Summary
In 2008, Mahanoy Township in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania adopted an ordinance banning corporations from engaging in the land application of sewage sludge, prohibiting chemical bodily trespass, stripping corporations of their legal personhood, and recognizing rights of nature within the township. The ordinance also states that natural communities and ecosystems shall be considered legal “persons” for the purpose of protecting those rights (7). The ordinance cited a need to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents, the soil, groundwater, surface water, the environment and its flora and fauna, and the practice of sustainable agriculture. The ordinance is still in effect.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/mahanoy-township-sewage-sludge-ordinance/.
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