Assessing the risk of PFAS from land applied biosolids vs. other common exposure pathways

PFAS are a hot topic.  Learn more during this in-depth session!

In response to reports of potential or reported PFAS contamination, many communities across the country quickly implicate land-applied biosolids as the cause, often calling for outright prohibition. Whereas banning land application of biosolids may make people feel safer, the reality is that this action will, in practically all instances, have minimal impact on exposure to PFAS. Long standing regulations prohibit land application of biosolids near drinking water wells and other environmentally sensitive areas. Nor are biosolids applied to crops grown for direct human consumption.

To provide some context, a recent study comparing PFAS in biosolids to other commonly available products was completed. PFAS concentrations in biosolids (50-250 parts per billion (ppb) were found to be many thousands of times lower than in food packaging materials (867,000 ppb); hundreds of times lower than in products like ketchup (58,000 ppb), organic tomato sauce (21,000 ppb), and cosmetics (10,500 ppb); and more than two times lower than the levels measured in common household dust (525 ppb).

Banning land application of biosolids would require utilities across the country to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure. The farming community will also be deprived by the loss of an affordable, renewable fertilizer source. Costs that will inevitably be passed onto the rate payer and consumer. With the understanding that land application bans will do little to reduce our day-to-day exposure to PFAS, communities need to fully appreciate the costs vs. benefits of such actions.

This presentation will examine these issues in more depth in an effort to inform people of the benefits of land applied biosolids vs. the consequences of ineffectual land application bans in the name of reducing PFAS exposure.

This complimentary GoToWebinar session is scheduled to begin promptly at 12 noon, eastern time, on Tuesday, October 24.  Registrants must have both a computer and audio/phone in order to participate.

A confirmation with log in instructions will be emailed to each registrant immediately upon registering and a reminder email will be sent one day and one hour prior to the session.

Register here