In this episode, podcast host Reese Tisdale is joined by Bluefield analyst Pat Byrne to talk through how PFAS is changing the rules, the costs, and the options for what utilities do with their sludge.
PFAS has worked its way into biosolids, and utilities are left figuring out what to do about it. With states writing their own PFAS rules and no national standard in sight, the cost of managing biosolids is climbing—and Bluefield sees the market nearly doubling to almost US$5 billion by 2035.
Key questions include:
- How does PFAS from factories, firefighting foam, and consumer products end up in biosolids—and why can’t treatment plants just filter it out?
- Ban bills stalled in New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaiʻi in 2026, while four states moved toward tiered limits and 22 have done nothing. Why are legislators pulling back?
- States keep landing on 20 to 25 parts per billion as a starting point—is that number grounded in science, or is it just what everyone copied from Michigan?
- If a state bans land application tomorrow, where does the sludge go—and who pays?
- PFAS destruction runs US$63 million to US$230 million per plant over 20 years. Is it a real solution, or a big-city luxury?
- Where should investors put a dollar: testing, dewatering, hauling, or destruction?
- Is PFAS in biosolids a national crisis or a regional industrial problem—and what would it take to change that assessment?
If you enjoy listening to The Future of Water Podcast, please tell a friend or colleague, and if you haven’t already, please click to follow this podcast wherever you listen.
If you’d like to be informed of water market news, trends, perspectives and analysis from Bluefield Research, subscribe to Waterline, our weekly newsletter published each Wednesday.
Related Research & Analysis:
- PFAS Policies Narrow Biosolid Disposal Options
- U.S. Municipal Biosolids Management: Drivers, Trends, and Forecasts, 2025–2035
The Future of Water
The Future of Water podcast series is where Bluefield water experts talk about all the ways in which companies, utilities, and people are addressing the challenges and opportunities in water. Thank you for listening. Refer your colleagues. Please give us a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
