A new study conducted on ten working farms in the northeastern U.S. reveals alarming levels of PFAS contamination in soils treated with biosolids. Researchers found that fields fertilized with biosolids contained significantly higher levels of PFAS compared to untreated fields, raising serious questions about how these chemicals are making their way into food and water sources.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in countless household and industrial products, from nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing to firefighting foam and food packaging. While their ability to repel water and grease has made them commercially useful, their indestructible nature has turned them into a global environmental hazard. They do not break down easily and have been linked to severe health risks, including:
The study found that biosolid-treated soils contained up to 100 times more PFAS than untreated fields, depending on the farm. Even more concerning, short-chain PFAS compounds were detected in nearby streams, indicating that these chemicals are leaching into water sources.
Biosolids are widely used in farming because they are a cost-effective alternative to synthetic fertilizers. However, wastewater treatment plants, where biosolids originate, cannot fully filter out PFAS. This means that when these fertilizers are applied to fields, PFAS chemicals can remain in the soil, be absorbed by crops, or run off into groundwater and surface water sources.
This cycle creates an unseen pathway from wastewater to farmland to our food and drinking water. Although PFAS levels in biosolids are currently unregulated at the federal level, several states—including Michigan and Maine—have already restricted or banned the agricultural use of biosolids due to contamination concerns.
This isn’t just a farming issue. It’s a public health crisis in the making. PFAS contamination in soil means it can end up in the fruits, vegetables, and grains we eat. It can also affect dairy and meat products when livestock consume contaminated feed or water.
Worse yet, once these chemicals enter the food chain, they bioaccumulate, meaning they build up over time in our bodies. Studies have shown that nearly every American has detectable levels of PFAS in their blood, yet most people have no idea how these chemicals got there.
Regulatory agencies and policymakers are beginning to take action, but progress is slow. In January, the EPA released a draft risk assessment for key PFAS chemicals in biosolids, but until stricter federal regulations are in place, the contamination will likely continue.
Here’s what consumers, farmers, and policymakers can do now:
PFAS contamination isn’t a problem of the distant future—it’s happening now, and it’s closer to your dinner table than you might think. The findings from this latest study serve as a wake-up call: we must act now to protect our soil, water, and food supply from these persistent pollutants.
Because when it comes to 'forever chemicals,' their impact on our health might be just as long-lasting as their name suggests.
