Nearly 42,000 Sources Of Toxic “Forever Chemicals” Put US Drinking Water At Risk: Study By Kenny Stancil via Natural Blaze
Bolstering calls for stronger PFAS regulations and more testing, a new analysis released Tuesday finds nearly 42,000 potential sources of toxic “forever chemicals” that could contaminate drinking water in communities throughout the United States.
In their peer-reviewed study, which was published in a special issue of Water Science, Environmental Working Group (EWG) scientists examined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Enforcement and Compliance History Online database to identify potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution in the nation’s surface and drinking water.
According to their investigation, solid waste landfills, wastewater treatment plants, electroplaters and metal finishers, and petroleum refiners were the facilities that appeared most often as possible sources of PFAS contamination.
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Dubbed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down and can persist in the environment and bioaccumulate over time, PFAS are a class of synthetic compounds that have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including a weakened immune system, reproductive and developmental harms, and an increased susceptibility to cancer, among other negative effects.
EWG researchers point out that discharges of PFAS with industrial wastewater are a major driver of surface and drinking water pollution—putting the health of tens of millions of Americans in jeopardy. Despite these risks, the paper notes, the vast majority of water systems nationwide lack both the technology and the funds to filter out forever chemicals.
“It is critical that the EPA start regulating PFAS—now,” David Andrews, the lead author of the study and a senior scientist at EWG, said in a statement. “Every community in the U.S. is likely affected by PFAS contamination, but those living near or downstream from industrial facilities may be more at risk.”
“Our investigation identifies a huge number of potential sources of contamination,” Andrews continued. “It also provides a framework for deciding where and what to test so we can end releases into the environment.”
The paper includes case studies of data available from California and Michigan, which show that PFAS pollution is common at a variety of sites, heightening the importance of widespread testing for forever chemicals in wastewater.
