About Us

Our mission is to provide information on the issue of sludge using science, history, alternative uses, personal stories, and actions to protect the health and safety of our communities, food, and water.

We are a grass-roots organization of volunteers concerned about the safety of land applied sewage sludge, now referred to as biosolids by the industry promoting this practice.
Sludge Field

USFA 2009/2010 Summary of Events

The United Sludge-Free Alliance, in its first two years of operation gathered endorsements, sponsors, volunteers, donations and in-kind donations, registered as a 501c3 with MAREA as fiscal sponsor, created website at www.usludgefree.org, initiated national outreach to other sludge-fighting groups, hosted conferences and movie presentations, participated in educational conferences, radio and television interviews, published print and on-line articles and letters-to-editor, received article write-up in print and on-line media, create a movement.

  1. April 24, 2010 - Speaker, Berks Progress; Sinking Springs, PA; 'Basics of Sewage Sludge & How it Effects Our Food, Water and Communities" http://www.berksprogress.org/
  2. April 22, 2010 - Television Appearance, Our City, Our Town, Berks Community TV, debated with Michael Wardell, Exec. Director of Mid Atlantic Biosolids Association
  3. April 18, 2010 - Exhibitor, Berks County Earth Day, Reading, PA
  4. March 28, 2010 - Presentation, Kutztown Area Democratic Club, Kutztown, PA, 'Sludge-Free Foods & Companies You Can Trust,' by USFA intern, Lauren Sicher
  5. March 9, 2010 - Speaker, "Don't Tread On Us!" Revise ACRE Act 38 Rally, Harrisburg State Capital Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA
  6. Jan 29-30, 2010 - Panelist, Progressive Summit, Harrisburg, PA, 'Perspectives on Marcellus Shale Drilling'
  7. December 17, 2009 - Speaker, DEP Public Hearing on Marcellus Wastewater Standards, Allentown, PA
  8. December 16, 2009 - Guest, PA House Environmental Resource and Energy Committee Hearing, exploring Sewage Sludge as an Energy Source, Harrisburg, PA
  9. November 7, 2009 - Speaker, PBCCG Conference, Jarrettsville, MD: "The Chesapeake: Our, Bay, Our Food, Our Responsibility"
  10. November 3, 2009 - Radio Interview, WYPR 88.1 FM (NPR affiliate), Baltimore, MD
  11. September 18-20, 2009 - Exhibitor/Speaker, MAREA Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival, Kempton, PA - Exhibit (10,000 visitors), screening of "Crapshoot" by Bullfrog Films, and speaking presentations by - Jeff Moyer, Chairman of National Organic Standards Board | Darree Sicher, founder United Sludge-Free Alliance
  12. August 26, 2009 - Meeting with PA Department of Environmental Protect representatives in Harrisburg, PA
  13. June 13, 2009 - USFA conference: "The Rest of the Sewage Sludge Story", Kutztown, PA
  14. June 8, 2009 - Radio Interview, WEEU 830 AM, Reading, PA
  15. May 11, 2009 - Radio Spot, WXLV 90.3 FM Allentown, PA area
  16. April 27, 2009 - Television Interview, BCTV, Reading, PA
  17. April 19, 2009 - Exhibitor, Berks County Earth Day: Reading, PA
  18. April, 2009 - Launched USFA Facebook and USFA Facebook Causes
  19. March 26, 2009 - Speaker, Kutztown University Philosophy Club, Kutztown, PA
  20. March 17, 2009 - Speaker, Higgins/Barry Twp., PA Organizing Meeting
  21. March 10, 2009 - USFA conference: "Sludge Fertilizer: The Dangers to Your Livelihood, Land Farm & Future", Bowers, PA
  22. February 26, 2009 - Radio Interview, WPPA 1316 AM, Tamaqua, PA
  23. February 22, 2009 - Speaker, Kutztown Area Democratic Club, Kutztown, PA
  24. February 9, 2009 - Speaker, State House Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA, met with 5 legislators
Throughout the year, USFA has presented the film, "Sludge Diet" in locations throughout Berks County, PA, including Reading, Kutztown, Hamburg, Topton, Oley, and Bally, educating hundreds of people about the sewage sludge issue. USFA created a model for other sludge-fighting organizations to use this film as a community education and outreach program.

USFA in the Press

Toilet Paper Archives

The Toilet Paper is the USFA's newsletter. To add your name to the mailing list, click here. To view a back issue, click on the (pdf) link. To download the file, click on the disk icon on the toolbar on the top left of your screen or click on File and select Save As.

  • April 2010 (pdf)
  • February 2010 (pdf)
  • January 2010 (pdf)
  • November 2009 (pdf)
  • October 2009 (pdf)
  • September 2009 (pdf)
  • August 2009 (pdf)
  • April 2009 (pdf)
  • March 2009 (pdf)