I was shocked to learn that our lovely neighborhood in southern Albemarle County has acres and acres of fields where city waste also known as “biosolids” is being spread on farmland.

According to the New York Times “a growing body of research shows that this black sludge, made from the sewage that flows from homes and factories, can contain heavy concentrations of chemicals thought to increase the risk of certain types of cancer and to cause birth defects and developmental delays in children.” (Tabuchi, H. 8/31/24 “Something’s Poisoning America’s Land. Farmers Fear ‘Forever Chemicals’” New York Times.

This land needs reliable testing. Farmers and neighbors need educated and this practice needs to stop. They did it in Maine. We can do it in Virginia.