Human Waste as Farm Fertilizer

Treating and using human waste as fertilizer is a growing industry, and the policies of some governments allow it to be used to grow food for human consumption. Sixty percent of America’s  “biosolids” are used to “fertilize agricultural land, public parks, golf courses, and home gardens” (Hydroviv, May 18, 2022), and “millions of tonnes of treated sewage sludge is spread on farmland” in the United Kingdom each year—amounting to about 87 percent of all UK sewage sludge (The Guardian, July 7, 2025). These fertilizers contain nitrogen and other elements that contribute to healthy crops—however, there is a darker side to consider.

If improperly treated, biosolids contain high levels of bacteria and viruses. Treated or not, human waste fertilizers contain heavy metals like lead and mercury. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified 726 chemicals in these human waste products (Hydroviv), including “forever chemicals” (The Guardian). Additional chemicals include “flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and toxic waste from homes and industry.” A professor at the James Hutton Institute observed, “We all put chemicals down the drain, take medicines—these end up in the sludge and on land, and can enter the food chain.” In several nations, laws for testing biosolids do not require testing for most modern chemicals, and these fertilizers are often given to farmers at little or no cost by sewage treatment facilities looking to offload their solid waste.

Long ago, God gave guidelines on how to treat human waste—take it outside the camp, away from the people, and bury it (Deuteronomy 23:12–13). The God who made the human body knew the risks of using human waste for agricultural purposes, yet man always seems to believe he has better ideas than His Creator. God promised the ancient Israelites that, if they would follow His laws, they would avoid the diseases that came on other nations (Exodus 15:26). His intent was for His laws to bless His people. When we reject God’s loving guidance, there are always profound problems. You can learn more about our Creator’s lovingly given health laws by reading or listening to Biblical Principles of Health.