Williamstown Agricultural Commission Issues Statement on Sludge and Composting Concerns
As the debate continues around the future of sludge management and composting in Northern Berkshire County, the Williamstown Agricultural Commission has added its voice to the conversation. At a May 7 meeting, the Commission discussed the growing concern over PFAS contamination in biosolid-based compost, referencing both local practices and alarming precedents in other states, such as the widespread farm closures in Maine.
The Commission's focus remains on protecting farmland, public health, and the long-term viability of agricultural practices in the region. As part of their commitment to public education and responsible environmental stewardship, the Commission released the following public statement:
"PFAS are group of persistent chemicals used in many industrial and household products that are hazardous to human health. The presence of these toxic chemicals on farmland in Maine, due to the spreading of biosolid fertilizer, led to farm closures around that state.
As Massachusetts and other states begin reckoning with regulations for PFAS, our commission is concerned that both farmers and backyard gardeners are able to easily acquire and spread this material, provided by both the Hoosac River Water Quality District’s composting facility and from bagged compost found at the local hardware store. We see the long-term health and financial costs of land-spreading PFAS (and other chemicals) that are present in municipal and industrial biosolid compost as considerably higher than the costs of acting now to prevent further proliferation.
In our ongoing effort to protect farmland and the livelihood of farmers, the commission releases the following statement to the public: “The Williamstown Agricultural Commission does not support the land application of biosolid-based compost fertilizer from the Hoosac Water Quality District due to concerns around the dangerous PFAs and other contaminants found in the material. We acknowledge that finding a good solution for managing the sludge output is difficult, but we believe that disposing of it in a landfill is the best solution right now. We are also committed to education around this issue and recommend that the HWQD stop allowing the public to take composted biosolid material from the facility."
This statement was also published in a Letter to the Editor by Commission member Brian Cole, which appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on May 7, 2025. The Commission's position emphasizes the potential long-term health and financial risks of spreading biosolid-based compost and advocates for immediate caution while regulatory and scientific reviews continue.
