Honey Dippin'

Living in Spring Hill FL has given me some very uncommon experiences. For one, having a garbage disposal has been a convenience throughout my adult life but having my very own underground cesspool is very unique. Adapting to the dos and don’ts of a septic tank has been a slow process.

Most notably, bones, shellfish casings, eggshells, glass, plastics and greases are among the obvious items to avoid. Fibrous foods, such as celery, cornhusks and potato skins, should also be avoided; they’re not easily broken down. Pieces of cut citrus peels are suggested to sweeten the disposal drain and, if frozen, help clean the unit of food buildup.

Toxic household cleaners will eventually seep into the soil, on it’s way to underground water supplies.

Simply put, the only items intended for the septic tank are water, human waste and “septic safe” bathroom tissue. Following that simple rule can save the expense of contacting a place of business that uses a hose called a “honey dipper” that fills up a “honey truck”!

This brings to mind my childhood on the farm. For one thing, there was no electric disposal. We had a wastebasket for man-made trash but also a separate “garbage pail” strictly for table scraps and other food wastes. It wasn’t a pretty sight or pleasingly scented and flies and bees tended to guard the contents during summer months. The pail would go to a farmer’s best disposal system: hogs. The pig slop was supplemental to a mixture of feed grains – those hogs had a very healthy, balanced diet.

These comments came to mind from information offered by Hernando County Utilities Director Joe Stapf.

Mr. Stapf invited homeowners to discard their food wastes along with the twice-weekly regular trash pick-ups, thereby avoiding the septic from reaching a state where un-decomposed sediment can restrict proper drainage. You don’t want a septic backup or the cost of a honey truck.

Mr. Stapf explained that the garbage would be added as landfill material along with other trash. My thoughts immediately foresaw a manmade hill that could eventually rival the higher altitude of Hickory Hill, a high-end community in the next ten to twenty years. Of course, residual soil contamination prohibits such development, but many a golf course has found its home atop these mounds of trash.

I also wondered if the added tonnage of trash pickup would result in increased fees to Waste Management Inc. Rates may go up anyway. (I’m in awe that WMI has transformed their fleet of trucks from diesel fuel to natural gas – cleaner means greener.)

Since 1962, 70 municipal landfill sites have given way to 39 golf courses, surrounded by upscale housing. Although landfills are given a daily cover of compressed soil to prevent an interaction between the waste and air, the breakdown of organic materials is restricted, producing large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas over 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide. As much as 70 million metric tons of methane escape into the atmosphere each year.

Although precautions are taken to lessen the release of methane, the most respectful means to maintain earth-friendly conditions is through organic recycling, where for-profit companies strictly recycle organic waste (treated wood is not used). California has been a leader in this field for decades, benefiting vineyards and other crops with nutrient-rich soil. Amerigrow, headquartered in Delray Beach, supplies organic products including mulches and compost soils. There are many others across the country.

Recycling organic wastes on an individual level can be a relatively easy endeavor. There are a variety of compost bins, such as wire mesh, fencing or a hole in the backyard. Above ground composts are generally 3’W x 3’H and a length as needed.

Vegetables and fruit waste with intermittent layers of finely cut grass and leaf clippings and dried cow manure starts the process. Turning the pile weekly and introducing worms to the pile will speed things up; they both maintain aeration for better decomposing. Keeping the pile moist will result in a naturally rich fertilizer within a matter of weeks, ready to be used in gardens, flowerbeds, and fruit and vegetable plants.

Unless you fail to follow established guidelines, especially turning, there should be no foul odor.

With increasing food costs, there are plenty of incentives for homeowners to grow their own gardens. The local 4-H Chapter can assist residents in their efforts to be successful in their farming endeavors.

Mr. Stapf can be commended for offering homeowners a convenient option to rid themselves of additional waste products with regular roadside pickup. The easiest is continued use of the garbage disposal. Or you can feed the scraps to your pig.