13/11/2025
• PFAS CHEMICALS PART I:
Today I'm addressing the complexity of hazardous PFAS Chemicals (a very large group of heat- grease - and water-resistant chemicals) and their past non-regulation as well as their pervasive & growing presence in our agricultural soils, water & foods. My hope is to explain what we are up against, and how you can expect them to be reduced / cleaned up from here forward in order to feel more security in terms of human health & the environment. {please read the comments for the full discussion}
. . Most of you know me as a nutrition professional. I'm a licensed and certified nutritionist (MS, FNTP, CNS, LDN); but prior to my career as a nutrition professional, I worked for nearly a decade in hazardous waste compliance as a hazardous waste regulator, first for EPA and then for state governments where the rubber hits the road . . . . . with this knowledge of the bi-partisian environmental laws written in the late 1970's / 80’s mostly (primarily of RCRA, CWA & SUPERFUND Clean-up etc.) I'm going to give you some insight into why our food & water are under attack, and how we can expect to RESOLVE or NOT resolve some of this.
SUMMARY of PFAS HISTORY & CLEAN-UP RESOLUTIONS:
1) PFAS “Forever chemicals” are everywhere comprising a large part of our kitchen / cookware, plastic wrappers, styrofoams, personal care products, clothing, cleaning chemicals, fire-fighting and stain-proof treatments to name the large categories. . . and of course elsewhere due to their disposal. AND THESE chemicals have been unregulated due to industry (initially Dupont & 3M) hiding the toxic nature of these chemicals since the 1950’s, AND EPA was slow to react to the issue of PFAS in the environment including on farmlands despite knowing about these hazards since 1998.
2) New environmental rules under CWA and CERCLA (Superfund clean-up) offer immediate attention for reducing PFAS up-stream through viable treatments at regulated manufacturing facilities discharging contaminated waters, also at the sewage plants (POTW's) and at treatment sites under Superfund cleaning-up RETROACTIVELY. . . . . The good news . . .
3) Since hazardous waste law (RCRA) has not yet listed any of the 9 PFAS chemicals as actual regulated "Listed Hazardous Wastes” (they have been listed as hazardous constituents which is a step in the right direction), the hazardous waste law specifically lacks the teeth to meaningfully impact better management of PFAS wastes at this time leaving the slack to the CWA and Superfund Clean-up. Loopholes can be imagined here . . . the bad news . . .
4) BioSolids / Wastewater Treatment Sludges produced at all sewage treatment plants across the US are still "Exempt" from needing to be evaluated as hazardous wastes and still pose an alarming risk as contaminants of farmland / agricultural lands. The history of cajoling farmers into using these sludges as nutrients on their farmland is pervasive, widespread, hazardous and of course alarming, considering what we know now. (see the instances of Maine farmlands & milk from grass grazing cows as such operations were shut-down due to investigated contamination saddening farmers, consumers and the local governments alike). . . . The Really Bad News . . .
See the comments for more depth and expect another post on this. Please leave your comments & concerns below.
