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Sludge Report

Wayman

Cameron, MO (2009-07-02) The preliminary investigation into the use of Leather Tannery sludge for fertilizer on farms in Northwest Missouri finds there's no public health risk.

On the other hand, that material can no longer be distributed.

A lawsuit has been filed against St. Joseph's National Beef Leathers Tannery, claiming the company gave farmers fertilizer containing the hazardous chemical Chromium 6.

The suit alleges the sludge fertilizer is connected to a series of brain tumors in the Cameron Missouri area.

But environmental officials have tested numerous samples and said no health hazards have been found.

Mark Templeton is the head of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and says they have discovered chemical violations at the actual St. Joseph Tannery, so they've pulled the exemption they gave the company to distribute it as a fertilizer.

Templeton says the department plans more in-depth testing of samples of farmland taken from 15 more areas in Northwest Missouri.

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