Dead livestock, lost farms and PFAS: Why pressure is mounting to rein in toxic sludge

By Lisa Fletcher, Andrea Nejman & Nathan Aaron | The National News Desk | January 22, 2026

Read the full article by Lisa Fletcher, Andrea Nejman & Nathan Aaron (The National News Desk)

"America’s farmland may be facing a growing contamination crisis — one that farmers, environmental groups and some lawmakers now say can no longer be ignored.

What was once considered a safe, low-cost fertilizer is now being linked to dead livestock, lost livelihoods and families caught in the fallout of toxic “forever chemicals” spreading through agricultural land. It's a story we've been following for years - that's coming to a head in states that are dealing with the fallout of toxic PFAS.

“This should have been taken care of decades ago," said attorney Laura Dumais, as she explained to me some of the nuanced language being used by the EPA to shield itself from responsibility for regulating PFAS. For years, farmers across the country have spread biosolid sludge — made from treated human waste — on their fields. The material was promoted as fertilizer. But mounting evidence shows it can contain dangerous levels of PFAS, a class of chemicals tied to cancer, reproductive harm and developmental problems in children."