Is there research on septic system additives?
Over the past 40 years, there have been several studies conducted on septic tank additives; however, there is still some debate on their effectiveness. Part of the problem stems from the number of additives that are marketed and the lack of an established standard testing method for all additives. Complicating this situation is the debate between additives manufacturers and independent researchers regarding which effects are deemed beneficial and which are deemed detrimental. Currently, there is contention as to whether or not increasing the friability, or breakup, of the scum layer or enhancing the anaerobic decomposition process is beneficial in septic systems. Notable studies conducted include university research by William Sack, Ph.D., John T. Winneberger, Ph.D., and Rein Laak, Ph.D., as well as manufacturer research by L&F and INTERBIO. Several other research studies on additives were also conducted and are discussed in the following sections. Recently, the National Association of
