Officials Declare State of Emergency as Widespread Health Hazard Unveiled: "We've Never Seen This Before"

A county in Texas is seeking a declaration of a state of emergency because a widely-used fertilizer has been contaminated.

What's happening?

As detailed by The New York Times , investigators in Johnson County, located southeast of Fort Worth, discovered elevated levels of PFAS At two cattle ranches in 2023, PFAS was found. per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are also referred to as " forever chemicals " because they don't break down within the environment and can accumulate in our bodies .

The county stated that the chemicals originated from contaminated fertilizer composed of purified effluent from a wastewater treatment facility in Fort Worth.

Farmers have been using treated sewage sludge for many years now. federal government's recommendation owing to its abundant nutrients and the decreased reliance on fertilizers derived from fossil fuels. Nonetheless, the Times noted A mounting collection of studies indicates that the black sludge, derived from wastewater originating from residences and industrial facilities, may have high levels of PFAS along with various other dangerous pollutants.

This disclosure led county commissioners to approve a resolution the previous month urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to participate in the state of emergency declaration and pursue federal disaster aid.

"This is unexplored ground," said Larry Woolley, one of the county's four commissioners. told the Times .

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Why is this important?

PFAS have been discovered in numerous common items like non-stick cookware, food packaging materials, and carpets. even clothing .

The broader population is coming into contact with these chemicals. without even knowing it , and they have been associated with various health concerns including cancer, infertility problems, birth defects, developmental delays in children, asthma, and thyroid disorders.

Texas isn't the only state grappling with the PFAS problem, as biosolids are also involved. applied to farm fields in North Carolina have likewise been discovered to contain the harmful chemicals .

The Times noted Maine stands out as "the sole state that has begun testing agricultural land for PFAS on a large scale and has closed down numerous dairies discovered to have been contaminated." While Johnson County is pioneering efforts by seeking federal aid, it remains uncertain whether they will successfully access these federal resources.

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What actions are being taken regarding this issue?

Woolley told the Times The money from federal aid would go towards testing and tracking drinking water, cleaning up contamination, along with putting down cows infected due to polluted soil, crops, and water. Additionally, the county is urging the state to prohibit the usage of sewage sludge as fertilizer on nearby agricultural lands.

"Ultimately, our aim is to prevent contaminants from entering the county," said County Judge Christopher Boedeker. told the Times .

However, it was noted that the freeze imposed by the Trump administration on federal spending generates ambiguity regarding the accessibility of federal funds, like those $2 billion From the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to tackle PFAS and other pollutants in drinking water.

You can make a difference by urging local legislators to put into place more stringent protections against PFAS.

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Authorities aim for an emergency declaration following the detection of a health risk in a commonly utilized item: 'We are dealing with unprecedented circumstances.' first appeared on The Cool Down .