Contaminated Sewage Sludge Spreading Toxins To Food, Water and Air
Thanks to an industrial chemistry experiment gone awry, most people in the world have a harmful chemical in their bodies. A chemical cocktail designed to help families, firemen and others is the focus of an international industrial crime.
PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, are man-made synthetic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body. These chemicals have been used to make everyday products, including cosmetics, carpet, food packaging, Teflon and fire retardants for decades. PFOA and PFOS are two chemicals in the larger class of PFAS. More than 9,000 different types of PFAS have been identified.
Thanks to negligence and fraud, the vast majority of Americans of all ages are now part of this chemistry experiment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found forever chemicals in the blood of 97 percent of Americans, including breast milk. IForever chemicals have contaminated most of the food and water supplies around the world. The contaminant also threatens fish, wildlife and livestock.
People are most likely exposed by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air contaminated with PFAS.
Since PFAS don’t break down, they accumulate in the tissue of humans, wildlife and livestock. PFAS causes cancer, liver, thyroid, and kidney disease. They weaken the immune system, alter the metabolism, and disrupt the reproductive system. They cause infertility, miscarriage and birth defects. They cause neurological disorders. It also can blacken the teeth of those exposed. Much more research is needed to fully understand the public health and ecological impacts. Unfortunately, Pandora left the box long ago.
Thanks to one very tenacious lawyer named Robert Bilott, legal battles are gaining momentum. The movie Dark Waters summarizes Bilott’s courageous work.
The Problem With Sewage Mismanagement
Wastewater is the largest waste stream in the world and the most toxic waste stream in the world. It contains anything and everything that people, factories, hospitals and more can flush down a toilet. This massive wastestream is largely unregulated. Wastewater treatment basically separates the solids from the water and sends each stream back into our watersheds in highly toxic forms.
As such, sewage sludge is one of the most toxic substances on earth. It isn’t fertilizer and it isn’t safe. Wastewater isn’t drinking water or irrigation water. Show me where these processes account for unstoppable prions – the deadly protein that fuels and spreads neurodegenerative disease.
Thanks to reckless policies around the world, this waste stream has contaminated food, water and air around the world with neurotoxins, carcinogens, radionuclides, forever chemicals and more.
There was a time when human sewage was a fairly benign substance that cities and towns could disperse naturally without threatening an entire nation.
Under existing federal regulations, biosolids can be applied to agricultural lands, forests, tree farms, golf courses, turf farms, and other types of land. Biosolids can also be bagged and sold at stores for use on lawns or in home gardens. Biosolids generally are not used on specialty crops, such as fresh produce, and generally are used on crops where edible parts are not in contact with the soil. Some states, Tribes, or counties also have additional rules around the use of sewage sludge and biosolids.
In an attempt to protect public health and more, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft memorandum that would provide guidance to operators of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and related facilities, landowners and farmers, state and Tribal water agencies, and the public on ways to reduce potential risks posed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in biosolids (sewage sludge). Unfortunately, the damage has already been done. Virtually every creature on earth now has forever chemicals in their blood. Sewage sludge and biosolids dumped on open land have been contaminating food and water supplies for decades. Neurotoxins, carcinogens and radionuclides also are part of the threat posed by using sewage sludge as fertilizer and reclaiming wastewater for agriculture and municipal supplies.
EPA is taking a radically transparent approach by ensuring robust input is gathered to inform next steps. EPA will solicit comment on the draft guidance for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. Once the notice is published, comments can be submitted using Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2026-2509. The notice will contain additional information on how to submit a comment.
“One of EPA’s top priorities is to Make America Healthy Again, and reducing risk from PFOA and PFOS in biosolids is a critical part of that effort,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer. “This draft guidance will provide Americans with commonsense recommendations that can protect public health, while also supporting wastewater systems and beneficial use of biosolids when appropriate.”
The Trump EPA has gathered feedback from a wide range of stakeholders on this topic and recognizes the complexity associated with biosolids contaminated with PFOA and PFOS. Key Recommendations include:
- Land Applicators: Avoid applying biosolids near reservoirs, drinking water sources, or fishable waters;
- Crop Producers: Prioritize low-risk crops (such as fiber, grain, or corn for ethanol) over food crops with higher human exposure potential (such as soft fruits or leafy greens); and
- WWTP Operators: Implement improved system monitoring and alternative sludge management or disposal strategies.
We’re all part of the sewage problem, but misinformation, disinformation, incomplete science and more have compounded the problem. It has caused an environmental catastrophe and a public health disaster that is still unfolding.
Wastewater treatment plants are barely able to separate the liquids from the solids in this high-volume, toxic soup. Neutralizing and removing all neurotoxins, forever chemicals and radionuclides, for example, is impossible. Safe handling and disposal of this deadly waste stream is imperative, but the reality is much different. After superficial treatment, the water and the solids are pumped right back into the homeland for reuse.
Just a few years ago, sewage sludge killed underwater ecosystems, when dumped at sea. Today, it is hyped as fertilizer for farms, ranches, golf courses, parks, ballparks, school grounds, cemeteries, forests and beyond. Like magic, sewage sludge became biosolids and wastewater is now drinking water. Thanks to the EPA, the waste stream is the new gold rush.
The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
In October 1972, Congress enacted the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), a.k.a. the Ocean Dumping Act, to regulate the dumping of all materials that adversely affect human health, welfare or amenities, or the marine environment. It took the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 (an amendment to the MPRSA) to prohibit the dumping of municipal sewage sludge, industrial waste and medical waste into the ocean.
Bans were motivated by the discovery of contaminated wastes from sewage-derived microorganisms at public beaches, toxic metals in shellfish beds, and parasites in fish. Sewage sludge can contain heavy metals like cadmium and copper, which sewage treatment plants can’t filter out. Ocean dumping can destroy marine habitats and ecosystems.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been pushing a different story for the past 30 years. In response to the ban on dumping sewage sludge at sea, the EPA expedited a flawed, if not fraudulent, risk assessment and concluded that the toxic waste that destroyed marine ecosystems was actually beneficial to open land, including farmland, ranches, forests, parks, golf courses, school grounds, ballparks and city parks. The public was not aware of the threat from forever chemicals at the time. We also didn’t know about deadly prions, which are driving the global surge in neurodegenerative disease.
“Biosolids is a glorified term for sewage sludge,” said Gary Chandler, CEO of Crossbow Communications. The EPA estimates that more than 2.4 million tons of sewage sludge are applied to land annually as fertilizer.”
Biosolids are made from both municipal and industrial waste, and although they are treated to remove some pathogens and some other materials, PFAS are not removed during treatment and EPA does not currently limit the amount of PFAS they can contain.
It calls biosolids a cheap fertilizer (they pay farmers to take this toxic waste off their hands). Now, many farms and ranches are paying the ultimate price for this cheap fertilizer.
Make America Healthy Again
During the Biden administration, EPA released a draft risk assessment aimed at understanding potential risks posed by PFOA and PFOS in sewage sludge. After reviewing the comments provided by stakeholders, it determined “that the Draft Risk Assessment exhibited a number of flaws that have caused confusion among the public. This confusion has resulted in a lack of clarity in how stakeholders could apply the preliminary findings of the Draft Risk Assessment in their daily lives, or put another way, in how to determine what the findings of the Draft Risk Assessment means to them.”
According to EPA, based on the hypothetical biosolids and sewage sludge use and disposal scenarios modeled and presented in the Draft Risk Assessment, the EPA’s focus on higher-risk scenarios, the lack of discussion about risks to the public, and the use of one part per billion as the modeled concentration resulted in a misconception that all biosolids and sewage sludge use and disposal practices will negatively affect the public.
The draft guidance aims to provide clarity to stakeholders about the more common potential risks from PFOA and PFOS and identify some potential practices that can be taken to reduce PFOA and PFOS exposures. EPA notes that the draft guidance memorandum does not have the force and effect of law, nor does it bind the public in any way. Comments are due September 4, 2026.
EPA Settlement Reforms Some Policies, Practices
On June 24, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) announced the first comprehensive federal settlement with a major PFAS manufacturer, Chemours. EPA alleges that Chemours released PFAS into the Cape Fear River (North Carolina), the Delaware River (New Jersey), and the Ohio River (West Virginia) — in some cases without required permits, and in other cases in violation of those permits.
Under the $450 million settlement agreement, Chemours will spend more than $337 million on injunctive relief, including an estimated $280 million to provide alternative drinking water, $60 million to ensure compliance with the law at its West Virginia facility, and additional funds to ensure compliance at its other facilities. Additionally, Chemours will conduct projects under a multi-year, government-supervised $90 million per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mitigation program. EPA states that the settlement “further advances EPA’s ‘polluter pays’ commitment, holding accountable those who have significantly contributed to the release of these ‘forever chemicals.’”
According to the EPA, the settlement addresses alleged Clean Water Act (CWA) and West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act violations, including unauthorized discharges and permit violations. EPA states that the settlement also addresses Chemours’ alleged violations of requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) associated with environmental release restrictions for multiple PFAS, including restrictions on releases to air and water at four facilities in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Finally, the settlement addresses alleged Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) violations of accepting shipments of hazardous waste in violation of its RCRA permit and unauthorized storage of hazardous waste. EPA notes that in addition to addressing PFAS contamination, the settlement also resolves other environmental violations.
Settlement Doesn’t Ban Forever Chemicals
- Bring its facilities back into compliance with the law;
- Complete 14 treatment system projects to reduce PFAS in wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater at its West Virginia facility;
- Control releases of GenX (a type of PFAS) from each facility at an efficiency of at least 99 percent;
- Test drinking water and provide treated or alternative water to communities near its plants in West Virginia and New Jersey;
- Implement controls at its North Carolina facility based on recommendations from an independent engineering firm;
- Start enhanced leak detection programs and conduct engineering reviews to assess and reduce additional PFAS releases;
- Certify that it is properly storing hazardous waste; and
- Undertake projects under a multi-year, government-supervised $90 million mitigation program.
Pursuant to EPA policy, EPA assessed Chemours a $22.5 million civil penalty based on ability to pay. EPA notes that this amount was set after EPA and DOJ reviewed Chemours’ financial records. According to EPA, the settlement “allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for critical commercial and military applications, including those where substitutes are not readily available, while preventing future contamination and protecting communities from that contamination.” The proposed consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Comments are due to DOJ by July 29, 2026.
Some states and public health advocates have been critical of the deal, which explicitly allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, for example, described the settlement as a “backroom deal” and an “insult” to the people of the state. Other groups, like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), raised concerns that the penalty amount — $22.5 million — was far lower than EPA’s headline, and inadequate to address the harms and discourage future pollution. The public comments on the proposed settlement and how the court will consider those proposed terms will be worth keeping an eye on.
Sewage Sludge Spreads Prions
Despite trillions of dollars spent on homeland security and defense over the past two decades, most Americans and others around the world are consuming PFAS-contaminated water and/or food, using contaminated products or breathing contaminated air. At least 45 percent of America’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of the chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, according to a 2023 study by the U.S. Geological Survey.
There are more than 12,000 types of PFAS, not all of which can be detected with current tests; the USGS study tested for the presence of 32 types. PFAS is just the tip of a very large and very toxic iceberg. Unstoppable neurotoxins might pose an even more formidable threat.
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