EPA acknowledges potential dangers from PFAS in sewage sludge

The Environmental Protection Agency warned Tuesday in a first-of-its-kind study that “forever chemicals” in sewage sludge that’s used as fertilizer on farms across the country poses health risks to farmers, livestock and the environment.

The study adds to a growing body of research indicating that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, survive wastewater treatments and reenter the environment via treated wastewater and sludge. The contaminated sludge is then used as a fertilizer on farms where it can taint crops, water and soil.