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Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: We witnessed new, stricter stances from European countries since signing new agreement with IAEA
Saree: Our UAV force targeted the so-called Ramon Airport in the Umm al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: Our rocket force carried out an operation with a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile targeting a sensitive target in the occupied Yafa area
Trump administration clears first Ukraine arms aid package paid for by allies: Reuters, citing sources
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman receives Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani at his office in Al-Yamamah Palace
Wakim: Surrender is not in our dictionary, and it is not true that "Israel" can implement its project in Lebanon and the region
Wakim: The US is preventing the armament of the Lebanese army. The question is, why are the weapons it is handed over by the Resistance being destroyed?
Wakim: The Resistance is required to hand over its weapons to the [current] authority. The question is: Is this authority independent or subservient to America?

20 mln acres of US crops may have been polluted by forever chemicals

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 May 2022 15:53
  • 2 Shares
1 Min Read

A report estimates that 20 million acres of US cropland may be contaminated by chemical-tainted sewage used as fertilizer.

  • x
  • Over 19 billion pounds of sludge have been used as fertilizer since 2016
    Over 19 billion pounds of sludge have been used as fertilizer since 2016

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of about 9,000 compounds used to make products heat-, water- or stain-resistant. They are known as "forever chemicals" that are linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, liver problems, birth defects, and more.

Since they don't naturally break down, these chemicals contaminate cropland when they're mixed with sewage sludge. Sludge is a byproduct of treating wastewater and is a mix of human excrement and industrial waste discharged from industrial pipes.

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Records from the Environmental Protection Agency show that over 19 billion pounds of sludge have been used as fertilizer since 2016 in the US, and it's estimated that 60% of US sludge is spread on cropland.

These chemicals end up in crops, cattle, water and humans, and the public health toll is unknown. Some PFAS-tainted fields in Maine have had their farms completely shut down.

Advocates say that the health cost of using sludge outweighs the benefits, with sludge being linked to public health problems, contaminated beef, and contaminated drinking water.

  • United States
  • chemical waste
  • US
  • Agriculture
  • Pollution

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