Perdue Faces Legal Action in Salisbury Maryland

A Growing Crisis in a Maryland Town

In Salisbury, Maryland, several residents claim their drinking water has been contaminated with PFAS — chemicals linked to severe health problems — from Perdue Farms’ local soybean processing and agricultural operation. Two separate lawsuits allege that the company’s waste disposal practices have poisoned local waterways, leaving residents exposed to potentially dangerous “forever chemicals.”

Perdue Farms, which operates a 300-acre facility including cropland, a soybean processing plant, grain storage, and an oilseed refinery, has acknowledged polluting local waters. However, the company disputes the exact source of the PFAS. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that pesticides, sewage sludge used as fertilizer, and possibly firefighting foam are contributing to the contamination.

Lawsuits and Federal Law

The latest legal challenge, filed in July under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), accuses Perdue of failing to properly handle toxic waste. The RCRA requires that hazardous materials be managed in ways that prevent harm to human health.

Attorney Phil Federico, representing plaintiffs, said:

“The fact that they’ve had two years to do an investigation and they have not … is exceedingly frustrating. [PFAS] are a carcinogen for God’s sake – they cause cancer.”

The suit claims the company discharges about 180,000 gallons of PFAS-laden wastewater into local waters daily. It also alleges that air emissions and unlined wastewater lagoons on the property are contaminating groundwater.

State testing in early 2024 found PFAS concentrations in nearby streams and rivers up to 350 times higher than federal drinking water limits. Regulators identified a large PFAS plume beneath the property.

Class-Action Battle

A separate class-action lawsuit, filed in late 2024, represents around 500 residents. It alleges that Perdue knew about the pollution but failed to warn the public for over a year. The suit accuses the company of “reckless indifference” and demands compensation for clean water and health monitoring.

Perdue has denied wrongdoing, arguing in court filings that:

“‘PFAS’ is not a magic word that can be invoked to open automatically the doors to federal litigation.”

The company says it tested about 700 residential properties and installed water treatment systems in roughly 400 homes. Federico disputes those numbers, estimating as many as 3,000 residents are drinking contaminated water.

Health Risks and Environmental Concerns

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of about 15,000 compounds used to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains. They are linked to cancer, birth defects, reduced immunity, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. The nickname “forever chemicals” comes from their inability to naturally break down in the environment.

Laura Orlando, a waste management engineer with the non-profit Just Zero, said industrial agriculture may be a larger source of PFAS contamination than previously recognized.

“Perhaps widening the stage will help strengthen the chorus that PFAS does not belong on the farm, from any source,” Orlando noted.

Advocates highlight that PFAS contamination often comes from sewage sludge, pesticides, and industrial firefighting foams — all of which may be present at Perdue’s Salisbury site.

Calls for Accountability

The RCRA lawsuit seeks court approval for independent wastewater experts to investigate contamination sources and demands Perdue build an on-site treatment plant capable of removing PFAS.

Perdue told a local news outlet the lawsuit is “motivated more by the law firm’s financial gain than by meaningful progress for communities affected by PFAS.” Federico rejected that characterization:

“If you want to keep doing what you’re doing in terms of production, then you’ve got to do it in an environmentally safe way – just spend the money and fix the problem.”

Potential Solutions: Reverse Osmosis and Water Conditioning

For affected residents, advanced water treatment offers a path to safer drinking water. Reverse osmosis filtration systems can remove PFAS compounds at the point of use, while whole-home water conditioners improve water quality across all taps. These solutions, when professionally installed, can reduce household exposure to harmful chemicals until permanent remediation is in place.

Source: The Guardian