Stufy: PFAS Sewage Sludge Spreads Across NC Farmland

CLIFF NOTES

• DEQ’s 2023–2024 study found PFAS in wastewater, biosolids, and soils at land application sites.
• Researchers reviewed 37 treatment plants and 19 land application locations across North Carolina.
• PFOS was found in 85% of biosolids samples and in every soil sample from repeatedly treated fields.
• North Carolina spreads biosolids on about 56,000 acres across nearly 3,000 permitted fields.
• State regulators are proposing monitoring rules, but DEQ said there are no enforceable limits or penalties in the proposal.

North Carolina officials told lawmakers this week that a state study found PFAS in wastewater, treated sewage sludge, and the soils where that sludge has been spread for years. The chemicals showed up from the start of the treatment process to the end — and in every soil sample taken from fields that had received repeated sludge applications. Even with biosolids used across tens of thousands of acres statewide, North Carolina does not require PFAS testing or set PFAS limits before sludge is applied to land.

What the state tested — and where PFAS showed up

The work was part of a 2023–2024 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) study looking at how PFAS move through wastewater systems and into biosolids, the treated sewage sludge often used as fertilizer.

Julie Grzyb, deputy director of DEQ’s Division of Water Resources, told the House Agriculture and Environment Committee that PFAS was everywhere the researchers looked.

“PFAS compounds were found in the influent, effluent, biosolids and soil samples,” Grzyb said.

The study looked at 37 wastewater treatment plants and 19 land application sites.

The big red flag: PFOS in most sludge samples, and in all soil samples

Grzyb said PFOS — one of the best-known PFAS compounds — was found in:

• 85% of biosolids samples
• Every soil sample collected from fields where sludge had been repeatedly applied

Some of the fields tested had been receiving sludge for more than a decade, which matters because PFAS can build up over time.

Why this matters: sludge spreading is common in North Carolina

This is not a small or isolated practice. Officials said more than half of the biosolids generated in North Carolina are spread on land, covering about:

• 56,000 acres
• Nearly 3,000 permitted fields

Biosolids are created when sewage from homes, businesses, and industries is treated and the solid material is separated out. Farmers and local governments use it because it contains nutrients that can support crop growth.

There’s still no PFAS testing requirement — and no legal limit

Even with PFAS showing up in sludge and soils, the state said there are no federal or North Carolina limits for PFAS in biosolids, and there is no requirement to test sludge or soil for PFAS before spreading it.

The presentation noted that at least 11 states have adopted PFAS monitoring requirements, and some have set limits or guidance levels for PFAS in sludge. North Carolina hasn’t.

Most PFAS leaves in treated water — but the rest can pile up in soil

The study found that most PFAS (87% to 98%) leaves treatment plants in treated wastewater discharged into rivers and streams. A smaller share — about 2% to 13% — stays in biosolids.

That smaller share is the problem on land application sites. When fields get sludge again and again, researchers said PFAS can accumulate over time.

Lawmakers asked the obvious question: does it get into food?

During the hearing, lawmakers zeroed in on whether PFAS in soil can move into crops and into the food supply.

“I’ve been very concerned about the level of PFAS getting into the food we eat because of the application of the sludge,” Rep. Jennifer Balkcom said.

Grzyb said the study did not test crops directly, but she acknowledged the possibility.

“From what I’ve read, it probably has transferred to the plant,” Grzyb said.

DEQ officials also told lawmakers that drinking water has already been affected in some places tied to past land application, including Chapel Hill.

What the state is proposing now: monitoring, not enforcement

Regulators are working on rules that would require monitoring and push industries to reduce PFAS entering wastewater systems. But DEQ officials were blunt that the proposal would not set enforceable limits.

“There are no limits in these rules,” Grzyb said. “The purpose is to monitor and then to minimize as best they can.”

One lawmaker pressed her on what that means in practice.

“If you’re talking about minimization only, isn’t that just a self-policing situation?” the lawmaker asked.

“That’s correct,” Grzyb responded.

The bottom line

The state’s own data shows PFAS moving through North Carolina wastewater systems and showing up in the sludge that gets spread on farmland — and in the soils where it’s been applied repeatedly. But the state still does not require PFAS testing or set limits before that sludge goes onto fields. For now, officials are talking about monitoring and “minimization,” not enforcement.

Where reverse osmosis comes in

When PFAS contamination reaches drinking water, treatment decisions get practical fast. Reverse osmosis (RO) filtration is one of the common household options for reducing many PFAS compounds in drinking water. Whole-home water conditioners don’t remove PFAS by themselves, but they can improve overall water performance by addressing hardness and protecting plumbing — and they’re often paired with a point-of-use RO system where contaminant removal is needed.

Source: WRAL News