, it's bad policy and a public health threat.. Stauber blames the EPA for the sludge program, which he said was designed to "get rid of a massive source of chemical, bacterial and viral pollution'that is too dangerous to dump in the ocean or in landfills."

Despite a massive public relations campaign to discredit media reports and people who complained of illness associated with sludge, "they failed miserably. It's more controversial than ever," Stauber said.

A critical report by the CDC, which he called a conservative agency, shows the severity of the issue, Stauber said.

"Only God knows whats in any given load of sludge. There are tens of thousands of chemicals contaminating any shovelful of this stuff," he said. "It's going to become a bigger and bigger public health issue.'

Staff writer Ron Nixon contributed to this report.
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