Officials in the Ellis County town of Milford want fertilizer made from human waste tested for PFAS. The company that makes it says it’s safe.
Officials in the Ellis County town of Milford want fertilizer made from human waste tested for PFAS. The company that makes it says it’s safe.
Officials in the Ellis County town of Milford want fertilizer made from human waste tested for PFAS. The company that makes it says it’s safe.
MILFORD, Texas — Life in the small town of Milford is usually peaceful, but lately, something in the air has residents plugging their noses — and asking questions.
Residents say a foul odor has been drifting through the community almost every morning, and many believe it’s coming from biosolids being spread by a nearby rancher. Biosolids are treated human waste used as fertilizer, and while their use is legal in Texas, they’ve become increasingly controversial due to potential health risks.
“It’s so obvious everybody is smelling it,” said Mayor Bruce Perryman, who has been flooded with calls and complaints from concerned residents.
The bigger concern is what could be in those biosolids. The Environmental Protection Agency has warned that biosolids can contain PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as “forever chemicals” due to their resistance to breaking down in the environment. Some PFAS have been linked to cancer, liver damage and other health problems.
“The more we read about PFAS, the more concerned we are that the smell is not the least of the problems,” Perryman said.
So far, no PFAS testing has been conducted on the biosolids spread in Milford. Local and county leaders say efforts are underway to start that process.
This isn’t the first time biosolids have come under scrutiny in North Texas. In Johnson County, just west of Ellis County, ranchers say the material made their animals sick and killed fish in ponds. Now, some farmers in Ellis County fear the same could happen here.
“You know the farmers and ranchers around there, as well around here … are also very concerned at this point that it might bleed into their property,” said Milford Fire Chief Carlos Felix.
Ellis County Commissioner Louis Ponder said he doesn’t believe biosolids should be applied to farmland without proof of safety.
“Until they can show me this stuff is safe I don’t think they should be put out on any farm,” Ponder said.
While some states, including Maine and Vermont, have banned the use of biosolids due to PFAS contamination, Texas still allows them. Ponder said more testing is needed.
“If they can prove it to us that they’ve cleaned the PFAS out and prove to us there are no pathogens in it and they can prove we don’t have a problem, then I don’t mind them using it as fertilizer at that point — but we are not there,” he said.
The company behind the biosolids in question, Synagro, said in a statement that its products are safe.
“The biosolids meet all state and federal requirements for land application and are a beneficial part of sustainable agriculture,” the company said.
Pam Racey, a representative for Synagro, defended the product’s safety by sharing a personal anecdote.
“I am such a believer that I have two children, and I have a garden. I put product like granulite — it’s not from Texas but from Baltimore — in my garden and fed my family and myself from it,” Racey said.
She also noted that PFAS contamination is not unique to biosolids.
“I mean, PFAS is in many things — including insecticides, pesticides, fracking fluids … it’s ubiquitous,” she said.
Even so, critics argue that state regulators are slow to act and that more stringent testing is overdue.
“Essentially it would require testing each and every load that leaves there for PFAS,” Ponder said.
Synagro maintains that the PFAS exposure risk from biosolids is relatively low compared to everyday sources.
“But the amount in biosolids is not, not as high as the products we use in our house. And the exposure to them for the everyday citizen is nowhere near what the exposure is in the house,” Racey said.
In a recent interview with WFAA, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said PFAS contamination is a growing concern across the state — and likely not limited to just one county.
“We’ve got a real problem in Johnson County and it’s probably not isolated to Johnson County. It’s probably the tip of the iceberg when it comes to PFOs,” Miller said, referring to a type of PFAS. “I know we’ve got ranchers down there that are losing cattle, and you can’t sell them. You don’t wanna send them to somebody else and give them your problem … it’s kind of like, you know, sending somebody off that has the mumps or the measles.”
Miller said he’s been closely monitoring the issue and has even discussed it with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is expected to visit Texas soon.
“They have filed lawsuits. I’ve been in discussions with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about this,” Miller said. “We’ve got to get a handle on this. These are forever chemicals. They do not go away.”
Rather than banning biosolids, Miller said Texas should start by requiring testing before the material is applied to farmland.
“If it’s got it in it, then you can’t apply it,” Miller said. “We use a lot of organic fertilizers — chicken litter, hog manure, manure from feedlots or dairies … the PFOS is coming from municipal waste for the most part.”
He added that PFAS could become one of the next major environmental battles, similar to previous fights over asbestos and lead paint.
“It’s very serious, serious stuff, and it’s gonna have to be stopped,” he said.
For now, the odor — and the uncertainty — remain.