Large numbers of man-made organic chemicals occur in sewage sludge and many are thought to represent an environmental hazard. This is particularly true of the compounds classified as priority pollutants (TOs) which typically occur in sludges in the mg/kg concentration range. Concerns about their environmental fate, specifically their bioavailability to food-chain crops, have disrupted land application of sludges. A review of the pertinent literature (especially field studies utilizing sludge-amended soils and confirmational analysis for parent compound) suggest the concern is largely groundless. The vast majority of TOs in sludge occur at low concentrations and when applied to soil are strongly sorbed in the soil-sludge matrix, degraded, or are otherwise lost from the soil during the cropping season. Plant bioconcentration factors for most TOs are less 0.01 DW. Even if taken up by plants the TOs may be metabolized within the plant or accumulate in plant parts that are usually not consumed. In contrast a second general group of man-made organics (aromatic surfactants) exist in sludge at much greater concentrations (g/kg).