After 40 years of resistance, the town of Cameron in Steuben County moved closer to banning sewage sludge on farmland, according to Spectrum News. Residents voiced unanimous support for a proposed law at a public hearing, citing contamination fears tied to toxic PFAS chemicals.
Wayne Wells and Tim Hargrave, whose creeks have tested positive for PFAS, say sludge use has harmed the local environment and health. Though the county opposes the law over farming rights, Cameron leaders say they’ll move forward regardless. A similar law passed in nearby Thurston last year.
A state-level bill proposes a five-year moratorium on sludge use, but with federal PFAS regulations now loosened, residents say local action is more important than ever to protect public health.
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