"Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge used as fertilizer can pose risks that sometimes exceed safety thresholds “by several orders of magnitude,” the agency said."
"For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday warned that “forever chemicals” present in sewage sludge that is used as fertilizer can pose human health risks.
In an extensive study the agency said that, while the general food supply isn’t threatened, the risk from contaminated fertilizer could in some cases exceed the E.P.A.’s safety thresholds “sometimes by several orders of magnitude.”
A growing body of research has shown that the sludge can be contaminated with manmade chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are used widely in everyday items like nonstick cookware and stain-resistant carpets. The chemicals, which are linked to a range of illnesses including an increased risk of cancer, do not break down in the environment, and, when tainted sludge is used as fertilizer on farmland, it can contaminate the soil, groundwater, crops and livestock."
Hiroko Tabuchi reports for the New York Times January 14, 2025.
SEE ALSO:
"EPA Warns That ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Fertilizer Could Pose Health Risks" (Washington Post)
"PFAS In Sludge Spread On Farmland Poses Health Risks, EPA Report Says" (The New Lede)
"Chemicals In Sewage Sludge Fertilizer Pose Cancer Risk, EPA Says" (AP)
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