Here in Wisconsin, it seems like everything erupts into a political battle lately. Even the septic service business is not safe from the trials and tribulations. In a recent controversy, accusations are flying that a liquid waste hauler faced minimal penalties for violations of a land-spreading permit because he donated to a political candidate who is now an official for the state Department of Natural Resources.
I don’t want to address the political battles or talk about the actions of a specific hauler in question. Rather, I want to refer to this rancorous situation as a “teachable moment.” My point is this: If we as an industry want to be considered professionals, we need to act professionally … all of us and all the time. And if contractors want to continue to land-apply septage wherever that practice is still allowed, they need to follow the letter of the law and prove they are concerned about the environment.
I won’t argue over whether or not an individual pumper is being fairly criticized for overspreading septage. In this case and others, pumpers have been fined and held up to public scrutiny for violations. Whether these cases were the result of an inadvertent recordkeeping error or blatant illegal dumping doesn’t matter much in the court of public opinion. What matters more — in the long run — is the reputation of pumping contractors as respected environmental services professionals
Sure, the general public doesn’t always understand that land-spreading of septage is an accepted practice in many states and is carefully watched by health and environment departments. The public hears about a violation and is less apt to believe what the industry and environmental officials tell them about safe spreading.
Take this story for example: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/column/guest/helen-sarakinos-septic-waste-spread-on-fields-a-raw-deal/article_421a4b8a-9bc7-11e1-9a75-0019bb2963f4.html
This guest columnist in the Wisconsin State Journal, prompted by the current controversy, advocates for eliminating all land-spreading of human waste. I cringed when the writer lumps all pumpers into the same group:
“The industry is comprised largely of smaller operators unaccustomed or unwilling to operate under permits and who, according to conservation professionals, are more apt to play ‘fast and loose’ with the minimal requirements they do have,’’ wrote Helen Sarakinos, the water policy program director for the River Alliance of Wisconsin.
It doesn’t matter if this statement is untrue or a mischaracterization of the vast majority of pumping contractors. It’s what this writer — and a certain number of readers of the story — will believe from now on. Pumpers need to fight these perceptions at every turn. The first component of the battle is following regulations carefully and holding industry colleagues to the same high standards. Then communicate about your environmentally responsible practices with customers and local policymakers.
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