- The Trump administration cancelled proposed regulations for PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge used as fertilizer on farmland, a practice linked to health and environmental harms.
- The EPA discarded its scientific research supporting the regulations, arguing sludge is not a widespread threat because it is mostly used on farms, despite advising the public to research sludge companies for safety.
- PFAS are 'forever chemicals' associated with serious health issues like cancer and birth defects, and sludge, a mix of human and industrial waste, is rich in nutrients but often contaminated with toxins.
- In its final days, the Biden administration issued a draft health risk assessment finding PFAS levels above 1 ppb in sludge increase cancer risks to farmers, which would have limited sludge use if implemented.
- The EPA's new assessment claims sludge is used on only 1% of farmland, but no agency tracks its spread, and most states do not test contaminated lands, despite evidence of migration and pollution.
- The waste management industry opposes regulations and lobbies the EPA, while public health advocates criticize the decision for prioritizing polluters over farming families and rural communities.