Some fertilizers commonly used on golf are in the crosshairs of lawmakers around the country. More specifically, public officials are concerned about the long-term health effects of PFAS — or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances — in fertilizers and other products.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are manmade, long-lasting chemicals, the components of which break down very slowly over time, thus earning the nickname "forever chemicals". These biosolids also are found in wastewater sludge that often is used in some fertilizer products, such as Milorganite.
On July 1, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law a measure that will ban the use of fertilizers containing PFAS, making the Constitution State the most recent in a short list of states prohibiting their use. A similar ban is in place in Maine and Massachusetts with partial bans in other states.
Section 21 of Public Act 25-152 (amending C.G.S. 22a-903c) the PFAS ban in fertilizers was added to the existing ban of PFAS in soil amendments.
The action states: "No person shall use, sell or offer for sale in this state any fertilizer intended for land application or soil amendment that contains any biosolids or wastewater sludge that contain PFAS."
For the past 80 years, PFAS have been used in several consumer products. They are used to prevent food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains and create firefighting foam that is more effective. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms that is very strong and does not degrade easily in the environment.
Because they do not break down easily, PFAS also can be found in wastewater and in sewage sludge that in many municipalities is treated and sold for use as or in fertilizer. Sludge also is used as an additive in many fertilizer blends due to its composition of micronutrients, making it a better option than other fillers like sand or gravel.
A letter from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to licensed sellers gives a deadline of Aug. 31 to either prove their product does not contain PFAS or cease selling it in the state:
"If your fertilizer or soil amendment product contains biosolids, you must provide a certificate of compliance stating that the product does not contain PFAS. This proof of compliance must be furnished by the product's manufacturer or supplier to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture at the time of product registration or renewal. Any such certificate of compliance shall be signed by an authorized official of the manufacturer or supplier. A certificate of compliance shall be kept on file by the manufacturer or supplier of the fertilizer or soil amendment. In order to comply with this new law, send a certificate of compliance to AGR.Commodities@ct.gov for your fertilizer and soil amendment products that contain biosolids by August 31, 2025, OR remove your fertilizer and soil amendment products containing biosolids from Connecticut stores by August 31, 2025. Failure to do so will result in violation notices and stop sales."
Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals around the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment. They are found in water, air, fish and soil and could be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals. However, there are thousands of PFAS with potentially varying effects and toxicity levels, yet most studies focus on a limited number of better known PFAS compounds, so little is actually known in that arena.
Current peer-reviewed studies, according to the EPA, have shown that exposure to PFAS could lead to:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.
- Interference with the body's natural hormones.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.
Maine was the first to implement a ban on the land application and distribution of biosolids (treated sludge) as a soil amendment due to PFAS contamination on April 20, 2022.
Michigan bans the use of biosolids containing PFAS at or above 100 micrograms per kilogram.