We have been alarmed by recent news about the PFAS or “forever” chemicals that have contaminated drinking water at over 200 properties in the central Massachusetts town of Westminster. The culprit, in this case, is the local compost processing facility, Mass Natural, that has accepted biosolids for over 30 years. Biosolids is a marketing term for sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants and paper mills. Mass Natural has been forbidden by the State of Massachusetts to sell any of its products since June. Investigation and control of the situation is still underway.
We follow the NOFA Organic Land Care Standards in our work. The OLC Standards historically prohibited use of biosolids due to their high concentrations of heavy metals. Now there is an additional reason: the presence of PFAS chemicals used in common consumer and industrial products which do not break down in several lifetimes or even longer.
Rest assured that Pumpkin Brook has never purchased any products from this vendor. Our compost provider, Black Earth Compost, offers the following statement on their processes and products: Black Earth Compost
For more information on PFAS for homeowners, read this informative fact sheet compiled by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection: Mass.gov/PFAS
