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.

Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge spread on pasture as fertilizer pose a risk to people who regularly consume milk, beef and other products from those farms, in some cases raising cancer risk “several orders of magnitude” above what the Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable,

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,

The E.P.A.’s report follows a growing body of research that has found that sludge can be contaminated with human-made “forever chemicals” known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are used in a wide range of household items such as nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing and stain-resistant carpets.

Chemicals found in sewage sludge that some farmers use to fertilize fields and pastures can pose a threat to human and animal health, the US Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday.

Chemicals in sewage sludge that is spread on pasture land as fertilizer are causing cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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.

The use of treated sewage sludge as fertilizer on farms can pose a health risk to residents and consumers because of the presence of "forever chemicals" that break down slowly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday.