PRINTER'S NO. 1238
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.1116
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PUGH, PICKETT, MIHALEK, FLICK, RYNCAVAGE, RADER,
WATRO, RIVERA, STEHR AND WALSH, APRIL 3, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, APRIL 3, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for duty of Department of Environmental Protection to
conduct a study on PFAS chemicals in biosolids.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Study of PFAS
Chemicals in Biosolids Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Biosolid." As follows:
(1) Liquid or solid sludge or other residue from a
municipal sewage collection and treatment system or from
septic and holding tank pumpings from a commercial,
institutional or residential establishment. The term includes
a material derived from sewage sludge.
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17 (2) The term does not include any of the following:
(i) Ash generated during the firing of sewage sludge
in a sewage sludge incinerator.
(ii) Grit and screenings generated during the
preliminary treatment of sewage sludge at a municipal
sewage collection and treatment system.
(iii) Grit, screenings and nonorganic objects from
septic and holding tank pumpings.
"Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
the Commonwealth.
"PFAS chemical." A fluorinated organic chemical that
contains any member of the class of fluorinated organic
chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom,
including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The
term includes any of the following:
(1) Perfluorooctanoic acid.
(2) Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid.
(3) Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid.
(4) Perfluorononanoic acid.
(5) Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid.
(6) Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid.
Section 3. Duty of department to conduct study on PFAS
chemicals in biosolids.
(a) Study.--The department shall conduct a study on PFAS
chemicals in biosolids that are authorized by the department for
use in this Commonwealth. The department shall include all of
the following in the study:
(1) A testing of the concentrations of PFAS chemicals in
biosolids used for land application on farmland.
(2) A testing and comparison of the concentrations of
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30 PFAS chemicals in the soil and water on and near farmland
where biosolids are land applied and the concentrations of
PFAS chemicals in the soil and water on and near farmland
where no biosolids are land applied.
(3) An analysis of the source of the biosolids used for
land application on the farmland specified under paragraphs
(1) and (2).
(4) An analysis of the potential pathways for
contamination of the food supply for humans with PFAS
chemicals resulting from the land application of biosolids,
which shall include an examination of all of the following:
(i) The uptake for PFAS chemicals on crops grown on
fields where biosolids are land applied and grown for
human or animal consumption.
(ii) An examination of PFAS chemicals in the blood
of livestock and poultry fed with crops grown on farmland
on which biosolids are land applied.
(iii) An examination of PFAS chemicals in the milk
produced by livestock fed with crops grown on farmland on
which biosolids are land applied.
(5) An examination and cost analysis of different
testing methods for concentrations of PFAS chemicals in
biosolids.
(6) An examination and cost analysis of different
treatment methods for reducing the concentrations of PFAS
chemicals in biosolids.
(7) An examination of the laws and regulations of other
states regarding requirements for testing or treatment for
PFAS chemicals in land-applied biosolids.
(b) Coordination.--The department shall coordinate with the
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30 Department of Agriculture, the State Conservation Commission and
institutions of higher education as necessary to complete the
study under subsection (a).
Section 4. Report on study.
No later than 180 days after the effective date of this
section, the department shall:
(1) Present a report detailing the results of the study
under section 3(a) to:
(i) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the Senate.
(ii) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the House of
Representatives.
(iii) The chairperson and minority chairperson of
the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the
Senate.
(iv) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee
of the House of Representatives.
(2) Make the report available on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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