FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Sewer sludge from wastewater treatment plants appears to expose farmers and nearby neighbors to toxic “forever” chemicals, a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft risk assessment says.

Farm families that consume milk, eggs and beef they raise themselves face an increased risk of cancer if their fields were fertilized with PFAS-laced sewage sludge, the EPA reported this week. The results do not suggest that the broader food supply is contaminated.

Environmental advocates are calling for a ban the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. An EPA draft report found that there may be health risks associated with exposure to PFAS "forever chemicals" in the sludge,

Fertilizers that contain treated sewage tainted with toxic PFAS chemicals can pose a health risk to people who consume milk, eggs and beef, the agency says.