Agency Inaction
Despite years of evidence linking sludge applications to PFAS contamination of wells and farmland, South Carolina's Department of Environmental Services has continued permitting sludge spreading without requiring routine PFAS testing, delayed intervention at known contaminated sites, and repeatedly cited regulatory limitations rather than pursuing stronger protections for affected communities.
DES Allowed Sludge Application for Years Despite Evidence of Contamination
In Darlington County, industrial sludge from the former Galey & Lord textile plant was spread on farmland for years before PFAS contamination was discovered in nearby wells and soils. DES knew about contamination concerns for years but did not halt sludge application on some affected properties until 2026, long after residents' drinking water had been polluted.
The Agency Does Not Require Routine Testing of Sludge
South Carolina does not require sludge destined for farmland to be tested for PFAS or other contamination, like pharmaceuticals or pathogens, before application. DES officials have said publicly that they lack authority under current regulations - which they have the power to change - to require such testing, leaving farmers and communities vulnerable to contamination from unknown sources.
Failure to Follow Through on Promised Oversight
DES has pledged to increase scrutiny of sludge before it is applied to farmland but has not delivered on those commitments. Repeated attempts by experts and SCDEP leadership to engage with or work alongside the agency to help them have gone unanswered. The agency has fallen behind in testing, monitoring, and adopting safeguards already being considered or implemented in other states.
South Carolina’s Communities Are Bearing the Consequences
We have heard countless stories of residents and farmers who say they were assured sludge was safe, only to later discover contamination in their wells, soils, and their crops. The impacts to communities last far beyond when land is used for farming, too. Testing by state and federal officials found PFAS "forever chemicals" in soil at Black Creek Elementary School in Darlington County, a site that was once part of a farm field where sludge from the former Galey & Lord textile plant had been applied. How is it possible that during the sale of this land, the school system’s planning, and construction of the building, nobody at DES realized that this land could potentially be contaminated? DES failed to act with sufficient urgency despite mounting evidence that sludge applications posed risks to public health and agriculture.