Texas farmers say fertilizer made from municipal sewage tainted with PFAS chemicals has contaminated their land, killed livestock and left them with unusable crops.
Alejandra Martinez reports for The Texas Tribune.
In short:
- Tony Coleman and neighbors in Johnson County have lost dozens of livestock and discovered high PFAS levels in water and fertilizer after biosolids were applied nearby.
- PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” resist breakdown and are linked to severe health issues. They are not regulated in biosolids, which are widely used as fertilizer.
- Farmers face tough decisions: sell contaminated products or risk financial ruin. Some are suing fertilizer companies and advocating for stricter regulations.
Key quote:
“We can’t consciously sell you a side of beef and then you eat it and you get sick. What kind of people does that make us?”
— Tony Coleman, rancher.
Why this matters:
PFAS contamination in agriculture poses risks to food safety, environmental health and farmer livelihoods. Without federal standards for biosolids, consumers and ecosystems are exposed to these harmful chemicals.
