Maine bans use of sewage sludge on farms to reduce risk of PFAS poisoning

Stoneridge Farm in Arundel, Maine, was poisoned by PFAS after the owners used sludge from water treatment facilities as fertilizer. Photograph: Tristan Spinski/The Guardian

Maine last month became the first state to ban the practice of spreading PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge as fertilizer.

But it’s largely on its own in the US, despite a recent report estimating about 20m acres of cropland across the country may be contaminated.