The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has the authority to reject the expansion of the practice of spreading sewage sludge (or “biosolids”) on farmlands in Westmoreland County. Synagro has applied for and DEQ now proposes to expand its operations in Westmoreland County, adding nearly 2,000 new acres of farmlands to the more than 2,500 already approved. This follows recently-approved expansions for Synagro in other counties, Frederick, King William, and Bedford to name a few, as well as other pending applications for expansion in Essex, Culpeper, Chesterfield and Dinwiddie counties, among others.

Wall Street-backed Synagro makes money by taking millions of tons of residual solid waste from industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants and spreading it on farmlands as a form of fertilizer. This sludge, marketed as “biosolids,” is only partially treated to remove some heavy metals and pathogens. Environmental regulators have known for decades that land-applied biosolids are contaminated by PFAS or “Forever Chemicals,” a class of persistent, toxic, and bioaccumalative chemicals that cause numerous developmental disorders, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. In fact, Synagro is now being sued by ranchers in Texas and are actively seeking immunity from lawmakers for liability for knowingly contaminating America’s farmlands, drinking water, and food with toxic PFAS.

In spite of this, Virginia not only refuses to require companies like Synagro to disclose and test biosolids for PFAS, let alone impose any limits on its application, the DEQ is permitting the company to expand its operations in Westmoreland and elsewhere, contaminating thousands of additional acres of the Commonwealth’s productive farmlands with toxic PFAS for generations. Moreover, this practice has been shown to contaminate crops, livestock, groundwater, drinking water wells, wildlife, and local waterways. Indeed, DEQ is required by state law to protect human health and the environment from the harm of toxic contamination through the practice of spreading sewage sludge. Virginia farmers have a right to know that PFAS in biosolids can contaminate their farm fields.

Take action now by sending a letter!

Why your unique comment submission matters:

• Decision makers will better understand the public opposition to the expansion of this practice the more comments, especially personalized, the agency receives.

• Your perspective and experience can educate decision makers about the issue and about stakeholders they have never adequately considered, as they often only hear from the polluters themselves.

• Your comment also shows elected leaders and lawmakers what their constituents care about, leading them to take action in their oversight of state regulators and land application of biosolids.

• Lastly, DEQ will not grant a public hearing, which will include additional time for the public to learn about the issue and provide meaningful testimony, unless the agency receives at least 25 unique comments that describe the interest of the commenter; raise “substantial, disputed issues relevant to the modification” (i.e. the permit fails to control toxic PFAS contamination that the modification would increase); and demand action by the agency within its legal authority (i.e. reject the modification; and require PFAS testing and limits).