PFAS, Biosolids & Nomini Bay Community Meeting
April 30 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
When a biosolids company proposed expanding its permit to apply biosolids in Westmoreland county, local residents and watermen raised concerns about what that could mean for their land, water, and livelihoods. Members of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network began hearing from the community, and decided to take a closer look.
Biosolids, the treated sewage sludge produced by wastewater treatment plants, are applied to farmland across Westmoreland County in large quantities. Farmers use biosolids because they’re cheaper than traditional fertilizer and are marketed as safe and sustainable. What farmers aren’t told is that biosolids can contain harmful levels of PFAS, a “Forever Chemical” that is toxic to humans and can migrate from soil into crops, rivers and well water.
Over 33,000 tons of biosolids have been applied to farmlands in Westmoreland in the last 7 years, nearly half of which are sourced from Maryland, where biosolids testing and regulation are more stringent. The quantity of biosolids in the Nomini Bay watershed were particularly concerning for the health of the farmers, residents, and the environment.
That’s why the Potomac Riverkeeper Network launched a community-driven effort to better understand and address PFAS contamination.
We believe that farmers and rural residents deserve to know what’s in the biosolids being spread on people’s farms. That’s why we’re offering free & confidential PFAS testing of farm soils and well water.
Join us on April 30th at 6pm at Coles Point Marina to schedule your free PFAS test and learn more.
LOCATION
Coles Point Marina
307 Plantation Drive Hague, VA 22469
Questions? Contact Dean Naujoks at (336) 809-6041
Want to learn more? Check out these links:
