BALTIMORE, March 18, 2025 – Synagro Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of sustainable solutions for biosolids, organics, and residuals in North America, today announced the findings of an independent scientific study conducted on soil and water samples from a farm site in Johnson County, Texas.
The study, conducted by the independent engineering firm Parsons Corporation in collaboration with Dr. Linda Lee, a professor at Purdue University specializing in PFAS, examined the potential environmental impact of Synagro’s Granulite® fertilizer product that was used on a farm in Grandview, Texas, in late December 2022/early January 2023. The analysis concluded that the Granulite® product applied on the Grandview Farm could not be the source of the PFAS levels found in the fish and animals on the adjacent properties included in the 2023 samples taken by PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility). The report concludes that:
“The May/June 2024 analytical laboratory test data for soil, water, and plant and fish tissue samples collected on the Grandview Farm show small-to-below limits of quantitation and detection PFAS levels on the site where Synagro’s Granulite® product was land applied in late December 2022/early January 2023. The May/June 2024 Grandview Farm data provide no evidence to explain the PFAS on the two adjacent farms reported by PEER.
“While some soils on the Grandview Farm site had measurable PFAS concentrations, all individual PFAS were below limits of quantitation except a few which were all reported below 0.7 ppb, well within background soil concentrations observed across the nation. Likewise, with the exception of PFPrA, all individual PFAS concentrations reported by PEER were also within background concentrations with all values below 0.3 ppb, with the exception of N-MeFOSE (see below). In addition, none of the water (pond or well-water) sampling test results reported by PEER in their formal revised report were above the USEPA’s April 10, 2024, enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for drinking water. Most notable is that PFPrA was in every sample that was analyzed from the adjacent farms, but it is not present in the 2022 Granulite® sample reported in the same PEER report. The PFPrA signature in the ponds, wells, and soils located on the adjacent farms reported in the PEER report does not match what PEER reported for the “giveaway” December 2022 Granulite® sample which contained no PFPrA. PFPrA data for the ponds, wells, and soils in the PEER report for the two neighboring farms suggest another PFAS source. Also, N-MeFOSE was found in two soil samples on the neighboring farms with one sample at three times higher concentration than the PEER-reported data for the December 2022 Granulite® sample giveaway, as well as for the February 2024 Granulite® sample sent out for analysis by the City of Fort Worth; this is another indicator that the PFAS found on the neighboring farms is from another source (i.e., not Synagro’s Granulite® product).
“In addition, the findings in the data indicate that the December 2022/January 2023 single land application event employing Synagro’s Granulite® product could not have led to the PFAS levels reported for the animals on the adjacent farms. All other reported PFAS concentrations, except PFPrA, are either within background concentrations for soils across the U.S. or below the April 2024 EPA enforceable MCLs for drinking water (i.e., for the pond and well-water samples).”
“This report provides valuable conclusions regarding the application of Granulite® on the Grandview Farm in Johnson County, Texas,” said Bob Preston, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Synagro. “We are committed to sustainable solutions and will continue to support responsible beneficial use of biosolids.”
PFAS compounds are present in the environment due to their use in various everyday products. Synagro helps municipalities manage their biosolids, which may contain PFAS that is received from their customers, including manufacturers, chemical companies, and residential households.
Methodology
Synagro engaged Parsons Corporation, an independent environmental engineering firm, to evaluate analytical test data from samples collected on a farm in Grandview, Texas in May and June of 2024. The samples were collected by an independent party under a strict sampling and analysis plan. Samples were collected from various locations around the farm site where biosolids were applied. The results were reviewed by Parsons and Dr. Linda Lee, a Distinguished Professor at Purdue University and internationally recognized expert in PFAS chemistry and environmental fate. U.S. EPA-endorsed Test Method 1633, which is designed for the analysis of PFAS in various environmental matrices, was used throughout the process. This method is the only one currently recognized by the regulatory body to quantify PFAS concentrations.
Synagro’s Commitment to Sustainability
The company’s most recent Sustainability Report highlights efforts to help customers avoid over two million metric tons of CO2e annually by converting over 16 million tons of biosolids, organics, residuals, and food waste into fertilizer. Biosolids provide multiple benefits to soil quality, including improved moisture absorption, nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, and reduced need for synthetic fertilizers. In addition, Synagro has been recognized as a Top Workplace by USA Today for the last two consecutive years.
About Synagro
Synagro Technologies, Inc. is North America’s leading provider of sustainable solutions for biosolids, organics and residuals. We offer a comprehensive suite of environmental services to help ensure water quality, support regenerative agriculture and promote circularity. With the most experienced team in the industry, Synagro leverages innovative technologies to help our customers to clean water, increase organics recycling and have a net positive impact on people and the planet. Visit www.synagro.com to learn more.
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