Harford County (Map, News) - As more Harford residents sound off about sludge being spread on farms around the county, the Maryland Department of the Environment is planning an information session to explain farmers’ rights to do so.

The meeting is not a public hearing at which residents could voice concerns. No date is set, but the meeting could happen as soon as the first week of August, MDE spokeswoman Julie Oberg said.

Residents who live near Susquehanna State Park have complained about the smell and cleanliness of sludge, or liquefied, processed fertilizer, being dumped there. Aberdeen residents have done the same with sludge dumped near Wetlands Golf Course.

And people from Forest Hill have been pouring complaints to County Councilman Jim McMahan recently about the stench from sludge being dumped at farmland there.

“For a day or so, it’s nauseous, so that was their main concern, but they also brought up the safety,” McMahan said.

The sludge is regulated by MDE, but Klein’s Family Markets co-owner Andy Klein says the sludge can cause illness.

“They certainly wouldn’t let liquid human manure get into the water,” Klein said. “What’s the difference between liquid manure and human manure? Nothing. You’re going to get sick either way.”

But with regulation codes set, there isn’t much residents can do short of changing the law, which isn’t likely to happen, because the practice has been used for years, county Agricultural Coordinator John Sullivan said.

“It’s in common usage,” Sullivan said. “It’s basically a standard practice. I don’t know what all caused vocal opposition to be coming up.”

He said the sludge is safe when handled correctly and that he’s never heard of any mishandling.

“Just because it was done before doesn’t give the agriculture business carte blanche to do whatever they want,” Klein said. “We’re more sophisticated than that now.”

msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com