ALBANY- According to a study from the U.S. Geological Survey, many of us may be drinking tap water contaminated with so called “forever chemicals,” otherwise known as PFAS. Experts believe the number may in fact be much higher since the study was unable to account for some per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, that are considered dangerous to our health but are not easily tracked.
PFAS are a series of synthetic chemicals that linger both in the natural environment and in human bodies. The chemicals are commonly used in consumer products such as non-stick cookware and fast-food containers. There are more than 12,000 varieties of the chemical.
PFAS are linked to cancer, high cholesterol, and decreased fertility along with other ailments according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2022, the EPA issued a new advisory warning of the increased danger from PFAS based on the newest available science.
The study shows that PFAS are more common in urban areas, especially on the Eastern seaboard including the Great Lakes Region, Great Plains Region, and Southern California. The likelihood of contamination in such areas is 75 percent, compared to 25 percent in more rural parts of the country.
Earlier this year the EPA announced an effort to regulate and restrict PFAS on a national scale. Included in the policy proposal was legislation to require companies to disclose whether or not they use these chemicals in manufacturing.
PFAS are, “one of the most pressing environmental and public health concerns in the modern world,” said Michael Regan, EPA Administrator.
The cost to remove PFAS from drinking water is estimated to cost in the billions which may explain why greater action has not yet been taken, despite the dire warnings. PFAS have been detected in local drinking water, and most recently, in drinking water in the City of Newburgh and Town of New Windsor.
