SOURCE:
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/environmentalists-raise-alarm-on-pfas-in-produce/
by Sabrina Artusa - March 13, 2026
In a virtual presentation on March 6, environmental scientists and advocates broke down how long-lasting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have infiltrated Long Island produce. Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito along with other experts arranged a study focusing on how these “forever chemicals” impact Long Island farmland.
PFAS is an umbrella term for a large family of chemicals that are found in various household materials such as nonstick pans, furniture, certain cosmetics, water-resistant clothing and paints, to name a few. The synthetic chemicals, bonded through carbon and fluorine, do not naturally break down and are toxic when accumulated in the body.
While there are over 10,000 variants of PFAS, the federal government moderated the amount of six compounds. There are additional state laws, such as the New York State PFAS Apparel Law, which is banning the use of the chemical in apparel.
“Because these chemicals are so ubiquitous, they go down our drain,” Kyla Bennet, director of science policy at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said. The chemicals are not treated in wastewater treatment plants. “So when you wash your face, wash your dishes, shampoo, do your laundry, all the PFAS in those consumer products go down the drain and into wastewater treatment plants or your septic systems.”
The chemicals can cause thyroid disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, pregnancy loss, high cholesterol and cancer. High levels of PFAS can also reduce the effect of vaccines, Bennet said, referencing studies performed by the C8 Science Panel which operated from 2006 to 2013 and collected studies proving these adverse health impacts.
PFAS can be filtered from our drinking water, with the Suffolk County Water Authority using granular activated carbon vessels to combat the infiltration and keep perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate levels below 4 ppt as directed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation study that collected 548 soil samples across the state, 97% of the samples contained PFOS and 76.5% contained PFOA, two common PFAS compounds.
“This is not a problem that is specific to Long island; this is a nationwide contamination crisis. We are trying to understand the extent and sources of this contamination so we can talk about appropriate solutions,” Bennet said.
The study
Stony Brook University, PEER and CCE collected vegetable samples from eight Long Island farms to further study the forever chemicals concentration locally. Long Island, known for its vineyards and expansive eastern end, consists of over 31,000 acres of farmland. The study focused on broad-leaf vegetables and root vegetables, types of produce most likely to be impacted by the chemical.
The EPA prescribes reference doses for the major PFAS compounds. Kevin Shaffer, senior support specialist at the NYS Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook University, said, “In carrots, all four of those compounds exceeded the daily reference dose.” The reference dose assumes a 100-gram serving of vegetables a day. Not all samples contained all nine forms of PFAS the scientists tested for.
“The farmers are not doing anything wrong. We are not blaming farmers or their practices,” Esposito said. “It is a broader and a bigger problem that needs to be addressed by the federal government.”
In May 2025, the EPA announced “its intent to rescind the regulations and reconsider the regulatory determinations for” three compounds, all of which were tested for in the NYS CCWT’s recent study.
The causes
“If it’s coming through water and soil and fertilizer and pesticide, it is all being taken up through the root system and entering into that vegetable collectively,” Esposito said. “They do not break down. They end up concentrated in whatever is collecting them.”
Environmental toxicologist Steve Lasee of Lasee Research & Consulting said the concentrations were “quite a bit lower than vegetables grown in soils that are industrially impacted by biosolids in the United States.
While there is no discernable contamination source for the vegetables used in this study, Lasee said biofluids can heavily impact PFAS concentration in vegetables. Biosolids, treated sewage sludge, is often included in fertilizer.
People can also absorb PFAS through the meat they consume. When cows graze on PFAS-contaminated land, they are consuming the chemicals embedded in the plant.
“We didn’t test grasses and other fodders in this case but they take up PFAS just like any other plant and quite readily and cows can consume up to 20 kilograms of feed a day. So you can get large concentrations of PFAS in beef as a result of their consumption of contaminated plants,” Lasee said.