Peruvian bird dung

Peru's Guano Trade - a New York Times slideshow June 2008

"Guano is an organic fertilizer once found in abundance on more than 20 islands off the coast of Peru, where an exceptionally dry climate preserves the droppings of seabirds like the guanay cormorant and the Peruvian booby.

"...teams of laborers from the highlands of Peru now scrape the dung off the soil by hand and place it on barges destined for the mainland... they rise before dawn to scrape the hardened guano with shovels and pick-axes.

"Guano in Peru sells for about $250 a ton while fetching $500 a ton when exported to France, Israel and the United States. Its status as an organic fertilizer has also increased demand, transforming it into a organic niche fertilizer sold around the world."

Pool water contamination

A certain Pennsylvania county wants to prevent incidents in pool water that sicken residents.

"Impatient for tighter state health safeguards following cryptosporidosis outbreaks at pools in Montgomery and Chester counties last summer, Bucks County has drafted its own tougher rules for public bathing places.

"The highly contagious parasitic infection -- spread through contaminated feces -- causes diarrhea, cramps and other symptoms that mirror stomach flu.

"...Central to Bucks County's effort to prevent an outbreak of cryptosporidosis is a requirement that pools shut down after any "fecal, diarrhea or vomiting incident" in the pool water."

newspaper article:
Bucks looks to safeguard pools; County wants rules to prevent contamination from feces, vomit. Morning Call. Allentown, Pa.: May 9, 2008. pg. B.1