WE HAVE A TARIFF ON SEWAGE SLUDGE

The most stunning aspect of the tariff schedule is that it has managed to catalogue every single trade-able product known to humankind. The 1,500 page document covers everything from “boring machines” to “bells or buzzers for use in the repair of logging trucks.” Easily the weirdest tariff is number 3825.20.00, the 6.5 per cent tax on “sewage sludge.” To be clear, it doesn’t refer to fertilizer. It’s a catch-all term for the various stages of human waste that end up at urban sewage treatment facilities. As of press time, the National Post was unable to identify any Canadian importer specializing in foreign sewage sludge. Incidentally, medical waste such as soiled bandages or used needles can be imported into Canada tariff-free.