SCR130

WHEREAS, consuming produce contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from reclaimed water and sludge poses a range of health risks where regular testing and monitoring at waste water treatment plants are crucial to prevent PFAS exposure and protect public health; and

WHEREAS, the use of reclaimed water for landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, and other non-drinking water applications is subject to regulation and approval by the Department of Health; and

WHEREAS, reclaimed water used for irrigation directly impacts crops and soil, with contaminated reclaimed water introducing PFAS into the food chain and adversely affecting both the environment and human health when consumed; and

WHEREAS, PFAS can enter food chains and result in biomagnification, affecting aquatic fauna, insects, amphibians, fish, and seafood; and

WHEREAS, wastewater treatment facilities that sell reclaimed water to agricultural farms for irrigation purposes should be required to test the reclaimed water for the presence of PFAS to ensure the safety of the reclaimed water and the absence of harmful contaminants that can negatively impact human health and the environment; and

WHEREAS, when utilizing reclaimed water for agricultural practices, requiring regular testing will help identify potential PFAS contamination and allow for appropriate management and mitigation measures for the safety of consumers, farmers, and the environment; and

WHEREAS, despite the Department of Health and Honolulu Board of Water Supply actively testing drinking water wells for PFAS, "forever chemicals" have been detected in the State's soil, groundwater, and drinking water, demonstrating the need for water purveyors, the military, and other government agencies to test for PFAS; and

WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has proposed regulations that would require water utilities to test for PFAS and limit their levels to very low amounts, and on Oahu, the Department of Health has reported PFAS detections in several communities' drinking water, including Kunia and Waipio, where PFAS levels were detected far above what the federal government considers safe; and

WHEREAS, the PFAS in Kunia's water likely came from five United States Army installations in the immediate vicinity that send their wastewater to the Schofield Barracks Wastewater Treatment Plant, where one hundred percent of its reclaimed water is reused for agricultural purposes, causing groundwater and surface water contamination; and

WHEREAS, military wastewater treatment plants collect wastewater from drains at military hangers and workshops, which carry PFAS from engine cleaning, chrome plating, wire coating, and releases from overhead fire suppression systems from routine testing and frequent accidents into sewer drain systems; and

WHEREAS, leachate from landfills at military bases contain PFAS, and the leachate is pumped to wastewater treatment plants that treat wastewater for many chemicals but not PFAS; and

WHEREAS, in 2004, the United States Army sold the Schofield Barracks Wastewater Treatment Plant to Aqua Engineers, the State's largest reuse irrigation system, where its PFAS-contaminated effluent-based reclaimed water and fertilizer are sold below market rates for reuse on food crops, enabling PFAS compounds to poison crops, contaminate groundwater and surface water, and find pathways to human consumption through drinking water, produce, and seafood consumption; and

WHEREAS, consuming produce grown with PFAS-contaminated water or fertilized with PFAS-containing sludge contributes to an increased risk of certain cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers; and

WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated crops exacerbates health risks linked to liver disease, endocrine disruption, and other serious health issues; and

WHEREAS, a pregnant woman consuming PFAS-contaminated produce during critical fetal development stages can impact the long-term health of the child by causing developmental delays, low birth weight, accelerated puberty, and behavioral changes; and

WHEREAS, consuming PFAS-contaminated food can affect reproductive health by decreasing fertility and causing high blood pressure in pregnant women; and

WHEREAS, consuming contaminated produce is likely to introduce endocrine-disrupting PFAS chemicals that can harm reproductive and immune systems; and

WHEREAS, sludge used as fertilizer containing PFAS and other harmful substances, such as microplastics, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, contaminates the soil, affects crop quality and safety, and harms aquatic ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, requiring monitoring for PFAS at wastewater treatment plants through environmental regulations and public health guidelines demonstrates responsible management of wastewater facilities by the Department of Health; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is urged to take all action necessary to require a wastewater treatment plant to test sewage sludge and any other residual material for the presence of PFAS; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to adopt administrative rules for the safe disposal and sequestration of sewage sludge and other residual material that contain any amount of PFAS; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to prohibit the issuance or renewal of permits if testing yields PFAS in sewage sludge or other residual material on land used for agronomic purposes, where drainage tiles have been installed, that drains into the waters of the State, or in a five hundred year floodplain; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is urged to support the Department of Health's action; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Director of Health.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH; Perfluoroalkyl Substances; Polyfluoroalkyl Substances; PFAS; Wastewater Treatment Plants; Testing; Sewage Sludge; Residual Material

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	130
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII