PFAS in Agriculture: Science, Uncertainty, and Risk Communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62300/krpmdc33Keywords:
PFAS, Biosolids, Risk communication, Agricultural regulation, Hazard vs. riskAbstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called “forever chemicals,” have become one of the most consequential environmental and regulatory challenges facing American agriculture. Farms usually sit downstream from contamination sources, and PFAS reach them mainly through biosolids, compost, irrigation water and certain feeds. Yet farmers bear disproportionate regulatory, economic and reputational costs when PFAS are detected. This paper argues that treating thousands of chemically diverse compounds as a single, uniform hazard distorts policy. The strongest evidence of adverse health effects is concentrated in a few compounds, mainly PFOA and PFOS, and real-world risk depends on the specific compound, dose, duration and exposure pathway. The authors review federal and state regulation, litigation trends and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2026 draft biosolids guidance. They recommend upstream source control, strategic testing, compound-by-compound interpretation, documentation, engagement in state rulemaking and early, plain-language risk communication.
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References
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