PART I: THE PFAS PROBLEM
In 2020, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection tested their farm and found elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, PFOS, or forever chemicals and found them in shockingly high numbers.
Maine had been spreading what is called sludge on its farmland and fields since the 1980s. The fittingly named sludge is a combination of wastewater and sewage, and its application on farms has been seen as a way to keep waste out of waterways and feed fields.
For years, the application of sludge in Maine was regarded as safe, as it was in several other states; a 1994 booklet from the EPA claimed that the “beneficial application of biosolids to provide crop nutrients or to condition the soil is not only safe but good public policy.” The state later discovered, however, that the sludge contained harmful PFAS.
The sources of contamination were numerous. Once the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, many chemicals and toxins that flowed freely from paper mills into Maine’s rivers started to be processed through sewage plants. Additionally, forever chemicals that appeared in cleaning chemicals, makeup, and nonstick pans made their way down household drains and ended up in local sewage plants.
By the spring of 2022, more than 50 farms in Tier 1 areas learned they had high levels of forever chemicals in their products, their fields, and their water. Some farms were able to stop production temporarily while they identified possible solutions. However, several farmers, including Nordell and Davis, were forced to close up shop permanently. Farmers were hurting, consumers were worried, and Maine’s food system looked to be in crisis.
“From an agriculture perspective, we want the soil to come out the other side usable and healthy. But in the meantime, we have adopted the truism that PFAs do not have to mean the end of a farm, and there may be alternative options.”
1. Supporting Farmers and Conducting Research
Financial support from the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund assists with direct monetary assistance and covers the cost of biosolids testing, and health coverage for affected farmers, and has also been used to invest in infrastructure for PFAS relief and remediation.
“We provide a continuum of support,” McBrady says DACF’s Brady of the collective effort. “First and foremost, we are on the ground doing scientific analysis of the source of the PFAS with comprehensive testing that we pay for. This gives a blueprint of the situation and provides an opportunity to consider mitigation strategies such as changing the rotation of livestock, cleaning up the water, or trying a different crop.”
“There isn’t that much great land for farming in Maine,” says Amy Fisher, President & CEO of the Maine Farmland Trust, referring to the state’s famously rocky soil. “So we cannot lose any of it to contamination.”
“There are a lot of theories being tested,” says Maine DACF’s PFAS director Meagan Hennessey. “We are eagerly awaiting research breakthroughs that we can start implementing.”
Methods of Remediation
Besides using biomass with Oaktree’s technology, scientists are also looking at different energy grass types to speed up the cleaning process.
Some examples are Canola, Sunflower and Hemp (all containing Omega 3 & 6): Field studies have shown some promise for using canola, sunflower, and hemp to remediate PFAS-contaminated soil.
What makes these plants particularly interesting is that they contain monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats (like omega-3 and omega-6) and can be used as both primary – and cover crops.
Opportunity to capitalize on the existing vegetable oil market.
- Future Market Insights: Omega-3 at $ 9.3 billion
- MMR: Omega-6 at $5.98 billion
All three crops can be farmed in Maine. There are even research projects specifically focused on canola as a potential crop for Maine farmers.
2. Here’s some information to consider:
Success stories: Canola is already being grown in some parts of Maine, particularly Aroostook County.
- Climatic suitability: The climate in Maine seems to be generally compatible with canola production.
- Research and development: The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers resources and recommendations for growing canola in Maine.
However, there are also some factors to keep in mind:
- Soil conditions: Canola has specific soil pH requirements and may not thrive in all Maine soils.
- Weed control: Weed management can be a challenge for canola crops.
- Best practices: Consulting with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension or other agricultural experts is recommended to ensure successful canola farming in Maine.
Canola prefers a soil pH that’s neither too acidic nor too alkaline. The ideal range for canola growth is between 5.5 and 8.3.
Maine’s soils naturally tend to be on the acidic side. Research from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension indicates that unamended soils typically fall between a pH of 4.5 and 5.0. This means they are acidic and dominated by hydrogen (H+) and aluminum (Al3+) ions.
The Oaktree’s research shows that biochar from wood typically falls in a mildly acidic to alkaline range, which is roughly pH 5.5 to 8.0 and our studies show that biochar derived from biosolids at similar temperatures (around 700°C and above) have a pH ranging from 8.5 to 9.5.
Using biochar will increase the Ph levels in the soil, if biosolids are used as feedstock, then the biochar will also contain nitrogen and phosphorous, partly replacing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Cover crops to ensure that the soil stays healthy
Hemp shows promise as a cover crop and research is ongoing to explore its full potential.
Here’s a breakdown of its potential benefits:
Soil Health: Hemp can improve soil health in several ways. Its fast growth and deep root system help suppress weeds, reducing the need for herbicides. It also helps retain moisture in the soil and can add organic matter as it decomposes.
Nitrogen Fixation: Some varieties of hemp, like sunn hemp, are nitrogen-fixing legumes. These plants capture atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a form usable by other plants, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
Weed Suppression: Hemp’s dense growth shades out weeds, helping to control weed populations naturally.
Biomass Production: Hemp can produce a significant amount of biomass after its main growing cycle. This can be used as a feedstock when regenerating the soil. Besides healthy soil, biomass can also generate a significant amount of carbon-negative electricity.
Conclusion
The farmers of Maine may not be able to farm wheat for a while but, other crops can be farmed and:
- 8.3 million acres (around 50% of Maine’s working forests) are certified as sustainably managed by independent auditors.
- Maine has a total of 18 million acres of forest.
Looking at Sweden with similar climate to Maine where between 40 and 60% of all electricity comes from Biomass.
Governor Mills who has declared that she focuses on both the PFAS problem and that she’s striving for carbon neutrality, then not only will the problem diminish, the goals of carbon neutrality will also be reached and this without increased cost for the State.
Final words,
The problems that Maine and many other states face may very well be a Devil in Disguise but it needs collaboration, hard work and new solutions.
Next article: Main’s forestry taking the next step.
