Tell the EPA: Keep Toxic Sludge Out of Farms

Sewage sludge, the solid material left after wastewater treatment, is often spread on farmland and sold as fertilizer. But wastewater treatment doesn’t remove or destroy PFAS, “forever chemicals” like PFOA and PFOS, so they accumulate in sludge and can move into soil, crops, livestock, and water. PFAS have been linked to serious public health issues, especially during critical life stages such as pregnancy and early childhood. A previous EPA assessment found that farm families and their neighbors could face health risks in some scenarios.

The EPA is now asking for public comment on a revised guidance that downplays the risks and removes the most effective guidelines to keep the public safe. We’re urging EPA to:

• Make industrial pretreatment the top priority. When Michigan required wastewater treatment plants to use pretreatment methods to contain PFAS at the source, contamination levels fell by 99%.
• Avoid incineration wherever possible, as they themselves acknowledge it can’t properly treat PFAS pollution.
• Keep sludge away from all surface water, not just fishable or drinking-water sources.
• Keep sludge off crops for people and livestock, and off grazing land.
• Not just share voluntary guidelines; enact regulations that require actions to contain and monitor PFAS in sewage sludge before it pollutes our farms and communities.

Maine and Connecticut have already banned sludge spreading. Until federal rules catch up, clear, protective guidance is the least EPA can offer families and farmers.

Comments are due Monday, October 5. Add your name below to send your public comment to EPA today.