SUN JOURNAL • January 26, 2022
The story Jan. 23 regarding the “forever chemicals” in the PFAS/PFOA family failed to mention that a public hearing was held Jan. 24 to discuss LD 1911, a critically important bill that would close two major loopholes in current law regarding application of contaminated sludge on our private lands. It’s amazing that, after all the controversy regarding contaminated wells and even venison, we are still allowing these chemicals to enter our food sources via application of contaminated municipal sludge. Yet, current law allows contaminated sludge to be mixed with recipient soil that “tests clean,” as long as the resultant mix doesn’t exceed the screening threshold. Also, the law allows sludge to be sent to composting facilities and subsequently sold to farmers and even at retail for home gardeners. The screening threshold is rather arbitrary and the loophole ignores the high likelihood that compost containing “safe” levels of PFAS will be applied repeatedly to the same acreage. The levels will gradually become higher and higher. And water in nearby wells will suffer the consequences. ~ Gregory D’Augustine, MD, Greene