State officials discovered toxic “forever chemicals” in wastewater at a Perdue AgriBusiness facility in Salisbury, Maryland in 2023, but nearby residents weren’t informed until nearly a year later.
Matti Gellman reports for The Baltimore Banner.
In short:
- Maryland environmental regulators detected dangerous levels of PFAS in Perdue’s wastewater in August 2023, but residents living near the plant weren’t told until fall 2024.
- Perdue disposed of treated wastewater by spraying it on nearby land and discharging it into a local tributary, with groundwater tests later confirming PFAS migration toward residential areas.
- The company, now facing a class action lawsuit from over 400 residents, denies using PFAS in manufacturing and says it is working with regulators while providing bottled water and filtration systems to affected homes.
Key quote:
“I really think that after the testing MDE should have said, ‘There’s a problem here.”
— Republican Del. Wayne Hartman of Wicomico County
Why this matters:
Exposure to PFAS is linked to serious health problems, including cancers, liver and kidney damage, and reproductive and immune system disruption. Because the chemicals can travel through groundwater and accumulate in living organisms, even trace amounts are cause for concern. The fact that PFAS have been found near farms and homes in Salisbury, Maryland, where many rely on private wells, underscores how quickly and silently contamination can spread. Despite growing scientific consensus on the danger, regulation lags — especially for private wells and industrial wastewater.
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