PFAS in Biosolid Fertilizers

[Sconnie]

Saw this interesting read on “forever chemicals” in “Organic Fertilizers”

‘Forever chemicals’ found in home fertilizer made from sewage sludge

Alarming toxic PFAS levels revealed in new report raise concerns that the chemicals are contaminating vegetables

www.theguardian.com

I have been a big fan of Miloganite and Menards Organic for years... I’m now second guessing that. It does keep deer away for a few weeks and has N, P and Iron. I do find that extended use will raise Phosphorus too high.

What is your opinion on PFAS in Biosolids for food plot use?

After reading the article I will NOT use it in my garden anymore.

Water is life! Protect it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SD51555]

Imagine what they'd find if they tested for pharmaceuticals.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I work in this industry for a company that makes similar products. This is one of the main concerns for using human wastewater biosolids for making fertilizers. These types of "forever chemicals" are also found in dairy manure, but to a lessor extent. Like all things, the dose makes the poison. I need to look into this further on why this wasn't published in a peer-reviewed journal. From the surface, this looks like it was fairly robust research, but I am not all that familiar with these chemicals or the procedures to test them.

On whether or not they would be safe for food plots and wildlife, that remains an unknown at this point.

 

[Telemark]

Pretty easy fix: stop letting the chemical manufacturers discharge contaminants into the sewage system.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

In the mid 90's I worked, as a millwright, for a paper company that maintained the municipal WWTP. I thought it was dangerous for the local farmers to spread the sludge from the WWTP on their fields because nobody knows what gets flushed down a toilet or industrial sewer. Fast forward to 2021 and now I work, as a millwright, for a company that's spending hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up a PFAS contamination problem.

The present employer used PFAS as an ingredient in some of their products. They manufacture in one city and had testing facilities in the city of the previous employer. PFAS went down the sewer in both cities. Both cities allowed the sludge from their WWTP to be spread on farm fields. The PFAS also leaked into ground water at a second outdoor test facility. So now they're liable for ground water contamination along with soil contamination in a large section of our county.

I talked to a DNR agent at one of the public informational meetings and was told that virtually every municipality in Wisconsin allows the sludge from their WWTP to be spread on farm fields. It's cheaper than sending it off to be incinerated or treated in other ways. The agent also agreed with me that the next environmental disaster is already happening. We just don't know which chemical it will be, because we don't know everything about every chemical.

Do some research an PFAS. It's everywhere. Ever use or buy a product treated with "Scothcgard",that's PFAS. Ever eat a frozen pizza? the packaging was treated with PFAS. Do you have any "Teflon" nonstsick cookware? that's PFAS. The stuff has been around since the 1950's when no one knew it was dangerous.

The "fix" isn't as easy as Telemark thinks. This chemical gets in the system at a manufacturing level, product testing level, and end user/consumer level. And remember it's a "forever" chemical. A company makes PFAS then another uses it as an ingredient in their product then you buy the product and use it then discard it then it ends up in the landfill or WWTP then it goes on the farmers field then into their crop then into whatever eats that crop then back to you or me. The cycle continues. I've read that it's been found in breast milk. That means some people have been exposed/contaminated with it from the very moment of birth.

So yeah, I won't be using any fertilizer that comes from any municipal treatment plant.

 

[westonwhitetail]

PFAS are also an issue in drinking water. The EPA has set contamination levels in drinking water and some municipalities will need to begin treatment for PFAS. Private well owners may never know unless they test it themselves.

French Island down by La Crosse WI has a problem that’s pretty well known by the public. Many wells down there are contaminated because PFAS have been used in fire protection at air ports.

It will be interesting to see in areas were land application of WWTP solids are used heavily, if this could become an issue as well. Many of those areas I’m guessing are private wells in rural areas and we might not know.

 

[Telemark]

company makes PFAS then another uses it as an ingredient in their product then you buy the product and use it then discard it then it ends up in the landfill or WWTP then it goes on the farmers field then into their crop then into whatever eats that crop then back to you or me. The cycle continues.

If they stop discharging the chemicals into the system, there will be a lot less added to the cycle. No?

 

[SD51555]

If they stop discharging the chemicals into the system, there will be a lot less added to the cycle. No?

I'm talking about the drugs people take. When they "go", they go down the sewer and into the system.

 

[Telemark]

I'm talking about the drugs people take. When they "go", they go down the sewer and into the system.

I was talking about the PFAS that the producers are discharging into the sewers.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I'm talking about the drugs people take. When they "go", they go down the sewer and into the system.

Drugs haven't "gone down the drain into sewers" around here for some years now. We have township and municipal locked "drop boxes" (usually inside police barracks) where you drop off unused medications. All you need to take off the label is your personal info - you let the name & dosage of the medication on the package so it can be disposed of properly ............ by regulated pharmaceutical labs. They're heavily used by residents - no problems ............. no pollution.

Pretty easy fix: stop letting the chemical manufacturers discharge contaminants into the sewage system.

Now, now, now ................ there's NO NEED for those NASTY REGULATIONS. "We don't need no stinkin' regulations!" We can't let human safety concerns affect corporations' bottom lines. And the "science community" doesn't know sh*t - EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. All my buddies gave me the "straight story" .............. Drink hearty boys.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

If they stop discharging the chemicals into the system, there will be a lot less added to the cycle. No?

True, but there's so much in the "system" they don't know how to get it all out.

How much of a farmers field should be removed to remediate the problem? Will the field be usable after the soil is removed ?
How much water should be pumped and treated to remove the PFAS?

In the area I live in some of the contaminated water has made it's way into the Bay of Green Bay, and no doubt into Lake Michigan. How does that get treated?

This stuff doesn't have a half life. We can't say stop dumping it and in xxxxx years it'll be gone.

Remember once it's in the system it doesn't get out by it's self. It has to be filtered out, then sent for disposal.

 

[CooterBrown]

WOW this is kinda serious stuff right?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

True, but there's so much in the "system" they don't know how to get it all out.

How much of a farmers field should be removed to remediate the problem? Will the field be usable after the soil is removed ?
How much water should be pumped and treated to remove the PFAS?

In the area I live in some of the contaminated water has made it's way into the Bay of Green Bay, and no doubt into Lake Michigan. How does that get treated?

This stuff doesn't have a half life. We can't say stop dumping it and in xxxxx years it'll be gone.

Remember once it's in the system it doesn't get out by it's self. It has to be filtered out, then sent for disposal.

All the more reason to strengthen those "nasty" regulations so dangerous chemicals don't get into our environment in the first place .................................... right???

We only have this one rock to live on - and if we stupidly keep trashing it .................. the air, water / groundwater, soil .................... just WHERE do we escape to??? Remember - our kids and grandkids are going to be breathing polluted air, and drinking contaminated water / well water, and living on and eating from polluted soil. What matters more - company profits and bottom lines .................... or staying alive & healthy???

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

All the more reason to strengthen those "nasty" regulations so dangerous chemicals don't get into our environment in the first place .................................... right???

We only have this one rock to live on - and if we stupidly keep trashing it .................. the air, water / groundwater, soil .................... just WHERE do we escape to??? Remember - our kids and grandkids are going to be breathing polluted air, and drinking contaminated water / well water, and living on and eating from polluted soil. What matters more - company profits and bottom lines .................... or staying alive & healthy???

You are correct but.. If we don't take this country back our children/grandchildren won't have to worry about any of it.

 

[jsasker007]

Air is great where i live out in the country. Don't see any smoke stacks in the country just in the concrete jungle.

 

[jsasker007]

Shouldn't let so many people live so close together. Not good for anything other than the government collecting from them.

 

[Telemark]

True, but there's so much in the "system" they don't know how to get it all out.

How much of a farmers field should be removed to remediate the problem? Will the field be usable after the soil is removed ?
How much water should be pumped and treated to remove the PFAS?

In the area I live in some of the contaminated water has made it's way into the Bay of Green Bay, and no doubt into Lake Michigan. How does that get treated?

This stuff doesn't have a half life. We can't say stop dumping it and in xxxxx years it'll be gone.

Remember once it's in the system it doesn't get out by it's self. It has to be filtered out, then sent for disposal.

If it made it all the way to Lake Michigan, is it not being carried by the water? If it's getting into the vegetables, is it not being taken up by plants? Sounds like a candidate for phytoremediation.

I don't understand how it can be permanently in the soil yet move through a food chain to contaminate people. These two ideas contradict each other. If it's moving from point A to point B then it can be moved. Then it can be Removed. Bioremdiation has been used many times to clean toxic substances from the environment.

The first step, however, is stopping the inputs. Otherwise you're just chasing your tail.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

All the more reason to strengthen those "nasty" regulations so dangerous chemicals don't get into our environment in the first place .................................... right???

We only have this one rock to live on - and if we stupidly keep trashing it .................. the air, water / groundwater, soil .................... just WHERE do we escape to??? Remember - our kids and grandkids are going to be breathing polluted air, and drinking contaminated water / well water, and living on and eating from polluted soil. What matters more - company profits and bottom lines .................... or staying alive & healthy???

Don't know your age, but sounds like something your Grandfather may have said

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

You are correct but.. If we don't take this country back our children/grandchildren won't have to worry about any of it.

Who are we taking it back from?

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

If it made it all the way to Lake Michigan, is it not being carried by the water? If it's getting into the vegetables, is it not being taken up by plants? Sounds like a candidate for phytoremediation.

I don't understand how it can be permanently in the soil yet move through a food chain to contaminate people. These two ideas contradict each other. If it's moving from point A to point B then it can be moved. Then it can be Removed. Bioremdiation has been used many times to clean toxic substances from the environment.

The first step, however, is stopping the inputs. Otherwise you're just chasing your tail.

Stuff sure does move. It's in the water or bio fertilizer spread on farm fields, then it's taken up by a plant, then that plant is fed to a cow, now the cow has it, then the cow is milked and the milk taken to the dairy and processed into butter and cheese and milk. You go to store and buy some butter, cheese and milk. You and your family consume the dairy products and now you have PFAS in your system.

The only way I know of getting it out of the system is incineration. Which step of the above example should we incinerate?