Should You Worry About PFAS in Sewage Fertilizer? What Changed in 2026

What just happened?

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has withdrawn proposed regulations that would have restricted the use of sewage sludge—treated wastewater solids—as fertilizer on farmland when it contains high levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The EPA is saying the agency no longer considers PFAS-contaminated sludge a significant enough threat to justify new rules, according to reporting from The Guardian.

This reverses direction from scientific work done during the Biden administration, which had identified PFAS risks in biosolids (the industry term for sewage sludge used as fertilizer) as a public health concern worth regulating.

Why does sewage sludge matter?

When you flush your toilets and drain your sinks, the wastewater goes to treatment plants. These plants remove solids and treat the water before releasing it to rivers or oceans. The leftover solids—biosolids—contain everything that didn't dissolve: nutrients, metals, bacteria, and increasingly, PFAS chemicals from consumer products.

Rather than landfill all this material, the EPA and states have long encouraged using treated biosolids as fertilizer on farmland. It's cheap, it recycles nutrients, and it diverts waste from landfills. About half of U.S. biosolids are used this way, according to industry estimates.

The problem: PFAS chemicals are designed to be persistent. They don't break down during wastewater treatment. If biosolids containing PFAS are spread on fields, those chemicals can accumulate in soil, potentially contaminating groundwater and crops—and eventually reaching people's plates and tap water.

What did the research show?

Previous EPA and academic studies have found PFAS in biosolids at concentrations that worry scientists. Once in soil, PFAS can be taken up by crops or leak into groundwater. Studies have associated high PFAS exposure with health effects including liver damage, thyroid problems, weakened immune response, and increased cholesterol, though scientists stress these are associations observed in studies, not proven direct causes in individual cases.

The Biden-era EPA had begun drafting rules to either ban PFAS-contaminated biosolids from agricultural use or set limits on how much PFAS could be present. The agency was treating this as a significant environmental justice issue, since farmers and rural communities near application sites bear the exposure risk.

Who is affected?

Farmers. If you buy or work on farmland where biosolids have been applied in past years, PFAS may already be present in your soil. Without new rules, future applications could add more.

Food producers. Crops grown on PFAS-contaminated soil can absorb the chemicals. Consumers eating those crops or products made from them may ingest PFAS.

Well-water users. PFAS leaching from biosolid-amended fields can reach groundwater. If you drink from a private well near agricultural land, you're potentially at risk.

Wastewater utilities. Water treatment plants now have less pressure to remove PFAS before biosolids leave the facility—one less pathway they need to address.

What happens now?

Without the proposed rule, there are no new federal restrictions on PFAS in biosolids. The EPA will likely not monitor or regulate this pathway. Some states (like Vermont and Maine) have already set their own limits, but most have not.

This doesn't mean biosolids disappear from use. Land application will continue under existing rules, which focus on traditional pollutants like heavy metals but say little about PFAS. If PFAS accumulates further in agricultural soils, it could take years before widespread contamination becomes obvious.

What can you do?

If you're a farmer or landowner: Ask your local agricultural extension office or wastewater utility whether biosolids applied to your land have been tested for PFAS. Request testing results if available. Consider asking your utility to switch to other fertilizer sources or to pre-treat biosolids to remove PFAS.

If you grow food or live near farmland: Advocate with your state legislature for state-level PFAS limits on biosolids. States like Vermont have shown it's possible. You can also request PFAS testing of your soil or well water (see the PFAS finder for labs that offer testing).

If you're a consumer: Know that it's difficult to trace PFAS in food back to its source. Buy from local farmers when possible and ask where their fertilizer comes from. Supporting organic or regenerative farms that don't use biosolids is one option, though PFAS contamination can occur through other routes too.

Broadly: Contact EPA leadership and your congressional representatives expressing concern about the biosolids decision. Public comment periods may still emerge if the agency makes this withdrawal official.

Bottom Line

The EPA has dropped plans to regulate PFAS in sewage fertilizer, citing lower concern despite earlier scientific findings. This leaves farmers, food producers, and people near agricultural land potentially at greater risk of PFAS exposure through soil and groundwater. States and individuals can still push for limits, and testing remains available. This situation shows how PFAS contamination involves many overlooked pathways—and why staying informed about where your food and water come from matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I tell if my food has PFAS in it?

Not from the label. The FDA does not currently require PFAS labeling on food. PFAS testing of individual food items exists in research settings but isn't available to consumers. Your best strategy is sourcing from farmers you trust and choosing products from regions with stricter PFAS rules.

Is my drinking water safe?

It depends on your water source. If you have a private well, especially near farmland with a history of biosolid application, consider testing. If you get city water, check your annual water quality report or contact your utility to see if they test for PFAS. Learn more about testing options at the PFAS finder.

What's the difference between this and PFOA/PFOS contamination scandals I've heard about?

Those usually involved industrial discharge or firefighting foam seeping into water. This biosolids pathway is slower and more diffuse—PFAS enters the sewage system gradually through consumer products, accumulates in sludge, and then spreads across agricultural land. It's a less visible but potentially very broad source of exposure. For more context, see our PFAS methodology guide.