Virginia communities push back against sewage sludge on agricultural land as PFAS concerns grow

(VIRGINIA MERCURY) - A flush of a toilet, the rinse of a washing machine, or the discharge from factories – it all ends up as wastewater. That waste is then treated and made into a sludge called biosolids. Biosolids can be converted to agricultural fertilizer and by using it, many farmers in Virginia may be unknowingly spreading toxic chemicals on their land that could end up in crops and the state’s waterways.

As state Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, said in a recent State Water Commission hearing, “we don’t want it to go in the river anymore, for goodness’ sake.”

Biosolids can contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which pose serious health risks if people are exposed to them in higher amounts. The danger has led some states to outright ban, or enact stricter requireme