Contaminated Fields: South Carolina Calls for Superfund Cleanup of 10,000 Acres

South Carolina officials have identified nearly 10,000 acres of farmland contaminated with harmful “forever chemicals” from sewage sludge used as fertilizer during the operation of the once-renowned Galey & Lord textile mill. This unprecedented call for a Superfund cleanup highlights the dangerous legacy of industrial waste management practices.

The Galey & Lord textile mill, located in Society Hill, South Carolina, stands as a stark reminder of the environmental hazards associated with industrial practices. The site, once celebrated for popularizing khaki fabric, has now transformed into an eerie landscape, where remnants of the past are coupled with serious environmental concerns. As the mill ceased operations, it left behind not only physical structures falling into decay but also a troubling history of how waste was managed.

From the 1980s to the early 2000s, the mill treated water used in its production and subsequently distributed the sludge to local farmers as a purportedly beneficial fertilizer. Unfortunately, these farmers were not informed of the grave risks associated with these materials. Tests have revealed dangerous levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), chemicals known for their persistence in the environment and potential health risks, such as cancer.

For local farmers like Robert O’Neal, the implications are grave. O’Neal, who used sludge from Galey & Lord in his soybean, corn, and wheat fields, expressed his disbelief and concern over the misinformation provided by the mill, emphasizing the disconnect between claims of the sludge's agricultural benefits and the reality of its dangers.

The Superfund designation would mark a historic first; it would be the first instance of farmland declared a cleanup site due to sewage sludge fertilizer contamination. This potential cleanup could pave the way for stricter regulations on agricultural practices involving industrial waste and support healthier farming practices in the region.

With the abandoned mill already classified as a Superfund site, environmental officials are now setting their sights on the surrounding farmland, underlining the need for urgent action to address the environmental crisis spawned by previous industrial negligence.