Twenty four years ago, Congress passed legislation codifying national standards for Certified Organic farmers. In the intense lobbying that took place prior to passage, there was debate over a few components of the rules that were not exactly front and center to organic at the time. One was a prohibition on the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Another was a ban on the application of “sewage sludge” — treated material from wastewater treatment facilities.
At the time, the logic in the organic community ran that sewage sludge had a “yuck” factor that would cause public relations problems for organic farmers. It was also broadly known among farmers that California and other states already prohibit the use of treated sewage on fields that are used to grow fresh vegetables and other crops for “direct human consumption”. In other words, the addition of the ban on sludge in organic fields felt like virtual signalling more than anything else and was unlikely to impact farmers much.
Fast forward to today’s news. New data is showing that so-called “Forever Chemicals” used to make thousands of consumer products are building up in human bloodstreams, causing intense concern and scrutiny from public health and environmental agencies. PFASs have now been linked to a broad range of chronic health problems including cancer, immune problems, thyroid damage, and many others. While even the small amounts found in human bodies may be enough to cause healthy problems, much larger amounts and higher concentrations end up downstream in water waste treatment facilities. They come both from human and industrial sources.
Wastewater treatment facilities do not currently test for levels of PFASs, nor do they remove or neutralize them as they do harmful pathogens. This means that the sewage sludge they produce — the solids left over after the water is removed — effectively concentrate them. Sewage sludge can contain a tremendously high amount of “Forever Chemicals”. And much of that sludge is disposed of by spreading on farm fields.
In theory, the application of sewage sludge to agricultural fields is a good thing. Human waste contains many of the same beneficial compounds as animal manure, and for thousands of years was used by farmers as fertilizer — “nightsoil”. For crops that are grown for industrial uses — such as soybeans or corn for ethanol — or for animal feed, using sewage sludge appeared to be a sustainable alternative to fertilizer produced with fossil fuels. It also reduced the impact on landfills where the sludge might otherwise have been disposed. And farmers are actually paid to dispose of it. It seemed like a win for everyone. The EPA for years has approved of and actively encouraged its use as a soil amendment.
But “Forever Chemicals” do not break down in the soil like the other components of human waste. And they are certainly not beneficial. They build up in the soil and potentially run off into surface and groundwater. Worse yet, they are taken up by plants and passed along into the crops they produce. In particular, they appear to accumulate in the tissue of livestock that feed on forage and feed crops like pasture, hay and grain.
Maine has now prohibited the use of sewage sludge on farm fields entirely, and has begun testing the soil on farms where it was used. And the state of Michigan recently found extremely high levels of PFAS in the soil of one farm as well as in the cattle grazing on the property. That farm has been prohibited from ever “participating in agriculture” again. There is widespread concern — fear — that much of the land that applied sewage sludge may be contaminated forever by these chemicals. The legal implications are only beginning to surface, but you will likely be hearing much more about it in the future.
In hindsight, the decision to prohibit the use of sewage sludge in organic agriculture seems sadly prescient. While there never has been a risk of consuming PFAS in your fresh fruits and vegetables in California — organic or conventional — sewage sludge is allowed for use to grow hay and other livestock feed. Organic dairy products are one of the most popular types of organic food, and now would seem to be clearly safer in that regard than conventional dairy products. Even “grass fed” or “free range” beef, chicken or eggs that are not certified organic could conceivably be contaminated with PFAS if the animals grazed on grass that was fertilized with sewage sludge. That is a very good reason to only buy organic animal products, if you consume them at all.
From a farmer’s perspective, the idea of having your land poisoned forever is a horrific nightmare. And having it happen as a result of the use of a product that was supposedly safe and beneficial is inconceivable. I truly feel their pain. Farmers who de facto avoided this fate by deciding to go with organic certification — which is not an easy process — have discovered yet another benefit to their decision, and are likely thanking their lucky stars.
Thanks,