In 1993, the EPA rebranded toxic sewage sludge as “biosolids” and created a federal rule (40 CFR Part 503) that lets municipalities dump it on farmland near homes, schools, and drinking water supplies. Today, millions of tons are spread across tens of millions of American acres every year with virtually no disclosure and no testing for PFAS or hundreds of other known toxins.
Paula Yockel lived this nightmare firsthand in Oklahoma. For years her family suffered unexplained illnesses, not knowing that thousands of tons of sewage sludge were being dumped on fields surrounding their home. When she finally connected the dots, she decided to act. She spent a decade researching, testing, and building the factual case and then founded Mission 503 to raise awareness and to advocate for infrastructure changes to process sewage safely and properly.
In this episode we cover:
* What 40 CFR Part 503 actually says — and what it doesn’t
* How sewage sludge got rebranded as “fertilizer” and exempted from hazardous waste requirements
* Why PFAS forever chemicals concentrate in sludge and end up in your food
* What Class A and Class B biosolids are and why Class A may actually be the bigger problem
* What Maine and Connecticut have done — and why most states still allow this practice
* What Mission 503 is doing to change the national conversation
Find Paula Yockel and Mission 503:
Mission 503: Website
Mission 503 Data: Powerpoint deck with health data, sample results & more
X for Mission503 / @Mission503USA
FB for Mission503 / @theofficialmission503
FB for Paula Yockel / @PaulaYockel503
TikTok for Mission503 / @Mission503Offical
IG for Mission503 / @Mission503Official
Truth Social for Paula Yockel / @PaulaYockel
LinkedIn for Paula Yockel / Paula Yockel
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