IFCO's Sean Conlon presented at the 2025 SSICON about general refractory repairs inside sewage sludge incinerators such as Multiple Hearths (MHI) or Fluidized Bed Incinerators (FBI's). In attendance were Owners/Operators of sewage sludge incinerators from all over the country. Attached are screenshots from Sean's presentation and the SSICON flyer.
The UK Also Struggles with PFAS Contamination
The United States is not alone in the battle to eliminate PFAS from farm soil and prevent contamination of these "forever chemicals" into the food and water supply. The UK, which also uses sewage sludge for fertilizer, is dealing with this problem as well. In other European countries such as Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, sewage sludge spreading on farmland has been reduced or banned.
This article from The Guardian, "‘A Trojan horse’: how toxic sewage sludge became a threat to the future of British farming", discusses the harm of PFAS to both humans and animals and the need for more regulation on using sewage sludge as fertilizer to help prevent these chemicals from getting to the food and water supply
Multiple hearth furnaces (MHFs) can be used to treat sewage sludge for removal of PFAS. These furnaces are able to get up to the temperature needed to destroy them. Learn more about MHFs being used for PFAS removal.
IFCO becomes Veteran Business Enterprise as recognized by the NaVOBA
IFCO is a family-owned business with current fourth-generation family members who are now a part of our Team. The First, Second, and Third Generations of Owners were all Veterans. IFCO is proud to announce that we have become certified as a Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) by the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA).
Trump's Administration policy on PFAS taking shape....
the article below summarizes the administration's policy to deal with PFAS in the US
Untreated Sewage Sludge Contaminates 10,000 Acres of Farmland
Sewage sludge that was spread over 300 farm fields in South Carolina between 1993 and 2013 was found to contain an unsafe amount of PFAS in some cases, hundreds of thousands of times over the EPA standards. PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, can cause serious health problems in humans and animals, including cancer. This is prompting calls for a federal cleanup by South Carolina officials. Read more about this here.
PFAS can be removed from sewage sludge by way of multiple hearth furnaces that can remove the PFAS thorugh high temperatures.
The Negative Impact of Sewage Sludge Used As Fertilizer
In an article by the AP, local residents in Wellston, OK, complain of the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. This is just one story of many similar ones across the country. The biggest concern is the health risks from PFAS, or "forever chemicals," often found in untreated sewage sludge. PFAS don't degrade and can cause serious health issues for animals and humans as they contaminate the soil and water supply.
PFAS Contaminated a Texas County’s Farms
In an article published on the Sentient, county officials in Johnson County, Texas, declared a state of disaster after an increase in animal deaths due to high levels of PFAS contained in the county's farmland. This high level of PFAS is due to the use of sewage sludge that has not been treated and is used as fertilizer. As a result, there are now two lawsuits, one from local farmers and one from both local farmers and the county.
EPA Warns of PFAS in Sewage Sludge Fertilizer
In an article by the New York Times, "In a First, the E.P.A. Warns of ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Sludge Fertilizer", the EPA has officially warned that PFAS or "forever chemicals" that can be found in sewage sludge that is used for fertilizer, can be harmful to human health.
The EPA performed an extensive study where it found that while the general food supply is ok, in some cases PFAS my exceed the EPA's safety standards.
Read the Full Article
(note is only viewable through a paid subscription)
Will Vermont address agricultural use of sludge laden with ‘forever chemicals?’
According to WCAX Channel 3 in Vermont, a recent report shows that much of the sewage sludge spread on Vermont farms contains PFAS, or "forever chemicals" that could be entering the food supply.
The practice of using sewage sludge is not as widely used as it used to be, it is still legal in the state of Vermont.
According to the article, "We already know that many common consumer products -- food packaging, furniture, and clothing -- have been traced to PFAS. However, there are growing concerns that some of the foods we consume can also be traced back to the waste stream in the form of PFAS-laden sludge or biosolids from waste treatment plants."
EPA Eliminates Chemical Safety Review Exemptions for PFAS
According to Chemical Processing, as of December 4th, the EPA has eliminated low production exemptions for chemicals containing PFAS. This will help to ensure that new PFAS that can have potential harm to humans are subject to full safety reivews before manufacturing. From the article:
“Today, we’ve modernized our chemical reviews and continued to protect people from unsafe new PFAS," said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
Casella offers to drop sludge spreading plans in Thurston
According to FingerLakes1.com, Casella Waste Systems Inc. has offered to drop all plans to spread sewage sludge on fields in Thurston if the Steuben County town will allow to operate a composting facility instead at its Bonny Hill Organics site. But Town Supervisor Michael Volino said Sunday that Thurston won’t be accepting that informal offer made to him in an Aug. 5 letter from Tom West, the company’s attorney.
Industrial Furnace Now Has its General Contracting License in North Carolina
With continued plans to further expand Industrial Furnace operations throughout the United States, we have recently received our General Contracting License in North Carolina.
Please contact us with any questions.
Town of Cameron in Steuben County takes steps to legally ban sewage sludge
The town of Cameron in Steuben County is moving toward banning the use of biosolids as fertilizer due to concerns about PFAS. The town passed a resolution to conduct an environmental assessment as part of the process required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). Cameron follows Thurston, a neighboring town that banned biosolids last year. The county now has 30 days to review the assessment, with a public hearing scheduled for August 14.
Town OKs increased borrowing to pay cost of new upgrade at sewage treatment plant, which rose nearly 80% since 2022
The Riverhead Town Board recently approved an increased project budget for a new wastewater treatment facility. This increase, largely due to COVID-related supply chain issues and design changes, will cost the town $18.65 million and is to be paid off over 30 years. The project will convert the current sludge handling process to create Class A biosolids, which are more environmentally friendly and will save the town an estimated $25 million in operational costs over the next three decades. The project will be financed through property assessments within the service area, with the town securing a $17 million no-interest loan from the N.Y. State Environmental Services Corporation.