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.

Chemicals found in sewage sludge that some farmers use to fertilize fields and pastures can pose a threat to human and animal health, the US Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday.

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.

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.

Draft findings published Tuesday echo what Maine has been saying since 2022, when it became the first state to ban the use of sludge as fertilizer because of high concentrations of harmful PFAS.