#biosolids

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday warned that “forever chemicals” present in sewage sludge that is used as fertilizer can pose human health risks.

In an extensive study the agency said that, while the general food supply isn’t threatened, the risk from contaminated fertilizer could in some cases exceed the E.P.A.’s safety thresholds “sometimes by several orders of magnitude.”

A growing body of research has shown that the sludge can be contaminated with manmade chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are used widely in everyday items like nonstick cookware and stain-resistant carpets. The chemicals, which are linked to a range of illnesses including an increased risk of cancer, do not break down in the environment, and, when tainted sludge is used as fertilizer on farmland, it can contaminate the soil, groundwater, crops and livestock.

Last year, The New York Times reported that 3M, which for decades has manufactured PFAS, found as early as 2000 that the chemicals were turning up in sludge samples from municipal wastewater plants across the country. In 2003, 3M told E.P.A. of its findings.

The E.P.A. has for decades encouraged the use of sludge from treated wastewater as inexpensive fertilizer with no limits on how much PFAS it can contain. But the agency’s new draft risk assessment sets a potential new course. If finalized, it could mark what could be the first step toward regulating PFAS in the sludge used as fertilizer, which the industry calls biosolids. The agency currently regulates certain heavy metals and pathogens in sewage sludge used as fertilizer, but not PFAS.

Add to this story the following excerpt from the Chicago Tribune from its article entitled, "EPA warns of toxic forever chemicals in sewage sludge used on farmland, including thousands of acres near the Chicago area."

Farmers who use sewage sludge as fertilizer and their neighbors face higher risks of cancer and other diseases, according to a new federal analysis that pins the blame on toxic forever chemicals.

The findings are particularly relevant for northeast Illinois, where more than 777,000 tons of sludge from Chicago and Cook County have been spread on farmland during the past eight years — in many cases near residential areas.

Only the Greater Los Angeles area distributed more sludge to farmers during the same period.

Officials at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago have known their sludge fertilizer is contaminated with forever chemicals since at least 2011, the Chicago Tribune reported in a 2022 investigation.

From toilet to brickyard: Recycling biosolids to make sustainable bricks

Fired-clay bricks incorporating biosolids could be a sustainable solution for both the wastewater treatment and brickmaking industries

How can you recycle the world's stockpiles of treated sewage sludge and boost sustainability in the construction industry, all at the same time? Turn those biosolids into bricks.

Biosolids are a by-product of the wastewater treatment process that can be used as fertiliser, in land rehabilitation or as a construction material.

Around 30% of the world's biosolids are stockpiled or sent to landfill, using up valuable land and potentially emitting greenhouse gases, creating an environmental challenge.

Now a team at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, has demonstrated that fired-clay bricks incorporating biosolids could be a sustainable solution for both the wastewater treatment and brickmaking industries.

Dad: It's biosolids

Me:

Hey, friends. Donna here, and let's get right into it because this week’s topic is one that will flat-out make your stomach turn. For decades, we’ve been told that a specific form of "recycled" fertilizer is a sustainable, nutrient-rich option for our farmlands. They call it biosolids. It sounds nice, right? Green, eco-friendly, maybe a little crunchy. They’ve done a heck of a job making it sound like pure, clean compost. But here’s the unvarnished, ugly truth: biosolids are toxic sewage sludge. And this isn’t an accident. This is the Toxic Biosolids on Your Food scandal, a systemic failure built by the Sickness Economy to turn a huge, expensive waste problem into a sneaky, profit-making poison delivery system. What They Don't Want You To Know About "Nutrient-Rich" Sludge You need to understand what this sludge actually is. It’s the solid byproduct from municipal wastewater treatment plants . This isn’t just good, old-fashioned manure. This is everything that gets washed down the drain, and I mean everything . Think about all the junk flowing into our sewer systems from our homes, hospitals, and industries: - Pharmaceuticals - Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury - Industrial chemicals - And the worst offender: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—the "forever chemicals" .

Wastewater treatment plants were never designed to filter out these thousands of man-made compounds . So, what happens? They concentrate in the sludge, which is then rebranded as "biosolids" and spread across millions of acres of American farmland as a cheap fertilizer alternative . This is greenwashing on a massive, catastrophic scale .

Welcome back to Farmland Fridays! Every week, we dig into the tough issues facing our food and our freedom. And today, friends, we are shining a light on a hidden war being waged right beneath our feet, a stealth attack on our food supply that “They”—the same powerful interests who profit from our sickness—absolutely do not want you to discover.

I’m talking about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the insidious family of man-made poisons we call “forever chemicals.” Why “forever”? Because once they’re in the environment, they stay there. They don’t break down. And right now, they are relentlessly invading the very farmlands that are supposed to be sustaining us.

The Rabbit Hole: How Did the Poisons Get in Our Soil?

This isn’t just about the old non-stick pans we threw out ten years ago. This is about systemic, institutional contamination. Ask yourself: Who benefits from a cheap, easy waste disposal method that ends up poisoning the people? The primary villain here is the practice of spreading biosolids—that’s just a nice, clinical word for treated sewage sludge—on our agricultural fields as “fertilizer.” Think about it: our sewage systems are the collecting point for everything Big Pharma, Big Cosmetics, and industrial factories flush down the drain. This includes massive concentrations of PFAS from industrial waste and specialized firefighting foams used for decades at military bases and airports. When that sludge is “treated” and dumped on fields, we are essentially taking concentrated industrial waste and spreading it across the soil where our food grows. We need to empower ourselves and start asking the tough questions: Why are we allowing our food supply to be used as a toxic dumping ground? Who is rubber-stamping this disaster, and what are their true motives?

What They Don’t Want You to Know: The Silent Contamination

They want you to think this problem is contained, but I’m here to tell you the cover-up is simple: PFAS are the ultimate bioaccumulators. 1. Soil Contamination: Once the chemicals are in the soil, their strong, synthetic bonds mean they stay put. They don’t wash away; they settle in. 2. Crop Uptake: Plants are like natural sponges. They soak up water and nutrients—and they can’t distinguish between a nutrient and a poison. Studies confirm that crops readily absorb these chemicals through their roots, translocating them into the edible parts, whether it’s the leafy greens or the grains.

3. The Hidden Health Cost: We’re told exposure to these chemicals is linked to a chilling list of health crises: compromised immune function, decreased vaccine response in children, increased risks of kidney and testicular cancers, and reproductive issues in women. They want you to think it’s just “bad luck” or “genetics,” but I promise you, this is an environmental assault. If you feel overwhelmed by all this information, I get it. I was there, too. But take a deep breath. We’re learning this together. We must face the truth to change it.

Your Sovereignty: The Call to Immediate Action

This isn’t a problem we can leave to the same agencies that let it happen. It’s time for you to reclaim your health sovereignty and push back against the Sickness Economy’s toxic footprint. Here is your action plan: 1. Demand Transparency: Support and ask your local farmers how they fertilize their fields. Ask them directly if they use biosolids/sewage sludge. If they don’t know, they need to find out. As consumers, we have the right to know what’s in our food and on our soil. 2. Support the Crusades: Look for state-level actions. Did you know that some states, like Maine, have taken assertive steps to ban the spreading of PFAS-contaminated sludge? Use their fight as a model. Call your representatives and demand they stop this practice in your state. 3. Filter Your Water: While we fight the source, protect your home. Invest in a high-quality water filtration system (reverse osmosis is a strong option) that is tested and proven to remove PFAS. It’s a non-negotiable step for immediate health protection.

The knowledge is yours now. Don’t let the big words or the complexity scare you. The truth is simple: They are poisoning our earth, and we have the power to stop them by demanding cleaner inputs and more honest practices. Go be self-reliant. Go be a voice for change in your own home and your own community. Next week, on Farmland Friday, we continue to peel back the layers of soil corruption with: “Compost or Contaminant? The Hidden Toxins in Biosolids and Organic Fertilizers.” With love and truth, —Donna 💚