Farmer's neighbors suffer from devastating side effects of commonly used fertilizer: 'The smell is horrendous'

More negative stories regarding the use of sewage as a field fertilizer are bubbling to the surface. The latest news comes from Michigan, where Scott and Catherine Collins' neighbor, a farmer in Leelanau County, started using septage as a treatment.

What's happening?

The report is a microcosm of a widespread practice, highlighted by unfortunate news from around the country. From North Carolina to Texas, Michigan, and elsewhere, many farmers have used septage and biosolids as field fertilizer. 

Applying human waste has long been an acceptable way to give the refuse a useful purpose. But neighbors, and even some farmers, are becoming wary about the substances' contents — beyond just the fact that it's human waste. 

Biosolids are treated human and industrial waste that are spread on land, put in a special landfill, or incinerated. Septage is organic waste laden with grease, hair, and grit pumped from septic tanks, all per the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Government guidelines regulate its use in fields. And in Michigan, the Collinses encountered an obvious problem with the treatment. 

"The smell is horrendous when they're offloading those trucks in the summertime," Scott Collins told Interlochen Public Radio. 

What impact is septage having?

The concerns go far beyond the smell, though. The Collinses said that they are worried about pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called forever chemicals or PFAS, leaching into well water — and eventually human bodies. 

The substances, numbering in the thousands, have been used in common products such as nonstick cookware and food packaging for decades. Government health experts reported that they have been found in human blood, and they are linked to increased cancer and other health risks. They take nearly forever to degrade and are also turning up in our waste.

In Texas, PFAS-laden biosolids have reportedly contaminated soil, which in turn has been linked to cattle and fish deaths, according to The Texas Tribune. 

Additional Tribune reporting, which cited EPA data, said that "56% of the nation's sewage sludge is spread on agricultural lands, golf courses, and residential lawns and gardens. It's unclear how much of it contains PFAS, and if it does, whether it's at hazardous levels." 

The report added that EPA officials now consider PFAS-tainted sewage-based fertilizer to be a cancer risk when applied to fields. 

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What's more, the Environmental Working Group reported that nearly 20 million acres of U.S. farmland "could" have had chemical-contaminated biosolids applied. There are no national testing requirements to warn farmers about whether the sewage they are about to spread contains the chemicals, per the report. 

What's being done to help?

The neighbors in Michigan are sorting through local rules and regulations regarding septage's use there, per IPR. 

It's important to stay educated about government policy, especially if you notice something that's contaminating the environment. You can lobby lawmakers to support better policies, including PFAS guidance for waste-based fertilizers. The recent EPA findings cited by the Tribune are a start.

You can also take easy steps to avoid PFAS in other parts of your life, such as makeup and skin care products. Cleaner cosmetics and sunscreen brands already offer safer options.

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