# Milorganite & Composted BioSolids



## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

Forgive me, I'm new here. I see lots of ppl around here sold on Milo. I don't know much about it but isn't it just composted biosolids? (what's left over from sewage treatment plants) Are u guys concerned at all with what you are covering your yard with? All the medications, hormones, heavy metals, chemicals, and other things that go down the drain or toilet end up highly concentrated in this stuff.

Also, why buy Milo, and not just obtain biosolids locally for much less or even free? https://merrellbros.com/services/free-biosolids

.


----------



## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Not everyone has access to local biosolids for less or free compared to milo. If you have that option, take advantage! When using biosolids, most are high in P so do consider your P level before choosing biosolids as your N source. I use it as my P source...

If you have concerns about heavy metals or other contents, consider if you are going to eat it. Sure we don't eat grass but is your grass next to your food crops? If so, don't use biosolids. Do consider mulching or if you bag and put it in a compost pile, perhaps don't use that compost on your crops. If you only have grass, shrubs, and flowers but not growing food, what's the concern? You are using a recycled product and helping to reduce waste in landfills as well as feeding your lawn. The grass doesn't care...


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

I would also bet that many of those compounds in the medications get broken down over time by microbes...they're not much different from herbicides, after all. Everything is a chemical, and soil microbes tend to break many of them down over time. Why wouldn't the same hold for medications?


----------



## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

No clue, I'll prob give it a shot after leveling but it would be interesting to pull some soil samples from a few properties who have been using it religiously for several years just to see what turns up. Would also like to test the solids themselves to see what kind of contaminants exist.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

UFG8RMIKE said:


> No clue, I'll prob give it a shot after leveling but it would be interesting to pull some soil samples from a few properties who have been using it religiously for several years just to see what turns up. Would also like to test the solids themselves to see what kind of contaminants exist.


I use it and do soil tests, but I don't test for all the metals, or any biological substances. My copper levels did seem to increase over time (which was good because I was deficient). But I also applied Copper (II) Sulfate once a few years ago, so that could be why.


----------



## ryeguy (Sep 28, 2017)

You might want to read the Milorganite safety page, it touches on heavy metals.

Also, to reinforce what was said above, I'd be willing to bet most places do not have locally available biosolids. I haven't heard of anyone here having them easily available yet preferring milorganite.


----------



## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

Wish i had biosolids, but according to our cities plant manager the only plant that actually makes bio solids in anywhere near my area only sells by the dump truck load to farmers. Our city uses the bio-solids in the compost that they sell, its great stuff at $14/yard but obviously cant be used as a fertilizer.


----------



## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

ryeguy said:


> You might want to read the Milorganite safety page, it touches on heavy metals.
> 
> Also, to reinforce what was said above, I'd be willing to bet most places do not have locally available biosolids. I haven't heard of anyone here having them easily available yet preferring milorganite.


Here on the jersey shore we have OceanGro. It's almost identical to milo.

http://www.ocua.com/OceanGro/SitePages/Home.aspx


----------

