Nine Everyday Uses For Plain Old White Vinegar

We all run into situations where we end up using chemical products we don’t want to use. So, it’s nice to know there’s a safer alternative. Trusty old vinegar, especially white vinegar, can solve many of those problems without side effects. Here are nine ways to use it at home.

White Vinegar vs Cider (or other) Vinegar vs Cleaning Vinegar

Not all vinegars are equal. One reason why I specify white vinegar rather than apple cider or other kinds of vinegar is price. White vinegar only costs about $ 2.50 a gallon. Another is because other vinegars have residues in them. The same apple cider vinegar with the “mother” that is so beneficial when consumed, will clog the tiny openings in your nebulizer. It might leave smelly residue on your pets, or particles on your bathroom shower walls or door. Why pay more when white vinegar gives better results?

Most white vinegar is 5% strength. Another product, called cleaning vinegar, is a bit stronger at 6%. Cleaning vinegar has a bit more punch, but watch the price. At $ 5/gallon, it’s not THAT much better. At $ 3/gallon, it’s a deal.

Personal Uses for Vinegar

Vinegar to Prevent Cellulitis

This trick is one I figured out when my lower leg flared up on a weekend when the doctors’ offices were closed. I’d had cellulitis before and didn’t want it to progress to the infection stage. But it wasn’t worth a trip to the emergency room, either.

I figured that it couldn’t hurt to try the vinegar treatment – better that than do nothing. After soaking a dishtowel in vinegar (I could have used any type of vinegar as the residue wouldn’t make a difference,) I wrung it out and wrapped it around my ankle and lower leg for about 30 minutes. It worked. The inflammation went down right away and it didnt feel hot anymore. I did this again the second day, and my leg returned to normal by the third day.

Caution, though. If you do this and don’t get noticeable results within an hour or two of the first application, do seek medical care. If it’s hot and tender, definitely go to an urgent care or the emergency department. People have been hospitalized for cellulitis.

Vinegar to Remove Dry Skin

One outcome of treating the cellulitis was that the some of the vinegar dripped down to my foot. After 30 minutes of that, my dry, “summer foot” callouses began to break down. After scrubbing them with a washcloth to remove the vinegar-saturated, calloused skin, I was down to nice, soft skin on my feet. Compared to using lotion, which often took several applications, over several days, resulting in only partial softening the vinegar worked in less than an hour.

I’ve noticed, also, that anytime I work with vinegar, my hands are softer. And that’s better than using chemical laden lotions.

Vinegar as Pet Wash and Flea Killer

Like most cats, Mr. Mooo hates baths, so, we keep this torture as short as possible. This is as much for our benefit as his – he’s been known to draw blood the longer he’s kept wet. Judging from his angry eyes and iron grip on the edge of the sink (if not my arm,) I’m sure he hates this, but it cleans him nicely and leaves his fur extra soft.

While he rarely has fleas, we found that washing him with plain white vinegar kills any fleas he does have, immediately. They fall off easily during rinsing.

While, even with a thorough rinsing, he might smell vinegary for a while, the smell goes away completely once he’s dry. It also rinses off much easier than pet shampoo, so he, and we, are in and out much faster. And if he gets away before he’s completely rinsed, the vinegar won’t hurt him. I don’t know how licking off shampoo would affect cats, but it can’t be or taste good.

If you’re camping or RVing and have to wash your pets, especially outside, white vinegar is a godsend. No one’s going to care if you rinse a vinegar soaked dog in a river, or from a hose in the camping area.

Vinegar IS a weed-killer, so rinse where nothing desirable is growing, like a lawn or flower bed. Most RV slips have patios, dirt or graveled areas where you wouldn’t want weeds growing anyway, so you can knock out two jobs at once this way.

Practical Uses for Vinegar

Vinegar as Weedkiller

Speaking of weed-killer, white vinegar is a perfect choice. It’s natural, so no chemicals. Mix it with some magnesium and your weeds will wilt in about a day, and you’ll do no harm to the environment, people or critters. But, it can also kill off plants and grass that you want to keep, so apply it directly on the weeds you want to kill.

Vinegar to Remove Hard Water Stains

One day my husband decided to clean the shower door with vinegar instead of the chemical products we usually used for this purpose. Hard water is the toughest thing to clean in a shower, but white vinegar makes it a snap to clean off.

He was amazed at how easily and thoroughly it cleaned everything. It’s even easier when you use one of those Mr. Clean white sponges. But even with a regular or scrubber sponge, it works so nicely that I wonder how commercial products ever made it to the shelves. No chemicals, no smells, no fumes. And it disinfects, too.

Vinegar for Cleaning the Stove 

Easy-off and similar products clean ovens, stove tops, grills, very nicely. But they give off toxic fumes, and an RV is so small a space that everyone has to get out if they want to breathe safely.

On the other hand, good old white vinegar can cut right through those burnt spots. Well, not right through, but spray it with vinegar and let it sit a while. Then scrub it off with a scrubber sponge or a Mr. Clean sponge. If it doesn’t come off right away, spray the stubborn spot down then warm the oven or microwave before scrubbing to soften those stubborn stains.

Vinegar for Cleaning Burnt Pans

We’ve all burned something while cooking, then get frustrated about how to clean it up. Vinegar is excellent for loosening burnt on foods. Pour a layer of vinegar, enough to cover the burned-on area, and simmer it for a few minutes. Let it sit for an hour, then scrub it off. Heating it usually works when you need a bit more cleaning power.

Vinegar for Cleaning the RV’s Black Tank

Most of us use the bacteria solutions in our black tanks, but sometimes that’s not enough. About once a month we pour a gallon of cleaning vinegar into the tank to help break down whatever solids that are stuck to the tank. Because vinegar kills bacteria, pouring the usual tank solution with bacteria would be a waste of that product, so save it for the next time you flush the tank.

Vinegar for Cleaning Respiratory Equipment

If you use any type of respiratory equipment at home, you may wonder about the best way to clean it. This equipment can range from nebulizers for breathing treatments, to CPAP machines, to oxygen concentrators, and anything you reuse.

I’m a retired respiratory therapist (RT) and, at one time, owned a medical equipment company. I’m disappointed in how things have changed over the years. It used to be that an RT came to your home and showed you how to assemble, disassemble and clean this equipment. But lately, the trend is toward just delivering the equipment via UPS or FedEx, assuming you will read and understand the instructions. That is, if they’re even included.

The good news is that cleaning this equipment isn’t difficult. Just disassemble the pieces of the nebulizer, or water bottle for the concentrator, or CPAP, or whatever equipment you reuse for any type of treatment. Pay close attention to how the pieces go together so that you can re-assemble them easily.

Then soak them in white vinegar mixed with water for about 30 minutes. Then rinse them and lay them on a paper towel to dry before reassembling them. Hang tubings so they can drain and dry faster. Alternatively, reassemble them and run the equipment so that the airflow dries the insides of the tubes, nebulizers, bottles, etc.

Distilled water is best, but people have used tap water with no problems. Recommendations vary from using one part vinegar to either three or four parts water (20% to 25% vinegar solution.) While either concentration works, it does matter that you use white or cleaning vinegar and not cider vinegar, because the particles can clog the tiny openings in nebulizers and water-bottle filters.

Hope these tips make your RVing life a little easier and healthier.

Fulltimers in spirit since 1999. We’ve worked from home since 1977 and have plenty to share about that. As a full timer, the ability to work from wherever we take our RV is a survival tactic. Our travels our funded through writings, Udemy.com courses, Shoestring Startup™ business books, teaching courses in working from home or RV, courses in genealogy, and our affiliate sales of similar materials. Our resource pages are accessible through http://www.adhocgroup.net. Everyone can do something, and we’ll help you live healthier by making a living from whatever it is you do, naturally. Full timing was the best decision we ever made. We enjoy a healthier lifestyle and time to give and take according to the opportunities life presents us.

Nine Everyday Uses For Plain Old White Vinegar

Nine Everyday Uses For Plain Old White Vinegar

We all run into situations where we end up using chemical products we don’t want to use. So, it’s nice to know there’s a safer alternative. Trusty old vinegar, especially white vinegar, can solve many of those problems without side effects. Here are nine ways to use it at home.

White Vinegar vs Cider (or other) Vinegar vs Cleaning Vinegar

Not all vinegars are equal. One reason why I specify white vinegar rather than apple cider or other kinds of vinegar is price. White vinegar only costs about $ 2.50 a gallon. Another is because other vinegars have residues in them. The same apple cider vinegar with the “mother” that is so beneficial when consumed, will clog the tiny openings in your nebulizer. It might leave smelly residue on your pets, or particles on your bathroom shower walls or door. Why pay more when white vinegar gives better results?

Most white vinegar is 5% strength. Another product, called cleaning vinegar, is a bit stronger at 6%. Cleaning vinegar has a bit more punch, but watch the price. At $ 5/gallon, it’s not THAT much better. At $ 3/gallon, it’s a deal.

Personal Uses for Vinegar

Vinegar to Prevent Cellulitis

This trick is one I figured out when my lower leg flared up on a weekend when the doctors’ offices were closed. I’d had cellulitis before and didn’t want it to progress to the infection stage. But it wasn’t worth a trip to the emergency room, either.

I figured that it couldn’t hurt to try the vinegar treatment – better that than do nothing. After soaking a dishtowel in vinegar (I could have used any type of vinegar as the residue wouldn’t make a difference,) I wrung it out and wrapped it around my ankle and lower leg for about 30 minutes. It worked. The inflammation went down right away and it didnt feel hot anymore. I did this again the second day, and my leg returned to normal by the third day.

Caution, though. If you do this and don’t get noticeable results within an hour or two of the first application, do seek medical care. If it’s hot and tender, definitely go to an urgent care or the emergency department. People have been hospitalized for cellulitis.

Vinegar to Remove Dry Skin

One outcome of treating the cellulitis was that the some of the vinegar dripped down to my foot. After 30 minutes of that, my dry, “summer foot” callouses began to break down. After scrubbing them with a washcloth to remove the vinegar-saturated, calloused skin, I was down to nice, soft skin on my feet. Compared to using lotion, which often took several applications, over several days, resulting in only partial softening the vinegar worked in less than an hour.

I’ve noticed, also, that anytime I work with vinegar, my hands are softer. And that’s better than using chemical laden lotions.

Vinegar as Pet Wash and Flea Killer

Like most cats, Mr. Mooo hates baths, so, we keep this torture as short as possible. This is as much for our benefit as his – he’s been known to draw blood the longer he’s kept wet. Judging from his angry eyes and iron grip on the edge of the sink (if not my arm,) I’m sure he hates this, but it cleans him nicely and leaves his fur extra soft.

While he rarely has fleas, we found that washing him with plain white vinegar kills any fleas he does have, immediately. They fall off easily during rinsing.

While, even with a thorough rinsing, he might smell vinegary for a while, the smell goes away completely once he’s dry. It also rinses off much easier than pet shampoo, so he, and we, are in and out much faster. And if he gets away before he’s completely rinsed, the vinegar won’t hurt him. I don’t know how licking off shampoo would affect cats, but it can’t be or taste good.

If you’re camping or RVing and have to wash your pets, especially outside, white vinegar is a godsend. No one’s going to care if you rinse a vinegar soaked dog in a river, or from a hose in the camping area.

Vinegar IS a weed-killer, so rinse where nothing desirable is growing, like a lawn or flower bed. Most RV slips have patios, dirt or graveled areas where you wouldn’t want weeds growing anyway, so you can knock out two jobs at once this way.

Practical Uses for Vinegar

Vinegar as Weedkiller

Speaking of weed-killer, white vinegar is a perfect choice. It’s natural, so no chemicals. Mix it with some magnesium and your weeds will wilt in about a day, and you’ll do no harm to the environment, people or critters. But, it can also kill off plants and grass that you want to keep, so apply it directly on the weeds you want to kill.

Vinegar to Remove Hard Water Stains

One day my husband decided to clean the shower door with vinegar instead of the chemical products we usually used for this purpose. Hard water is the toughest thing to clean in a shower, but white vinegar makes it a snap to clean off.

He was amazed at how easily and thoroughly it cleaned everything. It’s even easier when you use one of those Mr. Clean white sponges. But even with a regular or scrubber sponge, it works so nicely that I wonder how commercial products ever made it to the shelves. No chemicals, no smells, no fumes. And it disinfects, too.

Vinegar for Cleaning the Stove 

Easy-off and similar products clean ovens, stove tops, grills, very nicely. But they give off toxic fumes, and an RV is so small a space that everyone has to get out if they want to breathe safely.

On the other hand, good old white vinegar can cut right through those burnt spots. Well, not right through, but spray it with vinegar and let it sit a while. Then scrub it off with a scrubber sponge or a Mr. Clean sponge. If it doesn’t come off right away, spray the stubborn spot down then warm the oven or microwave before scrubbing to soften those stubborn stains.

Vinegar for Cleaning Burnt Pans

We’ve all burned something while cooking, then get frustrated about how to clean it up. Vinegar is excellent for loosening burnt on foods. Pour a layer of vinegar, enough to cover the burned-on area, and simmer it for a few minutes. Let it sit for an hour, then scrub it off. Heating it usually works when you need a bit more cleaning power.

Vinegar for Cleaning the RV’s Black Tank

Most of us use the bacteria solutions in our black tanks, but sometimes that’s not enough. About once a month we pour a gallon of cleaning vinegar into the tank to help break down whatever solids that are stuck to the tank. Because vinegar kills bacteria, pouring the usual tank solution with bacteria would be a waste of that product, so save it for the next time you flush the tank.

Vinegar for Cleaning Respiratory Equipment

If you use any type of respiratory equipment at home, you may wonder about the best way to clean it. This equipment can range from nebulizers for breathing treatments, to CPAP machines, to oxygen concentrators, and anything you reuse.

I’m a retired respiratory therapist (RT) and, at one time, owned a medical equipment company. I’m disappointed in how things have changed over the years. It used to be that an RT came to your home and showed you how to assemble, disassemble and clean this equipment. But lately, the trend is toward just delivering the equipment via UPS or FedEx, assuming you will read and understand the instructions. That is, if they’re even included.

The good news is that cleaning this equipment isn’t difficult. Just disassemble the pieces of the nebulizer, or water bottle for the concentrator, or CPAP, or whatever equipment you reuse for any type of treatment. Pay close attention to how the pieces go together so that you can re-assemble them easily.

Then soak them in white vinegar mixed with water for about 30 minutes. Then rinse them and lay them on a paper towel to dry before reassembling them. Hang tubings so they can drain and dry faster. Alternatively, reassemble them and run the equipment so that the airflow dries the insides of the tubes, nebulizers, bottles, etc.

Distilled water is best, but people have used tap water with no problems. Recommendations vary from using one part vinegar to either three or four parts water (20% to 25% vinegar solution.) While either concentration works, it does matter that you use white or cleaning vinegar and not cider vinegar, because the particles can clog the tiny openings in nebulizers and water-bottle filters.

Hope these tips make your RVing life a little easier and healthier.

Nine Everyday Uses For Plain Old White Vinegar

Acutely ill children waiting nine hours for beds in intensive care

Seriously ill children are waiting up to nine hours for an intensive care bed to become available, while others are being transported up to 120 miles from their homes to receive the medical treatment they urgently need, senior paediatricians have revealed.

In the last two weeks, at least 17 children with acute illnesses requiring intensive care have had to be transported out of their regions because of a lack of beds. Some paediatric intensive care units, treating the most seriously ill children, are worked at 150% of their capacity, such is the level of demand and lack of resources, according to the Paediatric Intensive Care Society. As of Friday night, there were just four beds available in England and one in Belfast.

The revelations illustrate the stress being faced by the NHS this winter. New figures provided by the Labour party additionally show that, in October, only 67.3% of ambulances for the most seriously ill adults and children, who are not breathing or do not have a pulse, arrived on the scene within eight minutes of being called, against a target of 75%.

Dr Peter-Marc Fortune, a consultant paediatrician and president of the Paediatric Intensive Care Society, said the network of intensive care units had been officially designated “critcon 2” at a national level, meaning that the system was running at “full stretch”.

Last week the Observer revealed that units in London and Leicester were at full capacity.

Fortune said the situation was now “hottest” in the north of England and added that he feared paediatric intensive care units nationally could in the coming days be designated as “critcon 3”, defined as an unprecedented situation under which three of the four regions declare themselves as working at maximum capacity.

He said: “I have heard back from about a third of the units in the country. None of them were running at less than capacity. And there were reports of anything up to 150% of what would be the commissioned full level.

“I would not suggest that anyone has come to any harm, and it is important to say that. However, we are concerned that the system is stretched to capacity and that any further stress on the system will risk a reduction in safety standards.

Dr Peter-Marc Fortune, president of the Paediatric Intensive Care Society

“We are in this position because we commission a certain number of beds in the country and during the year that capacity copes.

“But we believe, anecdotally, it runs above the international safety standard of 85% of capacity. Most units are reporting that over the year. When we come to the pinch points, which is traditionally the second and third weeks of December, you are obviously going to stress the system at that time. It is being pushed to its absolute limits.”

Fortune said he was aware in the last two weeks of a child having to be transported 120 miles to an intensive care bed, and a second case in which an acutely ill child had to wait nine hours before a free bed could be identified.

He said: “Fortunately with that particular child we were able to deliver all the therapies via our mobile team. There are therapies that require a child to be physically in an intensive care unit. We are being forced into a triage situation because we don’t have the ability to move children immediately into beds full time.

“While our mobile teams – of which there are only one or sometimes two for a brief period of time in each of the regions – are tied up they cannot respond to another case, perhaps in a different general hospital. People there will be very able to do the initial care but as things step up they cease to be in a comfort zone. It’s certainly not ideal.”

Fortune, who called for a review of paediatric critical care services being undertaken by the NHS to address the lack of resources, added: “In itself the time on the road is not a problem as long as the child doesn’t become unstable in that time. And our teams are very good at getting them stable. But you clearly want them to be able to get from a place of security to the ultimate place of security, which is intensive care, as fast as possible. And that ideally does not mean travelling 120 miles.”

Details of the current situation have emerged as a report from the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (Picanet) lays bare the strains on the system. In 2015, only a third (29%) of the country’s paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) met the nursing establishment levels currently recommended by the Paediatric Intensive Care Society.

One in five referrals for admission to a PICU are refused, with nearly two thirds of these refusals due to no staffed bed being available. The report notes: “While most children who require a PICU bed will eventually be admitted, the process of approaching many PICUs to find a bed is time-consuming and stressful for parents and carers and hospital staff.”

Referring to the data for last weekend, a spokesman for NHS England said: “Figures published on Friday show PICU occupancy across England was 85%, proving that beds are indeed available when needed.”

Acutely ill children waiting nine hours for beds in intensive care

Sludge Potion Number Nine

On your next trip to Home Depot or Lowes make sure to stop by the garden section and find a bag of Milorganite 5-2-0 Fertilizer. The bag with a picture of  bright green turf, a nice home, a little boy and a fluffy dog playing ball, with the sun shining and the blue sky. Big letters will inform you – “Organic Nitrogen Lawn Fertilizer. For better results. Naturally. Eco Friendly”.

Ahhh, the joy of a natural, wholesome way of living….

THE FINE PRINT

I confess – I have a nasty habit of reading the small print, always trying to find some high fructose corn syrup in a can of “homemade” lemonade, or soybean meal in a bag of “all natural” dog food. And so here I am, doing it again. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of Milorganite provides a wealth of information, if you care to comb through the 8 pages of it. ¹

Product description – A fertilizer product manufactured from various microbes used to digest sewage sludge.  Supplier – Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Let’s see if I can translate this; this bag is full of microbes that eat sewage. Milwaukee sewage to be precise. Or maybe it’s a bag of Milwaukee sewage sludge with some microbes in it? Either way – that doesn’t sound very organic.

This product is classified and labeled according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).² Below – an exclamation mark inside a red square and a mysterious GHS07 code. According to the GHS means: “substances and mixtures irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract”.

Hmmm. Shouldn’t that little boy on the picture wear protective gloves and eye/face protection?! That’s what the SDS advises on the bottom of the page 1 under Precautionary Statements.

And what about the fluffy dog?

On page 3 under the caption – Handling and Storage, I read with sinking heart:

“Some coprophagic canines may be attracted to the odor of biosolids, transfer their fecal attraction to Milorganite Fertilizer, rip open bags and over eat. A dog may be sick for 24-48 hours”.

“Vomiting that can lead to dehydration, incontinence (stiffness in hind legs), atrophy, depression…”

OK, now they really got my attention! I’m a dog person; I don’t want this sweet canine to suffer from atrophy and depression!

But let’s not stop here, my reading continues.

On page 2; Dangerous components. Activated sewage sludge, microbes. Skin irritant, eye irritant. Aquatic acute – code H401. I make a beeline back to the Globally Harmonized System; H401 stands for – Toxic to Aquatic Life.

Maybe that nice house has a goldfish pond in the back? Will the goldfish die? Somebody should tell the parents of that boy before he finds his goldfish floating belly up!

Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture: At high temperatures, this type of fertilizer can give off undefined fumes.

It is definitely sunny in the picture, so it’s possible that it’s hot.

Maybe I’m overreacting. Page 5 provides a momentary reassurance: Chemical stability: Stable under normal conditions.

On  second thought,  what are “normal conditions”?

Where was this picture taken? Maybe this is a suburb of Houston on an August afternoon? Likely the temperature will be around 100F and humidity at least 80%. Is that “normal”?

But let’s move along, bottom of this same page 5:

Biosolids have the potential to contain various pollutants. (…) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extensively analyzed the risk from these pollutants. These analyses have considered over 400 compounds.

RISK EVALUATION – EPA STYLE

Let’s take a closer look at the EPA evaluation of those 400 compounds. EPA indeed in 2006-2007 conducted the Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey (TNSSS), collecting 84 samples from 74 publicly owned treatment works (POTW).¹⁴ They analyzed collected sewage sludge samples for 145 analytes.  The analysis included anions, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, semi-volatiles, flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, steroids and hormones. The findings were published in 2009; anions, 27 metals, three steroids and flame retardants were found in every sample and semi-volatiles and aromatic hydrocarbons found in at least 72 samples.

What EPA usually does for “extensively assessing the risk” is a method called – Qualitative Risk Assessment (QRA).¹⁵ The method employs complex mathematical formulas to measure whether the practice, product or structure is reasonably safe. The QRA approach works fine when designing a bridge; you figure out how many rivets are needed on a particular section of a bridge that experiences heavy traffic during rush hours, using that amount will prevent the bridge from collapsing. When assessing a health risk from the exposure to a toxin, the method is an unfortunate choice.

For example; EPA can live with soil containing 300 ppm of lead.  They only consider a 150 lb male, ignore the unborn, elderly, ill; ignore other sources of lead exposure, and viola, if soil contains 300 ppm of lead–especially when averaged– in playgrounds and farms, it is safe.  In reality, NO amount of lead in soil is safe.¹¹

The TNSSS reports warns – “It is not appropriate to speculate on the significance of the results until proper evaluation has been completed”.

OK, I will not speculate then.  But – wait! The report was issued in 2009, now we have the end of 2016. Seven years later maybe is an appropriate time to not so much speculate but perhaps – reach some conclusions on the significance of those findings?

The 503 rule¹⁶ – federal regulatory document remained unchanged since its implementation in 1993.  It calls for testing of nine heavy metals, two indicator bacteria, phosphorus and nitrogen. That’s it. Not “145 analytes” or “400 compounds”. Biosolids Class A, that’s what Milorganite is, if tested at all – is tested only in accordance with the 503 rule – nine heavy metals and two bacterial indicators.

I continue with the Safety Data Sheet, page 5 informs us that:

In biosolids, pathogens may present risk. (…) To destroy pathogens, Milorganite is heated to 176F and dried.

 

 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FINDINGS

I breathe a sigh of relief, I should be able to reach an educated conclusion on this piece of information. By pure coincident, I recently happened to read a very interesting research article from Canada. ¹³

Researchers in this study collected several sewage sludge samples from two different biosolids treatment facilities over a period of one year. One plant treats waste activated sludge by anaerobic digestion and dewatering process. A second plant participating in the study treats sludge by a dewatering/pelletization process, combined with thermal drying. Several cutting-edge molecular techniques were used to assess the pathogen content of samples collected. The study concluded that the technology used by the second plant was more effective in killing off the bacterial load in sludge. Two indicator bacterial species that are federally regulated were indeed undetected in the treated sludges. The problem is – other bacteria were detected, species that are not required to be monitored. An opportunistic pathogen, such as Clostridium spp., produces endospores that are heat resistant and survive both modes of treatment. Clostridium is a causative agent for botulism, tetanus and enterocolitis.

If indeed the Milorganite is heated to 176F, what do you think happens to the heat-resistant Clostridium endospores? That’s right – nothing.

Another published study done by the Yale University scientists concludes that all samples of municipal wastewater residuals they collected contained pathogens.³ In this study researchers found DNA fingerprints of opportunistic pathogens in all collected samples, 61% of those pathogens were of the genera Clostridium and Mycobacterium.

It just happens that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a causative agent of pneumonia is heat resistant.⁴ If heating those bugs to 176F doesn’t kill experimental colonies on a petri dish, do you think it will kill them at the wastewater treatment plant? Maybe that sheds some light on why so many residents exposed to the dust from biosolids amended soils suffer from respiratory conditions.

ORGANIC FERTILIZER OR A CAN OF WORMS?

It’s impossible to truly assess the pollutant and pathogen content of a bag of Milorganite. Or any other sludge-derived “natural fertilizer”. The methods of monitoring implemented by the EPA are grotesquely inadequate, if anything, they do more harm than good. To a poorly informed public they give an illusion of protection, of an orderly and well-organized practice compliant with the main mission of the EPA – to protect the natural environment.

Treated sewage sludge, be it Class A (Milorganite, etc.) or Class B (agricultural biosolids), is mostly an unknown and unknowable mixture of toxins, pollutants, pathogens and just about any naturally occurring and man-made harmful substance. It’s concentrated million folds during the dewatering process and only partially deactivated. Not only do we have a very poor understanding of what exactly are the harmful components of sludge, but we know even less about all of  the possible interactions that take place when all the components of sludge are treated/heated and then spread on the land. The permutations of possible interactions are practically endless. ⁸

If you pick up a bag of Cheetos and look at the list of ingredients; you know you will be eating a highly processed corn product with artificial coloring and preservatives. You can make an informed decision to eat it or toss the bag.

Nobody truly knows what toxins and in what quantities hide in a bag of biosolids; what bacterial and viral pathogens mixed with a myriad of other toxins are spread in the parks and gardens across the country. ^5,6 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; semi-volatile organics; inorganic anions; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); antibiotics and their degradation products, disinfectants and other antimicrobials, steroids, hormones, the list goes on and on and on…..^7,9,10,12

What is needed to assess risks from the biosolids exposure is exposure studies. Most importantly – we need to stop the practice of spreading pollutants and toxins on the land.

References:

1. 36lb/16kg bag Milorganite 5-2-0. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) OSHA HazCom Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200(g) and GHS Rev 03. http://www.milorganite.com/-/media/Milorganite/Documents/MSDS/520_SDS_2015.pdf


2. A Guide to The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghsguideoct05.pdf


3. Bibby K, Viau E, Peccia J. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to reveal bacterial pathogen diversity in biosolids. Water Res. 2010 Jul;44(14):4252-60.


4. Doig C, Seagar AL, Watt B, Forbes KJ. The efficacy of the heat killing ofMycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2002;55(10):778-779. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1769777/


5. Harrison, E.Z., McBride, M.B. and Bouldin, D.R. (1999) ‘Land application of sewage sludges: an appraisal of the US regulations’, Int. J. Environment and Pollution, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp.1–36. http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/PDFS/LandApp.pdf


6. Jones C.C. 2011. Environmental Justice in Rural Context: Land Application of Biosolids in Central Virginia. Environmental Justice, vol 4, no 1, pp 1-15. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/env.2009.0034


7. Kim, S. et al. 2007. Potential ecological and human health impacts of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B–Critical Reviews 10: 559-573.


8. Lewis, D. L. et al. 2002. Interactions of pathogens and irritant chemicals in land applied sewage sludges (biosolids). BMC 2: 11. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471- 2458/2/11 43.


9. Lewis D.L. (1998) Microbes in the environment: challenges to exposure assessment. Science and the Unpleasant: Risk Assessment and Urban Sewage Sludge. Panel Presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science


10. Peccia J. 2016. A Guide to Sewage Sludge Exposure during Land Application.


11. Snyder, C. 2008. Baltimore sludge pilot project puts children at additional risk. Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health14(3): 241


12. Snyder, C. 2005. The Dirty Work of Promoting the “Recycling” of American Sewage Sludge. Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health 11: 415-427. http://www.sludgefacts.org/ IJOEH_1104_Snyder.pdf


13. Yergeau, E. et al. 2016.Comparison of Methods to Identify Pathogens and Associated Virulence Functional Genes in Biosolids from Two Different Wastewater Treatment Facilities in Canada. Plos One 11(4): e0153554. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27089040.


14. Targeted National Sewage Sludge Survey. Sampling and Analysis Technical Report. United States Environmental Protection Agency. January 2009. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-04/documents/targeted_national_sewage_sluldge_survey_sampling_and_analysis_technical_report_0.pdf


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16. A Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule. EPA/832/R-93/003 September 1994

Sludge Potion Number Nine

Nine ways funding for the global HIV response could go further

1 | Protect and promote human rights

Public resources are wasted on enforcing laws that criminalise HIV transmission and dehumanise at-risk populations. By contrast, laws that protect at-risk populations are powerful, low-cost tools that help ensure that financial and scientific investments for HIV are not wasted. Enacting laws based on sound public health and human rights will ensure new prevention and treatment tools – such as PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis], male circumcision and microbicides – reach those who need them. Changes in the legal and policy environment, along with other interventions, could lower new adult HIV infections to an estimated 1.2 million by 2031 (compared to 2.1 million if current efforts continue unchanged). Mandeep Dhaliwal, UNDP

2 | Make drugs cheaper

One way to make limited funds go further is to challenge drug companies on the high price of life-saving drugs. The use of unmerited patents by pharmaceutical companies to secure monopolies on their products must stop. Make Medicines Affordable is working with civil society to challenge unmerited patents and use Trips agreement flexibilities. Julia Powell, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition

In lower middle-income countries, the average antiretroviral (ARV) treatment cost for a new adult patient is around $ 350 [£283]. Of that, just 40% is the cost of the ARV – 35% is non-ARV recurrent costs (clinical salaries, laboratory etc) and then 25% is programme management. We really need to dissect non-drug costs and find ways to reduce costs with regard to generic licensing and optimising manufacturing costs. Anand Reddi, Gilead Sciences

3 | Support LGBT groups

There are some great new global funds supporting funding for local and national LGBT groups so that they can gather data on access to medicines for their community, in a way that ensures their confidentiality and safety. The Rapid Response Fund, funded by the Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF), the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) and UNAids, will support civil society organisations that are led by, or work closely with, MSM [men who have sex with men] and LGBT people and communities, to implement rapid responses to situations or events that threaten their access to HIV services. Grants of up to $ 20,000 [£16,000] are available. Mike Podmore, STOPAIDS

4 | Support adherence to ARVs

Drug resistance is a huge issue and one to which we are only just waking up. The World Health Organisation has produced a 2017-21 action plan which, I think, underlines that we have neglected to focus on adherence and support people not just to access ARVs, but to stay on them. Mike Podmore

5 | Integrate HIV into health sectors

Finance ministers tend to think in terms of sectors (eg health) or a clusters of sectors (eg the social sectors – education, health, social welfare), rather than in terms of individual issues like HIV. We need to integrate Aids financing into domestic health financing and make the argument to finance ministers that they need to increase investment in the social sectors, and health in particular. We need to underscore why this is an important investment in human capital and, therefore, in economic development. David Wilson, World Bank

6 | Collect and spend taxes on health

Some countries with major HIV epidemics have actually progressively reduced the share of the government budget they allocate to health, and many African countries with major HIV challenges collect a smaller share of GDP as revenue – and spend more collecting that small share – than comparable economies elsewhere. We must ensure that a significant share of the greater revenue collected is allocated to health, and spent as efficiently as possible. David Wilson

7 | Integrate HIV and water and sanitation programmes

Safe water can make an enormous difference to the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV. It can increase drug effectiveness by reducing diarrhoea and collaboration between HIV specialists at Safaids and in the water and sanitation sector have identified ways to integrate water and HIV programming more effectively in southern Africa to streamline investments. In addition, a recent systematic review showed that water and sanitation interventions to reduce morbidity among people living with HIV were cost-effective, particularly when incorporated into complementary programmes. Louisa Gosling, WaterAid

8 | Coordinate responses

In the HIV/Aids space, we can work with others focusing on health to share costs. In Malawi, for example, our mobile clinic teams test and treat for malaria and TB even though our core focus is HIV. Also, in our door-to-door testing pilot – where a team of eight canvases a village over a week to perform HIV tests – that same team will check for bed nets. If they do not have one, our HIV testing team will leave one and teach the family how to use it. One team, but two major health issues covered. Joel Goldman, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

9 | Push for more funding

We must reject the assumption that we will/can have less money and, instead, make it clear that less money, or even maintaining the same levels of funding, will lead to an increase in infections and deaths globally. Many organisations working on the global HIV and TB responses are shouting loudly about the funding alarm. It became even more urgent when the Kaiser Family Foundation found that global donor financing had reduced by 13% from 2014 to 2015. Our only way forward is to increase general public awareness and demand for donors and INGOs to increase HIV and TB funding up to 2020, and make it possible to end the epidemics by 2030. If not, we risk a terrifying rebound of the epidemics that we will struggle to get a grip on again. Mike Podmore

Read the full Q&A here.

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Nine ways funding for the global HIV response could go further

Nine Tips for Watching Your Weight and Saving Money When Traveling Away from Home

Traveling and eating out are synonymous with one another. When you’re on the road, you’re not planning meals as you normally would at home, and you typically have less time to prepare anything healthy to eat. Most of the time you opt to eat out at restaurants, fast-food joints, or go for snacks throughout the day rather than full meals. While the convenience of these practices is undeniable, it can have a noticeable effect on your health (and on your wallet). Below are nine helpful tips and strategies to keep your heart healthy and your bank account happy.

1. Shop at Local Grocery Stores

While we typically associate traveling with eating out, you would never eat three meals per day at restaurants if you were at home. Eating out not only costs more than buying from a grocery store, but it also pulls funds away from experiencing the area you’re visiting beyond the local cuisine. You can save a substantial amount of spending money by simply saving 1 or 2 (even 3) meals per day from the grocery store. Plan out your grocery lists for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and leave space for yourself to go out once or twice for each daily meal (so you can still get the local culinary experience). A good hybrid strategy is to find a local market that you can get both groceries and locally grown/distributed items.

2. Try to Avoid Restaurants When Possible

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, being away from home can mean that eating out at diners and restaurants could be your only option. As mentioned above, eating out can drain your finances fast, and according to an article published on OneCape Health News, those meals may be packing more calories than you may be aware of. In fact, “More than 92 percent of the meals studied exceeded caloric recommendations for a single meal.” So eat out sparingly, because your wallet and your health can be affected adversely.

3. Look for Housing with a Kitchen

Many hotels and Airbnbs have kitchens that are available if requested. While this will not always save you money, you will have greater control over your health and calorie intake. This is also a good way to maintain a natural/specialized diet if you’re looking to eat healthier as well as save money.

4. Pack Smart Snacks

Bring what you can. If you’re able to take a box of healthy granola bars on the plane, you should do so. If you can keep your motor running throughout the day and keep everyday meals small, you’ll be able to control your spending, appetite, and health all at once.

5. Don’t JUST Snack – Eat Full Meals, Too

Even though it’s a great penny saver, it’s not always realistic to pack a full set of snacks and meals for a trip. If you can’t avoid spending money on food as you travel, or if you’re unable to carry snacks with you, make sure to consume real meals. A bag of chips, coffee, a scoop of yogurt, and a piece of fruit can end up costing more than a heartier and more satisfying meal. While it might seem cheaper when you look at the lower prices of each item, it also adds up quickly. Ideally, you’re looking for best value (nutritional and price) which isn’t found in the snack section alone (and especially not in an energy drink).

6. Find a Free Lunch

Many conferences and hotels have some free meal that they’ll give away throughout the day. While you won’t be able to control your diet as easily, this can be a good way to supplement eating out and cooking wit

7. Combine Food with Entertainment

Try to keep an eye out for areas where you can combine your meals with an experience. This doesn’t mean you have to go to a fair or a hotdog stand.  You can take a cooking class, or visit a farmer’s market or specialty store. These activities can be a perfect way to ensure cost-effectiveness and personal health/diet.

8. Bring Reusable Water Bottles

This is rather self-explanatory, but the hidden costs of water bottles can add up quickly. Staying hydrated is critically important to living healthy, and can come in handy throughout the day during meals when you’re looking for something to quench your thirst or wash down a sandwich.

9. Find Deals in Advance

You can leverage deal sites like Groupon, Yelp Deals, and TravelZoo to find packages and discounts for restaurants and other meal solutions for a good cost.

Sources:

21 Reasons to Avoid Energy Drinks

16 Ways to Eat Cheap & Save on Food While Traveling on Vacation

How to eat healthy on the road

Nine Tips for Watching Your Weight and Saving Money When Traveling Away from Home

Belle Gibson was paid $75,000 by Nine for 60 Minutes interview, documents show

The disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson was paid $ 75,000 by Channel Nine for an exclusive interview on 60 Minutes, according to court documents filed by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

In June last year Gibson was interviewed by the 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown about faking brain cancer but her answers were incoherent and she even declined to give her age.

Nine has declined to say whether Gibson was paid for the bizarre interview, in which she told Brown she was the victim despite having deceived social media followers who believed she had terminal cancer.

“I didn’t trade in on my story or in other peoples lives,” Gibson told Channel Nine. “I’m not trying to get away with anything.”

Confirmation she was paid handsomely by 60 Minutes has emerged from the hundreds of documents filed by Consumer Affairs Victoria in the federal court.

A spokeswoman for Consumer Affairs confirmed the invoice for $ 75,000 dated July 2015 is included in an affidavit in the 1,500-page cache of documents filed with the court.

In May Consumer Affairs announced it would take action against Gibson after an investigation into her alleged contraventions of consumer law.

“The alleged contraventions relate to false claims by Ms Gibson and her company concerning her diagnosis with terminal brain cancer, her rejection of conventional cancer treatments in favour of natural remedies and the donation of proceeds to various charities,” the justice department said.

In the book The Whole Pantry, published by Penguin, Gibson claimed she had been diagnosed with malignant brain cancer at the age of 20 and had tried radiotherapy and chemotherapy but that diets and natural treatments had saved her life.

Penguin later withdrew the book from sale after acknowledging the statements made in it were not true.

Gibson’s payments from media appearances and her relationships with publishers and media companies are now being laid bare through the court case.

It was also revealed the federal court in Victoria last week that Gibson had made more than $ 420,000 from sales of her app and received a $ 132,500 book ­advance.

Company bank records tendered to the court show she made payments for a BMW, spent hundreds on Uber rides, spent money on overseas travel, including a trip to San Francisco, and at the Apple iTunes store and eating out at cafes.

Last week a video emerged of Gibson being coached by Penguin Publishing.

Her social media posts, including one where she said she had cured her terminal brain cancer “naturally”, are also being used as evidence she committed fraud.

So far Gibson has failed to appear at court.

Belle Gibson was paid $75,000 by Nine for 60 Minutes interview, documents show