Allison Jumper’s family discovered high levels of toxic PFAS chemicals in their beef and milk, revealing the hidden dangers of contaminated sludge fertilizer that had been used decades ago.
Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- PFAS chemicals, which never break down, were found in beef from a Maine family’s organic farm, potentially causing health issues for the Jumper children.
- The contamination came from past sewage sludge fertilizers, raising concerns about the broader safety of America's food supply.
- Maine is the only state actively testing farms for PFAS, but the problem is likely widespread.
Key quote:
“We’re learning that we’ve had PFAS in our food supply for a long time and been unaware of it. We just haven’t been monitoring for these chemicals, and if you don’t look, they’re not there.”
— Courtney Carignan, environmental epidemiologist at Michigan State University
Why this matters:
This case is just one of many, as farms across the country are discovering that years of sludge fertilizer use might be contaminating the food supply. Other states might soon face their own PFAS reckoning. Read more: How toxic PFAS chemicals could be making their way into food from Pennsylvania farm.
