The company that helps produce the Capital Regional Districtsa国际传媒檚 biosolids is being accused of its similar products medically harming Texas farmers and fatally impacting their animals.
Synagro Technologies is the majority equity holder of the contractor that built the regional districtsa国际传媒檚 residual treatment facility at Hartland landfill. It also has a 20-year contract to operate the facility that makes the dried treated-wastewater granules.
Synagro and its longhorn-state subsidiary are named defendants in a civil suit brought on by Texas farmers in February.
The five Johnson County, Texas, plaintiffs claim their farms were polluted by toxic chemicals in a biosolids-based fertilizer produced by Synagro after a neighbouring property spread the product on its crops.
The farmers allege the fertilizer contained high levels of PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkl substances) that made them sick with various illnesses, led to their animals dying, polluted their water and rendered their properties worthless.
PFAS are considered sa国际传媒渇orever chemicalssa国际传媒� that are linked to cancer and other harmful impacts on humans and animals. The lawsuit claims while the wastewater treatment process removes pathogens and toxic ingredients, PFAS is not removed and they accumulate in the biosolids that Synagro uses to make its fertilizer.
The farmers said that since their land was sa国际传媒減ollutedsa国际传媒� from the fertilizer in 2022, theysa国际传媒檝e experienced PFAS-linked medical issues like high blood pressure, respiratory and cardiac issues, skin irritations, masses and other conditions. Farmers from one farm claimed their dogs, horses, cows and various other animals have died after drinking water polluted by the fertilizer, while another farm had 10 cows die of unknown causes.
sa国际传媒淣ow that their property and only water source is polluted with sa国际传媒榝orever chemicals,sa国际传媒� they face the stark possibility of having to abandon the home they love and the property they have developed into a working ranch, raising cattle, freshwater fish, and game birds, which may have to be euthanized since they cannot be safely consumed,sa国际传媒� the civil suit states about one farm.
sa国际传媒淭heir property is their main asset which has been rendered worthless.sa国际传媒�
The south-of-the-border suit comes as the practise of applying biosolids to the land as a growth supplement remains contentious on the Island. The Capital Regional District doesnsa国际传媒檛 allow the practise beyond Hartland landfillsa国际传媒檚 borders, but has been sending biosolids up Island, where theysa国际传媒檙e being stored for use in a quarry reclamation project.
The CRD board this month moved ahead with possibly sending biosolids to a second quarry site within the Regional District of Nanaimo, even as the board there called on their South Island counterparts to stop sending the product altogether.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e actually disrespecting our neighboursa国际传媒檚 wishes,sa国际传媒� Philippe Lucas, founder of Biosolids Free B.C., said in an interview.
As a former Nanaimo resident, Lucas is concerned about contaminants from biosolids leaching into a river thatsa国际传媒檚 just a few hundred metres from one of the quarry sites.
sa国际传媒淥f course theysa国际传媒檙e going to find their way into the river and threaten that ecological balance as well,sa国际传媒� he said.
When asked on Tuesday (March 19) about the lawsuitsa国际传媒檚 local connections, the CRD said it will need a few days to provide a response. A spokesperson noted the province regulates whatsa国际传媒檚 safe and what isnsa国际传媒檛. The province has maintained that land applying biosolids is safe and environmentally beneficial when done properly.
The Texas farmerssa国际传媒� claim states county officials tested their land and found high levels of PFAS in the soil, surface water and wells used for drinking water. It added the countysa国际传媒檚 Environmental Crimes Investigator detected PFAS in tissue samples from fish and two calves sa国际传媒� one stillborn and one that died one week after birth sa国际传媒� from the plaintiffssa国际传媒� properties.
The suit states the investigator tested Synagrosa国际传媒檚 biosolids fertilizer and found PFAS present. The same official found sa国际传媒渆xtremely high concentrationssa国际传媒� of PFAS on the farmerssa国际传媒� properties.
B.C. conducted a review of the regulation that deals with biosolids last year, but the government is months behind on providing the reviewsa国际传媒檚 results, according to CRD staff. Asked if the review looked at the impact of PFAS, a spokesperson for B.C.sa国际传媒檚 environment ministry said experts looked at scientific articles and evidence on contaminants of emerging concern.
Lucas was shocked by the lawsuit and said the CRD contract with the company causes him great concern. But hesa国际传媒檚 more worried about the board seemingly not being made aware of the lawsuit. There was no mention of the lawsuit at the boardsa国际传媒檚 March meeting.
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 a lot of unanswered questions around that lawsuit,sa国际传媒� Lucas said. sa国际传媒淭here is no reason why the CRD board would not know more about this.sa国际传媒�
Synagro has hailed itself as the sa国际传媒渢he preeminent provider of biosolids and residuals solutions services in North America.sa国际传媒� Citing the companysa国际传媒檚 public reports, the lawsuit alleges Synagro recognized its products may have PFAS present in them.
sa国际传媒淥ne of our industrysa国际传媒檚 challenges to move toward a more circular world, is the potential of unwanted substances in biosolids, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS),sa国际传媒� the companysa国际传媒檚 2022 sustainability report states.
That report noted Synagro does not sa国际传媒済enerate PFAS or use them in our processes,sa国际传媒� but also said its collaborated with a company on high-temperature pyrolysis to treat biosolids and that sa国际传媒減rocess may address PFAS.sa国际传媒�
Plaintiffs said Synagro knew or shouldsa国际传媒檝e known about the foreseeable risks of its biosolids fertilizer and that the product was unreasonably dangerous. The farmers are seeking multiple damages, including over $75,000 and whatever else a jury deems proper.
Synagro has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
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