Sewage sludge, a byproduct of wastewater treatment plants, has been used as a fertilizer on agricultural lands for decades. Also known as “biosolids,” they have been marketed as an affordable fertilizer alternative to farmers and sold as compost to home gardeners. But evidence shows sludge spreading puts local communities, drinking water, and food systems at risk. The sludge often contains a wide range of harmful contaminants, including PFAS “forever chemicals,” microplastics, industrial solvents, pathogens, and pharmaceuticals, none of which are fully removed through current treatment processes.
Drinking water is now subject to strict PFAS limits in New York in response to harm caused by the toxic chemicals, but there are currently no enforceable limits for PFAS in sludge spread on farmland. Despite DEC identifying biosolids as a source of emerging contaminants, the state continues to promote land application of these materials in its Solid Waste Management Plan, even calling for a substantial expansion of its use. Maine and Connecticut have banned biosolid use on farmland after widespread PFAS contamination devastated local farms, poisoned wells, and cost millions in cleanup. More locally, the shipment of sewage sludge on farmland from out-of-state prompted several counties, including Albany and Schoharie, to successfully pass local moratoriums in response to the crisis. It's time for similar action to be taken on a statewide scale. Will you help New York become the next State to put strong legislative protections in place?
Thanks to the leadership of Senator Harckham and Assembly Member Kelles, legislation (A.6192-C/S.5759-B) has been introduced that will:
- Place a 5-year moratorium on the spreading of biosolids on any land in NY
- Require testing of soil and groundwater on land where sludge has been applied
- Mandate PFAS monitoring at wastewater treatment plants
- Establish a remediation and transition fund for impacted farmers and landowners
- Convene a task force to assess long-term waste management solutions.
The continued spreading of biosolids containing PFAS, PCBs, dioxins, BPAs, microplastics, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals will further contaminate New York’s land, food, water, and people, and inevitably cost millions to mitigate, if remediation is even possible after-the-fact. Help us end this legacy of toxic sludge spreading and give New Yorkers peace of mind that our farmland is clean, our water is safe, and our food isn’t contaminated with dangerous “forever chemicals.”
Urge Senate and Assembly leadership to protect the health of New Yorkers by ending the use of contaminated sewage sludge on farms and fields, requiring monitoring and tracking of the damage it has already caused, and supporting the communities and farmers impacted.
