{"id":39968,"date":"2025-10-27T00:01:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T04:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=39968"},"modified":"2025-10-28T09:49:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:49:28","slug":"beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, October 27, 2025) With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances<\/a>\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids<\/a>) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro<\/a>, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC<\/a>, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

The lawsuits against producers of sewage sludge fertilizer cite test results showing PFAS residues in the companies’ products and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators. (See\u202fsettlement statement<\/a>\u202frecently reached with ScottsMiracle-Gro.)\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

A literature review published in\u00a0Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry<\/em><\/a> identifies CECs in soils, untreated and treated sewage sludge (biosolids), and dust, across 151 peer-reviewed studies released between 2018 and 2023\u2014emphasizing the range of potential exposure pathways across various products, including classes of pesticides like neonicotinoid insecticides. In\u00a0Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a>, researchers report their test results of biosolids-treated farmland in southeastern Pennsylvania that detected 14 different PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) above the limit of quantification (LOQ). This means that not only were they detectable, but also high enough in concentration to confirm contamination at a significant concentration.<\/p>\r\n

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)\u00a0 has\u202fpublished a list of 726 chemicals found in biosolids in the\u00a0National Sewage Sludge Surveys<\/a>. This list does not include PFAS, which are\u00a0emerging contaminants<\/a>\u00a0of biosolids. Sewage sludge (biosolids) is prohibited from use in certified organic agriculture under the\u202fOrganic Foods Production Act<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Despite dramatic findings of contaminants, EPA classifies the biosolids typically used by gardeners, municipalities, golf courses, and farmers as Class A, \u201cvirtually free of pathogens and can be applied without any site-specific restrictions.\u201d Class B biosolids, used in agriculture and land reclamation, may contain pathogens, thus EPA\u00a0stipulates restrictions on use<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

In addition to PFAS, persistent toxic pollutants found in biosolids include inorganic chemicals such as metals and trace elements; chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, dioxins, pharmaceuticals, and surfactants; and pathogens including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Regulation of biosolids by EPA has been found by the EPA\u00a0Office of Inspector General<\/a>\u00a0(OIG) to be inadequate. Lacking sufficient oversight at the federal level, states and local jurisdictions must act to eliminate the hazards created by these contaminants.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Land application of biosolids to farms and landscapes is considered the standard means of \u201cdisposal.\u201d Chemicals such as PFAS have been found to migrate into food when grown on farms using contaminated biosolids.\u00a0Over 60% of biosolids are used in crops<\/a>, and the contaminants in them make their way into food and water. If biosolids are used in landscaping, the contaminants pose a hazard to landscapers and those using athletic fields and parks. In view of EPA’s failure to provide comprehensive identification, regulation, and elimination of potential contaminants, public health and environmental advocates are calling for the testing of biosolids to ensure safety and a prohibition of use on farms and landscapes without a finding that they are untainted. Of concern is acute toxicity, cancer, genetic mutations, birth defects, reproductive or developmental effects, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, or immune system effects. Otherwise, they should not be used on farms or landscapes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Beyond Pesticides\u2019 campaign against sewage sludge (biosolid) fertilizer use urges the public to: Tell their Governor and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist<\/a>.<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Letter to Governor and local officials
\r\n<\/strong>Sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has\u202fpublished a list of 726 chemicals found in biosolids in the National Sewage Sludge Surveys. This list does not include the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are emerging contaminants of biosolids. A recent study published in Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry identifies 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in soils, untreated and treated sewage sludge (biosolids), and dust, across 151 peer-reviewed studies released between 2018 and 2023, emphasizing the range of potential exposure pathways across various products, including classes of pesticides like neonicotinoid insecticides, in conventional farm and land management. Sewage sludge (biosolids) is prohibited from use in certified organic agriculture under the\u202fOrganic Foods Production Act.<\/p>\r\n

The claim that biosolids-containing fertilizer products are \u201cas eco-friendly” and \u201csustainable\u201d was challenged in two consumer protection lawsuits in Washington, DC Superior Court against\u202fThe Miracle-Gro Company\u202fand GreenTechnologies, LLC in October 2024. The complaints cite test results showing PFAS residues in the companies\u2019 products and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators.<\/p>\r\n

Despite dramatic findings of contaminants, EPA classifies the biosolids typically used by gardeners, municipalities, golf courses, and farmers as Class A, \u201cvirtually free of pathogens and can be applied without any site-specific restrictions.\u201d Class B biosolids, used in agriculture and land reclamation, may contain pathogens, thus EPA stipulates restrictions on use.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

In addition to PFAS, persistent toxic pollutants found in biosolids include inorganic chemicals such as metals and trace elements; organic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, dioxins, pharmaceuticals, and surfactants; and pathogens including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Regulation of biosolids by EPA has been found by the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) to be inadequate. Lacking sufficient oversight at the federal level, states and local jurisdictions must act to eliminate the hazards created by these contaminants.<\/p>\r\n

Land application of biosolids to farms and landscapes is considered the standard means of \u201cdisposal.\u201d Chemicals such as PFAS have been found to migrate into food when grown on farms using contaminated biosolids. Over 60% of biosolids are used in crops, and the contaminants in them make their way to our food and water. If biosolids are used in landscaping, the contaminants pose a hazard to landscapers and those using athletic fields. In view of EPA\u2019s failure to provide comprehensive identification, regulation, and elimination of potential contaminants, the biosolids themselves must be tested to ensure safety. Biosolids should be tested to ensure that they do not cause acute toxicity, cancer, genetic mutations, birth defects, reproductive or developmental effects, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, or immune system effects. Otherwise, they should not be used on farms or landscapes.<\/p>\r\n

Thank you for your attention to this urgent issue.<\/p>\r\n

All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

For discussion of eco-sensitive, health protective practices that are cost effective, consider attending Beyond Pesticides\u2019 42nd National Forum Series,\u00a0The Pesticide Threat to Environmental Health: Advancing Holistic Solutions Aligned with Nature<\/strong><\/a>, which begins on October 29, 2025, 1:00-3:30pm (Eastern time, US) with a focus on aligning land management with nature in response to current chemical-intensive practices that pose a threat to health, biodiversity, and climate. The virtual Forum is free to all participants.\u00a0Register here or by clicking on the banner below!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Source
\r\n<\/strong>Beyond Pesticides v. The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company<\/strong><\/a>
\r\nBeyond Pesticides v.\u00a0GreenTechnologies, LLC\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides, October 27, 2025) With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist. \u00a0 The lawsuits against producers of sewage sludge fertilizer cite test results showing PFAS residues in the companies’ products and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators. (See\u202fsettlement statement\u202frecently reached with ScottsMiracle-Gro.)\u00a0 A literature review published in\u00a0Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry identifies CECs in soils, untreated and treated sewage sludge (biosolids), and dust, across 151 peer-reviewed studies released between 2018 and 2023\u2014emphasizing the range of potential exposure pathways across various products, including classes of pesticides like neonicotinoid insecticides. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[249,483,354,652,515,276,1],"tags":[674,459,1562,482,2167,683,2354,1263,2355,2353,659,715,786],"class_list":["post-39968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-biosolids-sewage-sludge","category-environmental-protection-agency-epa","category-parks","category-pfas","category-take-action","category-uncategorized","tag-action-of-the-week","tag-agriculture","tag-biosolids","tag-biosolids-sewage-sludge","tag-cecs","tag-contamination","tag-farms","tag-fertilizers","tag-governors","tag-landscaping","tag-parks","tag-pfas","tag-take-action"],"yoast_head":"\nBeyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ByondPesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ByondPesticides\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Beyond Pesticides\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4\"},\"headline\":\"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\"},\"wordCount\":1220,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Action of the Week\",\"agriculture\",\"biosolids\",\"Biosolids\/Sewage Sludge\",\"CECs\",\"contamination\",\"farms\",\"fertilizers\",\"governors\",\"landscaping\",\"parks\",\"PFAS\",\"take action\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Agriculture\",\"Biosolids\/Sewage Sludge\",\"Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)\",\"Parks\",\"PFAS\",\"Take Action\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00\",\"description\":\"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\",\"description\":\"News on Pesticide Science, Policy and Activism\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2501,\"caption\":\"Beyond Pesticides\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/?hl=en\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4\",\"name\":\"Beyond Pesticides\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Beyond Pesticides\"},\"description\":\"Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. The founders, who established Beyond Pesticides (originally as National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides) as a nonprofit membership organization in 1981, felt that without the existence of such an organized, national network, local, state and national pesticide policy would become, under chemical industry pressure, increasingly unresponsive to public health and environmental concerns. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly. We believe decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. Learn more about our work, read A Year in Review\u20142021, our accomplishments are your victories! Beyond Pesticides seeks to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, we reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. Beyond Pesticides provides hands-on services to the public and supports local action by: identifying and interpreting hazards; and, designing safe pest management programs. With the information provided by Beyond Pesticides, people may not only be able to make informed choices and adopt practices that protect themselves and their families from unnecessary exposure to pesticides, but they will be able to effect changes on community-wide pest management decisions and policies that govern pesticide use, such as pesticide uses in parks, schools, for community insect control and along roadsides. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions which affect them directly.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/author\/beyond-pesticides\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","description":"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","og_description":"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.","og_url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/","og_site_name":"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/","article_published_time":"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Beyond Pesticides","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ByondPesticides","twitter_site":"@ByondPesticides","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Beyond Pesticides","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/"},"author":{"name":"Beyond Pesticides","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4"},"headline":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic","datePublished":"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/"},"wordCount":1220,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg","keywords":["Action of the Week","agriculture","biosolids","Biosolids\/Sewage Sludge","CECs","contamination","farms","fertilizers","governors","landscaping","parks","PFAS","take action"],"articleSection":["Agriculture","Biosolids\/Sewage Sludge","Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)","Parks","PFAS","Take Action"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/","name":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-27T04:01:19+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-28T13:49:28+00:00","description":"With the confluence of science and law, the spotlight is on sewage sludge fertilizer and its contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u00a0(PFAS). Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a byproduct of sewage treatment and is used as a source of organic matter for amending soil in nonorganic agriculture and landscaping. In light of a recent settlement in a lawsuit filed by Beyond Pesticides against\u00a0ScottsMiracle-Gro, ongoing litigation against GreenTechnologies, LLC, and a major study identifying 414 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), Beyond Pesticides\u2019 network is calling on Governors and local officials to ban the use of biosolids on farms and parks, until there is adequate testing of toxic residues\u2014which does not currently exist.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/sewage.sludge.biosolids.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/10\/beyond-pesticides-campaigns-to-stop-use-of-toxic-sewage-sludge-biosolids-fertilizer-transition-to-organic\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Beyond Pesticides Campaigns to Stop Use of Toxic Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Fertilizer, Transition to Organic"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/","name":"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","description":"News on Pesticide Science, Policy and Activism","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#organization","name":"Beyond Pesticides","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BeyondPesticides-Logo-Stacked-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":2501,"caption":"Beyond Pesticides"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides","https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/?hl=en","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/1b5c0a0981b549cc5b628770073031f4","name":"Beyond Pesticides","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e26b7558fcb265e244c6e159abe5f0aab551822dc82fd0b1607e809bdfbed20a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Beyond Pesticides"},"description":"Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. The founders, who established Beyond Pesticides (originally as National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides) as a nonprofit membership organization in 1981, felt that without the existence of such an organized, national network, local, state and national pesticide policy would become, under chemical industry pressure, increasingly unresponsive to public health and environmental concerns. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions that affect them directly. We believe decisions should not be made for us by chemical companies or by decision-makers who either do not have all of the facts or refuse to consider them. Learn more about our work, read A Year in Review\u20142021, our accomplishments are your victories! Beyond Pesticides seeks to protect healthy air, water, land, and food for ourselves and future generations. By forging ties with governments, nonprofits, and people who rely on these natural resources, we reduce the need for unnecessary pesticide use and protect public health and the environment. Beyond Pesticides provides hands-on services to the public and supports local action by: identifying and interpreting hazards; and, designing safe pest management programs. With the information provided by Beyond Pesticides, people may not only be able to make informed choices and adopt practices that protect themselves and their families from unnecessary exposure to pesticides, but they will be able to effect changes on community-wide pest management decisions and policies that govern pesticide use, such as pesticide uses in parks, schools, for community insect control and along roadsides. Beyond Pesticides believes that people must have a voice in decisions which affect them directly.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beyondpesticides\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/beyondpesticides\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/beyond-pesticides\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ByondPesticides","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bpncamp\/"],"url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/author\/beyond-pesticides\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39968"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40082,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39968\/revisions\/40082"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}