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Pa Advocate Raises Concerns over PFAS and Biosolids in Cumberland County

  • Asia Tabb
A glass vial containing water and micro plastic pieces of pollution

A glass vial containing water and micro plastic pieces of pollution

Aired; April 29th, 2026.

April 29, 2026

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.

Concerns about “forever chemicals” and microplastics are growing nationwide—and in Cumberland County, one local advocate is working to bring attention to the issue.

Tamela Trussell, founder of Move Past Plastic, has been raising awareness about the potential risks tied to biosolids—the treated sewage sludge often applied to farmland as fertilizer. While the practice has long been used to recycle nutrients back into the soil, modern wastewater contains synthetic compounds like PFAS that treatment systems aren’t designed to remove.

Trussell, who lives in an agricultural area where biosolids are land-applied, has worked with local officials and connected them with researchers studying the impact on nearby fields. She’s also sounding the alarm on emerging concerns, including microplastics that may carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria from wastewater into the environment.

On The Spark, Trussell discusses the science, the local implications, and why communities are taking a closer look at the long-term environmental and public health risks associated with biosolids.

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