Chemicals in sewage sludge that is spread on pasture land as fertilizer are causing cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Levels of PFAS in sewage sludge used as fertilizer can pose risks that sometimes exceed safety thresholds “by several orders of magnitude,” the agency said.

The use of treated sewage sludge as fertilizer on farms can pose a health risk to residents and consumers because of the presence of "forever chemicals" that break down slowly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday.

The E.P.A.’s report follows a growing body of research that has found that sludge can be contaminated with human-made “forever chemicals” known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are used in a wide range of household items such as nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing and stain-resistant carpets.

Fertilizers that contain treated sewage tainted with toxic PFAS chemicals can be spread on farmland and pose a health risk to people who consume milk, eggs and beef, the agency says.