ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — A state wastewater permit now under review by Virginia environmental regulators is drawing intense scrutiny over concerns it could allow PFAS contamination to enter local waterways — and spread onto farmland through sewage sludge.
The issue took center stage at a recent public hearing as the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality considered a draft discharge permit for Arlington County’s main wastewater treatment plant.
Across the country, sewage sludge — also known as biosolids and made from treated human waste — is routinely applied to farmland as fertilizer. Scientists and environmental advocates warn that the sludge can contain PFAS, a class of toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment…