The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing criticism for its latest draft risk assessment regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in biosolid fertilizers. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has voiced concerns that the agency has failed to adequately address the substantial public health risks posed by these toxic substances.
According to the comments filed by PEER and the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the EPA, the draft assessment downplays the negative human health effects associated with even minute levels of PFAS in sewage sludge used as fertilizer. Reports estimate that nearly 20% of U.S. agricultural land currently utilizes sludge-based fertilizers, potentially contaminating up to 70 million acres with PFAS.
Recent findings indicate that a single application of sewage sludge containing as little as 1 part per billion (ppb) of PFAS can lead to significant health risks. The EPA conceded that its draft risk estimates exceed acceptable human health risk thresholds for various farming scenarios. However, the agency’s analysis is criticized for using unrealistic assumptions in its conclusions. Notably, the assessment presupposes that individuals do not reside on PFAS-contaminated farms for more than a decade and that farms would only receive one application of biosolid fertilizers.
“EPA must fix the glaring flaws in its draft risk assessment and finally regulate PFAS in sewage sludge,” said Kyla Bennett, PEER Science Policy Director and former EPA scientist. “It should not take EPA decades to catch up to the consensus of the scientific community on this urgent issue.”
PEER represents ranching families from Johnson County, Texas, and various organizations, including the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, in a lawsuit against the EPA for not adhering to Clean Water Act requirements to regulate toxic pollutants in biosolids.
Laura Dumais, PEER Staff Counsel, emphasized the potential risks to American food security due to the EPA’s inaction. “EPA’s dereliction of its duties under the Clean Water Act puts the burden on states to protect their farms, their farming families, and our food supply,” Dumais stated.
Significantly, the EPA’s draft assessment examined only two of the thousands of PFAS varieties and overlooked the cumulative effects of PFAS mixtures commonly found in fertilizers. The agency did not consider exposure routes such as inhalation and skin absorption.
Human exposure to PFAS is associated with a range of serious health issues, including cancer, birth defects, and impairments to liver, kidney, and immune function. Critics argue that the EPA’s narrow focus on PFAS neglects a comprehensive approach necessary for addressing these hazardous substances in various environmental contexts, including drinking water and agricultural practices.
As the EPA continues to develop its regulatory framework, advocates are calling for urgent reforms to ensure the protection of public health and the environment from the dangers posed by PFAS in biosolids.
