Sludge Ban Sparks Costly Debate

Rensselaer County faces skyrocketing costs to dispose of sewage sludge as New York State pushes a five-year ban on using it as fertilizer—raising alarms over PFAS contamination in soil. County leaders warn the ban could force expensive landfilling, while environmental advocates see it as a crucial step to study risks and protect farmland. With no PFAS limits for farmland yet, the proposal includes funding for farmers and testing—and some hope it will spur better wastewater prevention. Officials say they’ve already spent heavily to curb PFAS, but these “forever chemicals” remain stubbornly hard to eliminate. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/502cce51c3fcb696