Pennsylvania DEP is proposing updated general permits (PAG-07, PAG-08, and PAG-09) that would require wastewater treatment facilities to test biosolids for the forever chemicals PFOA and PFOS before the sludge is spread on farm fields as fertilizer. Facilities that exceed certain thresholds would have to develop reduction plans. It is the state’s first substantial step toward keeping PFAS in sewage sludge out of our soil and groundwater.
Sludge spreading is common across our region, and PFAS that leach from farm fields can end up in streams, private wells, and public water supplies. The Allegheny Front covered the proposal and the debate around it this week.
Deadline: Public comments are due by 11:59 PM on September 2, 2026. Comment through DEP’s eComment portal or by email to ecomment@pa.gov (include your name and address).
Read the DEP announcement, and hear the coverage in The Allegheny Front’s August 21 episode.
