Twenty-six million people across the U.S. are drinking water filled with harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, according to an analysis of new data from the Environmental Protection Agency conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
In their analysis, the EWG reported that the PFAS are present at 431 water systems at levels above minimum reporting limits. The EPA states in its report that the data represents approximately 7% of the total results that it expects to receive over the next three years.
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The agency tests for their presence due to their potential harmful health effects on humans and animals. Since they break down slowly, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences states that their effects can include an altered metabolism, a reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections, and an increased risk of some cancers.
“For decades, millions of Americans have unknowingly consumed water tainted with PFAS,” Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at EWG, shared in a press release. “The new testing data shows that escaping PFAS is nearly impossible.”
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“The EPA has done its job,” Scott said, adding that President Joe Biden’s administration “must finalize drinking water standards this year.”
While the EWG estimates there could be nearly 30,000 industrial polluters releasing PFAS into the environment, it recommends that individuals protect themselves by using at-home water filters that are replaced on a routine basis.
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“PFAS are an urgent public health issue facing people and communities across the nation,” added EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox in a press release statement. “The latest science is clear: exposure to certain PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, over long periods of time is linked to significant health risks.”
The EPA’s new report was published a month after the U.S. Geological Survey released a study that found at least 45% of tap water in the U.S. is estimated to have one or more types of PFAS. The study was the first to test for PFAS in tap water, according to the USGS.
Scientists tested 716 locations across the country between 2016 and 2021, in both rural and urban areas. They estimate that there is about a 75% chance of PFAS being found in rural areas, and a 25% chance in urban locations.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education