By Thu T. A. Nguyen, Publishing Associate: Researcher and Writer at Save the Water | December 11, 2023

Unfortunately, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become familiar to many of us. These chemicals have their names because they don’t break down once released into the environment. They also negatively affect our health. For example, they have been associated with high blood pressure, thyroid issues, and increased risk of cancer.

Until October 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recorded over 14 thousand PFAS. These substances have been used since the 1940s to make oil-, water-, and heat-resistant products. Many products are everyday household objects, such as nonstick cookware, textiles and food packaging. Due to its multiple applications, PFAS has been detected in drinking water over the last two decades. Therefore, these substances can enter our bodies.  Currently, approximately 99% of Americans have PFAS in their blood.

Unreported Forever Chemicals

The statistics regarding the amount of PFAS in the environment can be overwhelming:

• The Environmental Working Group and Northeastern University reported that PFAS are found in the water systems in 50 US states.
• Nearly half of the faucets in the US are contaminated with “forever chemicals.”
• In April, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) claimed it found 26 new “forever chemicals,” some of which the EPA could have missed.
• The EPA allows the use of more than 600 known harmful PFAS due to a loophole in the federal government’s reviewing procedure. 
• Although Manufacturers aren’t forced to disclose the use of these substances to consumers. 

In a recent peer-reviewed article, Dr. Erin S. Baker and colleagues have used a new technique to find 36 known and 11 new “forever chemicals.” We know that tens of thousands of these chemicals exist, but only several hundred standards are available. The lack of chemical standards makes it difficult for PFAS to be identified and characterized. This could mean that 13 thousands more of these chemicals are yet to be noted.

Unlike previous techniques, Dr. Baker’s group used a method called ion mobility and mass spectrometry. This technique can separate small molecules, such as PFAS, based on their size and shape. This is in addition to their chemical characteristics. Thus, this allows them to see what previous research could not.

What Does the Identification of New Chemicals Mean for Us?

The discovery of new chemicals may seem alarming for many people. However, the fact that we can find new chemicals that already exist in our environment can be a good thing. It helps us better understand the effects of PFAS on human health and the environment. Among the substances found, only a member of PFAS, called GenX, is suspected to cause health issues. While the American Chemistry Council states that most PFAS are safe, we don’t know much about many newly found substances. However, now that we can detect these substances in the environment, scientists have a way to study the characteristics of these chemicals. 

Moreover, this new detection method will improve PFAS regulations. Currently, manufacturers aren’t required to publish whether these substances exist in their products. Even worse, the EPA doesn’t test for most “forever substances.” The testing method that scientists in Chapel Hill use can detect as many chemicals as possible instead of only targeting known substances. As we can characterize more chemicals, we can make more standardized tests to gauge the amount of PFAS in our environment. Additionally, we can find out where these chemicals come from. 

What Can You Do?

Reading about “forever chemicals” may be overwhelming. However, the situation is not entirely hopeless. Some technologies, such as one developed by engineers in British Columbia, can help reduce PFAS contamination in drinking water. 

On a smaller scale, we can use activated carbon and reverse-osmosis filters at home to help limit exposure to these unsafe chemicals in drinking water.   

at Save the Water | July 28, 2023

“Forever Chemicals,” or PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—chemicals, were found in nearly half of US faucets, according to a study conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This federal study is considered one of the most comprehensive of its kind. Specifically, it shows the risks of exposure to forever chemicals in the drinking water supply of many citizens. These chemicals pose special risks due to the array of items they show up in, such as nonstick pans and food packaging.

There were no policy suggestions in the report because of the agency’s status as a scientific research agency. However, the study shares important information that can be used to better understand the risk of exposure to these chemicals. Furthermore, it can aid in making decisions about the need to test or treat drinking water supplies.

What are Forever Chemicals?

Forever chemicals are a class of chemicals often added to products to make them grease proof, waterproof, stick-proof, or stain-resistant. They’re found in many items that people use daily , which makes them especially dangerous. These include carpets, umbrellas, medical equipment and masks, and numerous other products.

The term “forever chemicals” refers to the fact that they often resist breakdown in the environment and in our bodies. As a result, not only are they widespread but they also may take decades to start breaking down. Manufacturers aren’t mandated to disclose to consumers that they are using forever chemical. Therefore, it is difficult to fully grasp the extent to which these chemicals enter our lives. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t have any regulations and doesn’t test for most forever chemicals. For this reason, they could be more widespread than we think.

Although the study focused on drinking contaminated water, there are several ways exposure to forever chemicals can occur:

• Eating fish that come from water contaminated with these chemicals
• Swallowing soil or dust
• Eating food grown in places that use these chemicals
• Eating packaged foods
• Using consumer products that are resistant to staining, water, or grease

How are Forever Chemicals Harmful?

Studies have shown a link between forever chemicals and a number of health issues. In June 2022, such studies led the EPA to issue health advisories that warn that the chemicals are much more harmful to human health than researchers had initially thought. Additionally, they are likely harmful at levels thousands of times lower than scientists previously thought.

The health problems caused by chemicals affect both young and old people and are broad in range. Some of the health issues linked to forever chemicals include:

• Cancers, especially kidney and testicular
• High cholesterol 
• Thyroid disease
• Liver damage
• Asthma and allergies
• Reduced vaccine response in children

Other studies have shown that forever chemicals can result in decreased fertility, newborn deaths, delayed development, birth defects, and low birthweight. These health issues are of major concern due to the ability of forever chemicals to last for generations. In fact, if we were to stop manufacturing such chemicals starting tomorrow, there would be huge amounts left in the environment to cause potential harm to people’s health.

What Does This Study Change?

The USGS study showed that the majority of exposure was found near urban areas and other potential sources of forever chemicals. This included major US sites such as the Great Lakes, Eastern Seaboard, and Central/Southern California regions. This study backs up previous research that showed that people who live in urban areas have a higher risk of exposure to these chemicals. The study’s report says that the odds of forever chemicals not being observed in tap water is about 75% in rural areas. However, this number dropped to 25% when they looked at urban areas. Consequently, environmental agencies will be able to better understand the spread of these chemicals and the risks of exposure due to location. 

The Environmental Working Group advises the use of filters that contain activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes in homes. This can remove the unsafe compounds from water sources.

at Save the Water | May 21, 2023

Forever Chemicals, i.e., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are difficult to eliminate and stay in the environment for a long time. Researchers and engineers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) are working on eliminating these chemicals. Specifically, they have developed a new water treatment. This treatment would result in tap water that is safer to consume. The Canadian researchers have begun  launching a real-world pilot.   

 This new treatment proves exciting because it may permanently remove forever chemicals. As a result, people with water treated with this technology need not worry about forever chemicals lingering in their water supply.

What Are Forever Chemicals?

Forever chemicals, or (PFAS), are widely used chemicals which are considered long lasting. Their nickname reflects the fact that they take a long time to break down. Because people use PFAS a lot, PFAS persist in the environment. The chemicals are resistant to water, grease, and heat. Therefore,  these chemicals are often found in the blood of people and animals. PFAS are also present in small amounts in various foods and the environment.

“When they get in our body, they accumulate,” said Dr. Madjid Mohseni, the UBC chemical and biological engineering professor who spearheaded the new treatment. “They don’t break down and they interfere with a lot of functions that our body does.”

Why Are Forever Chemicals Considered Dangerous?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed strict limitations on six types of PFAS, as public health experts are now learning about the dangerous effects of these chemicals.   A number of studies link PFAS with:

• A higher risk of developing cancer
• High cholesterol
• Thyroid disease
• Liver damage
• Respiratory issues, such as asthma and allergies
• Reduced vaccine response in children

Studies on lab animals have shown that PFAS cause several developmental problems. The forever chemicals have been observed to cause low birth weight, birth defects, delayed development, and, in some serious cases, have been fatal.

What The New Treatment Means

UBC developed this highly effective treatment. Dr. Majid Mohseni has said that it removes up to 99 percent of all PFAS in the water supply. This could prove life-changing for remote communities. The treatment works by using an absorbing material that was devised by the UBC team. This material can trap and hold all the PFAS in the water supply.

Then,  special electrochemical and photochemical techniques permanently destroy the PFAS. The same lab also developed these treatments. This new technique could offer a cost-efficient way to ensure safe water supplies. 

Another exciting aspect of this treatment is that the PFAS particles can be regenerated and potentially reused. As a result,  PFAS would not be absorbed and then  wasted. Instead, the chemicals could be  used for other safe, useful purposes.

“Our absorbing media captures up to 99 per cent of PFAS particles and can also be regenerated and potentially used,” said Dr. Majid Mohseni. “This means that when we scrub off the PFAS from these materials, we do not end up with more highly toxic solid waste that will be another major environmental challenge.”The study will take about six months to complete. Dr. Mohseni’s team will also monitor similar pilot projects in Quebec as well. Earlier this year, a study earlier this year showed that 99.3 percent of the tap water samples from 376 municipalities in Quebec were found to be positive for at least one PFAS. Evidently, change is needed to ensure a safer water supply.

By Brigitte Rodriguez, Associate Researcher & Writer for Save The Water | January 25, 2023

In recent years, PFAS pollution has become a major issue. PFAS contains chemicals that can endanger humans. They are also located in many consumer products such as water resistant clothing, cosmetics, cleaning products and personal care products. Therefore, researchers have created Submerged Aerated Fixed Film Technology. This alternative will reduce PFAS contamination in bodies of water.

What are PFAS?

The term “PFAS” is short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Also, known as forever chemicals because they will be with us for a long time. 

For example forever chemicals are found in a wide range of consumer and industrial products:

• Building materials
• Cleaners
• Firefighting foam
• Cosmetics
• Takeout containers

Moreover, forever chemicals do not break down easily. Even worse is the fact that they can become concentrated in our bodies and in the world around us. 

What is the SAFF technology?

To be specific, “Submerged Aerated Fixed Film  (SAFF) technology is a process used to reduce the organic loading of residential and commercial sewage/waste water…” and “Suspended Solids (SS)” from effluent discharge. It thus protects bodies of water, such as rivers and seas.

For instance this technology has several advantages: 

• Lower energy use.
• Easy installation.
• Sludge formation is lessened.
• It is easy to maintain.
• It is inexpensive.

How does it work?

Definitely, this technology works by supplying air through the mechanical aeration system. This system can  be placed in the water, which then creates foam. After that,  the PFAS collect in the foam and can be taken out of the water.

To point out, SAFF technology cleans up PFAS contamination. Certainly it does this by using “the natural properties of PFAS compounds to preferentially bind to the air/water interface of a swarm of rising air bubbles.”

Future perspectives

Indeed SAFF technology sets a precedent for removing PFASs from the aquatic system. In Minnesota, it is currently cycling through thousands of  gallons of groundwater each day. Altogether the hope is that this technology can be used to tackle the problem of PFAS on a larger scale. 

What can be done to lessen exposure to PFAS?

There are a few ways to reduce the exposure to forever chemicals.

• Avoid products that are water-resistant such as clothing, furniture, bedding and other items.
• Purchase washable items.
• Look for PFAS-free products.
• Stop buying microwave popcorn bags and some fast foods because they are wrapped in material that can potentially contain PFAS.
• Do not use products containing Teflon.

What Can You Do to Save Water?

There are a few ways you can preserve water:

• Participate in public awareness campaigns to draw attention to the importance of water conservation.
• Take part in public awareness campaigns to draw attention to forever chemicals
• If you live in a country or region with water bodies at risk of pollution, urge your government to improve sewage and wastewater cleanup.

By Brigitte Rodriguez, Associate Researcher & Writer for Save The Water | July 29, 2022

PFAS have become a major issue in recent years. They are a chemical pollutant that´s very concerning. PFAS contains chemicals that can endanger humans. They are also located in many consumer products such as “cookware, cleaning agents, textiles and apparels.” This poses a risk to the health of the earth and the people. 

We use forever chemicals in our daily lives, so they are found everywhere. Some technologies allows us some control over PFAS.

What are the “forever” chemicals?

“Forever chemicals” is a nickname. The real name is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS “are a group of highly stable carbon-fluorine compounds.”  They have been found in many everyday products since the 1950s and are concerning because they stay around for a long time.

Forever chemicals are found in common household products:

• Food packaging
• Cosmetics
• Cookware
• Waterproof clothing
• Carpets
• Mattresses
• Electronics
• Fire-fighting foams

Items containing forever chemicals are in continuous contact with you on a daily basis. Because of this, forever chemicals can often be ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. 

How common are forever chemicals?

Forever chemicals can be found everywhere, and they are difficult to remove from the environment. In fact, “Of the 9,000 known PFAS compounds, 600 are currently used in the U.S. in countless products…” This is a problem because PFAS endanger the health system by harming the immune system. More specifically, PFAS has been linked to various health risks, such as cancer, liver damage, and hormone disruption of consumers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 95% of people in the United States have some amount of PFAS contamination. 

PFAS has become a great concern in the last few years. Within various bodies of water, fovever chemicals are widespread. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that the forever chemicals are in drinking water and that they, “can still be harmful even at levels so low they are not detectable.”

Also, the forever chemicals can affect aquatic wildlife.  On Marco Island and in Tampa Bay, scientists collected 156 oyster samples that contained PFAS. These substances endanger both humans and wildlife, as the oysters in the water find their way into your meals and into the rest of the ecosystem. In addition, the forever chemicals affect the oyster´s development. 

In another case study, the assessment of aquatic exposure to PFAS shows the amount of PFAS accumulation that exists in the source of the food. The research showed that a large amount of “forever chemicals” are discharged and accumulate in the environment. This causes PFAS to collect in the sediments and fish feed on them. This causes high concentrations of PFAS that can be found on fish tissue. Causing food in the food chain to contain high concentrations of PFAS, which results in adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Which technologies can be used to reduce PFAS?

Currently, there are several innovative technologies available to remove the forever chemicals of water:

• Granular Activated Carbon (GAC): The granular activated carbon is able to adhere to the PFAS in small pieces of carbon as the water flows. This technology works because of the porous properties of the GAC.
• Ion Exchange Resin: Forever chemicals in water can be addressed by using single-use ion exchange resin. As described in one article, “Small beads (resins) made of hydrocarbons allow the chemicals to stick to the beads and be removed as the water passes through.”
• Reverse Osmosis (RO): RO is also an option for removing forever chemicals. It prevents metal from leaking out of the pipe and affecting the water supply. The system design creates a closed circuit reverse osmosis. This reverse osmosis is able to remove “more than 90% of PFAS in the feedwater.

Many scientists continue to work to find more about the effects of PFAS. Technology is still being developed to reduce forever chemicals in water. In addition, forever chemicals are increasingly being regulated by the EPA.

How can you take action?

There are a few ways you can reduce the effects of forever chemicals:

• Avoid using non-stick cookware and favour home cooking over fast food and take-away.
• Contact your local, state, and federal government representatives
• Take part in public awareness campaigns to draw attention to forever chemicals
• Consider donating to Save the Water

By Harry Petaway, Staff Writer and Researcher for Save the Water | May 31, 2020

Clean water is essential during a pandemic

Time will tell the real impact of COVID-19. However, this crisis and the fundamental strategy to fight the virus bring both disparities and concerns about access to clean water for both drinking and sanitation. Clean water is essential during a pandemic. Many of us volunteer for organizations like Save the Water because we recognize the importance of clean, safe water. I joined the organization after my experience living 20 minutes away from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, which captured national headlines in the United States.

Access to water before the pandemic

Flint, Michigan, was a classic tale of the disparities that exist across communities for access to clean water. Thousands of residents were exposed to excessive levels of lead due to the failure of governing bodies to treat the water and supply access to city residents correctly. Subsequently, water was not safe to drink. Unfortunately, this phenomenon of contaminated drinking water continues throughout the United States and extends beyond lead, with emerging pollutants and chemicals such as PFAS and other toxins. Furthermore, residents in communities across the country must use bottled water and hand sanitizer instead of dirty and contaminated water sources. Water in other cities like Detroit, Michigan, has been shut off for many residents that could not afford to pay their bills. Globally, water scarcity is a threat for over 40% of the world’s population.

Water crisis during the pandemic

Today, humans worldwide have attacked the COVID-19 curve through behaviors like “shelter in place.” The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that safe water and sanitation practices like hand washing is crucial during the pandemic. To that end, there are countless campaigns to increase the time and frequency of hand washing. This brings the frustration and debate about clean water and access to water back to the surface, creating difficult decisions by community leaders on how to approach the problem. The fear of these unfamiliar circumstances  drove many consumers to deplete bottled water supplies from local stores. This was especially impactful in lower-income communities that already had limited access to stores that supply both food and water.

Similarly, hand sanitizer is also in short supply. Residents in cities like Flint had the difficult decision of whether or not to use the tap water in their homes. It also creates a difficult decision for community leaders to determine when water sources that were deemed unsafe should be turned back on.

Furthermore, communities have had to make difficult decisions on how to restore water services for residents whose water was shut off because they could not pay their bills. For example, more than 23,000 homes lost water service in Detroit in 2019, leading thousands of residents to apply for Detroit’s Coronavirus Water Restart Plan. Other communities across the United States offered similar programs in March for more than 57 million residents across 90 cities and states. However, there is no national database that tracks US households that do not have water.

Poor communities in the US struggled with access to available water for people that could not pay their bills. Other countries like Ethiopia and India have broader challenges with water shortages, which also existed before the pandemic.

What can we do?

Clean water is essential during a pandemic. Countries like Ethiopia have taken innovative steps like solar-powered wells to bring water to their residents. They have also employed sophisticated monitoring technology such as drones to track and store data to determine how water resources are allocated. Local organizations in the United States have stepped in to try and mediate the water crisis. Some have taken measures to pay for water services for residents that could not pay their bills. Others created bottled water distribution supply chains for older and ill residents receiving donations from charitable organizations before social distancing measures took effect. We should continue to support organizations that keep essential topics like water quality and water scarcity in front of mind. This is especially true as they become exacerbated amid public health crises such as severe weather events and disease outbreaks.

References

Lakhani, Nina. March 2020. “90 US cities and states suspend water shutoffs to tackle coronavirus pandemic.” The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/90-us-cities-and-states-suspend-water-shutoffs-to-tackle-coronavirus-pandemic

Nicol, Alan. May 2020. “The Pandemic is Laying Bare a Global Water Crisis.” Foreign Policy. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/12/coronavirus-pandemic-global-water-crisis/.

Nguyen, Erika and Somayajula, Namratha. March 2020. “Access to Water Vital in COVID-19 Response”. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/22/access-water-vital-covid-19-response-0

Sunderland, Elsie M; Hu, Xindi C; Dassuncao, Clifton; Tokranov, Andrea K; Wagner, Charlotte C; Allen, Joseph G; . 2018. “A review of the pathways of human exposure to poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and present understanding of health effects.” Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-018-0094-1

Shah, Khushbu. April 2020. “The pandemic has exposed America’s clean water crisis.” Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/4/17/21223565/coronavirus-clean-water-crisis-america

State Fails at Water in Florida for Residents

About two years ago, Florida’s drinking water ranked among the United States’ worst. In fact, in 2015, across the United States, about 77 million people were exposed to unsafe water. To be sure, the violations under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act included high levels of toxic arsenic (poison), lead, and other chemicals. But in this article, we will look at another type of failure under the Safe Drinking Water Act: failure to test or report polluted water in Florida.1

Basically, in 2015, about 7.5 million people received water in Florida from utilities that violated drinking water standards. Perhaps as expected, the state repeatedly failed to provide residents with a required annual water quality report on water in Florida.1

Afterwards, by 2018, a United States memo to Florida suggested that Florida wasn’t following water monitoring guidance correctly. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had “identified inconsistencies” regarding when officials tested water in Florida for harmful chemicals.2

After that, in response, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a memo to state environmental officials and county health department officials to clarify local water testing procedures because health officials may not have been monitoring water systems correctly.2 In short, without following a regular time frame to collect samples, comparing water tests between collection times seems like comparing apples and oranges: it doesn’t work.2

Florida at Times Doesn’t Tell About Water in Florida

Interestingly, a mayoral candidate kicked this snowballing public relations disaster into action after filling his new hot tub; he went public with what he found in his water in Florida. To sum up, his new, white hot tub filled with green water. After local officials told him it was a problem with his hose, he conducted independent tests, using two separate companies.2 He thought he’d find out there was algae, a type of water plant,3 in the water because algae causes problems for water in Florida. Guess what? He didn’t.2

Instead, he found out that his water tested for over six times the amount of trihalomethanes, a class of chemicals. According to EPA, this class of chemicals can cause “liver, kidney or central nervous system problems” and can increase the “risk of cancer.”2 In fact, the same sample contained over triple the EPA limit for haloacetic acids. This class of chemicals also increases cancer risks.2

EPA Cites Florida for Drinking Water Violations

Despite all of these citations and health violations from EPA, Fort Lauderdale continued to divert funds to the tune of $90.4 million from the water-sewer fund to other unrelated city expenses, including an ill-fated streetcar. Undeniably, Fort Lauderdale stopped this practice only after the Sun Sentinel outed them in a public report raising the issues of water in Florida.2

Indeed, an engineering company issued a report in 2017 that the Fiveash Water Treatment Plant in Fort Lauderdale needs repairs, estimated to cost over $100 million.2 Fort Lauderdale’s situation doesn’t fall outside the norm for water in Florida.

Florida Scientists Can’t Find Answers About Water in Florida

In truth, scientists can’t find answers to a highly visible water quality problem for water in Florida: toxic algae blooms. Also known as “harmful algal blooms,” “toxic algae blooms” refers to fast growing algae that “can cause harm to animals, people, or the local ecology.”5 For example, in 1996, a red tide (toxic algae bloom) killed 151 manatees (large marine animals). After that, lawmakers created a task force to investigate its causes in water in Florida. From 1995 to 2007, Florida funded water monitoring points along the Florida coastline, and EPA funded water monitoring at points off the Florida coastline.6

After that, between 2008 and 2014, Florida gutted the funding for water monitoring. So the water monitoring points on the coastline quietly disappeared. Meanwhile, major algae blooms triggered by lake releases occurred in 2005, 2013, 2016, and 2018.6

Now, scientists lobby lawmakers to get funding to monitor the water in Florida. Without information from those monitoring points, scientists can’t do what they do: figure out complex problems and come up with solutions.6 Despite their lobbying efforts, scientists received this explanation: there simply isn’t money in the budget for this water monitoring.6 But Calusa Waterkeeper chief scientist John Cassani, “who monitors water quality on the Southwest coast,” observed, “It’s almost like Florida doesn’t want to know it’s coming.”6

Residents Want Answer About Water in Florida

Later, in 2019, Florida officials didn’t inform local residents in Ocala when elevated levels of the dangerous chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were found at the Florida State Fire College.7 The residents depended on their wells for drinking water. Groundwater feeds their wells.

Eventually, Florida officials came to check Linda Lawson’s water. But four months passed from when state officials knew about the elevated levels of PFOS and PFOA and when they notified Lawson and others that it might be in their water. An official said his department “effectively fired”7 him when he pushed to stop the delay and notify people about the water. In fact, the Fire College started using bottled water three months before officials notified local residents.8

After Lawson started getting warnings about her water, she told her friend Miriam Flores, who lives nearby. But Lawson lives in a house. And Flores lives in a mobile home. So when Flores didn’t hear anything from health officials, she called them. The Marion and Alachua County health departments told Flores the issue was “nothing.”7

At the time, Flores said, “I don’t think they care. They don’t want nobody knowing anything, and it’s scary.”7 She worried for her five-year-old son.

After the Times/Herald started asking officials about Flores’ situation, they tested her water, a month after they checked Lawson’s well. Flores’ water tested higher for dangerous chemicals than the Fire College’s water, “more than 20 times the acceptable level for drinking water.”7 A doctor who also served as the former deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Health said that his training required that he share the news about the water “in person and immediately.”7 His boss told him not to do so.

5 Things You Can Do About Your Water

Here are some things that you can do:

1. Send your water for testing.
2. Go to information meetings or citizen meetings to share your concerns.
3. Share information with family, neighbors, and friends.
4. Check if your community is impacted by PFOA and PFOS. https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2017_pfa/
5. Consider donating to Save the WaterTM to help raise public awareness.

References

1. Jenny Staletovich. May 3, 2017. “Florida drinking water ranks among nation’s worst, study finds.” Miami Herald. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article148112799.html
2. Caitie Switalski & Daniel Rivero. May 10, 2018. Florida May Not Be Testing Drinking Water Correctly, Says Government Memo. WLRN: Miami, South Florida. http://www.wlrn.org/post/florida-may-not-be-testing-drinking-water-correctly-says-government-memo
3. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Algae.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algae
4. Kevin O’Sullivan. November 21, 2018. “Untested water wells put 1m people at risk of E.Coli – EPA.” The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/untested-water-wells-put-1m-people-at-risk-of-e-coli-epa-1.3704861
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 19, 2018. “Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)-Associated Illness.” https://www.cdc.gov/habs/index.html
6. Jenny Staletovich. August 7, 2018. Florida gutted water quality monitoring – as killer algae increased. Tampa Bay Times. https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/08/07/florida-gutted-water-quality-monitoring-as-killer-algae-increased/
7. Samantha J. Gross & Elizabeth Koh. January 3, 2019. “Florida officials delayed telling residents about tainted water, emails show.” Tampa Bay Times. https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2019/01/03/florida-officials-delayed-telling-residents-about-bad-water/

To the delight of clean water enthusiasts, on September 19th, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania signed an executive order to establish a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) action team.1

What Are PFAS?

PFAS are artificial chemicals that have been used in commercial products on a global scale since the 1950s. Specifically, various products such as cosmetics, water-repellent clothing, and products that resist grease, water, and oil contain PFAS. Exposure to PFAS poses significant health risks to humans including various cancers, kidney disease, and birth defects.2 PFAS causes and consequences are explained more in Save the WaterTM staff writers, Suraj Rajendran’s article on health issues linked to PFAS exposure in adult and adolescent populations here,3 and Erin Fee’s overview of PFAS in the “national spotlight” here.4

PFAS Action Team in Pennsylvania Will Address These Artificial Chemicals That Harm Humans and the Environment.

In terms of PFAS levels, Pennsylvania is considered a “highly contaminated” state.1 Governor Wolf recognizes the dangers PFAS chemicals pose not only for his home state of Pennsylvania, but for the United States as a whole. He has called the accumulation of the harmful man-made chemicals a “national concern.”1 Many North American companies reduced the use of PFAS substances in the early 2000s. Nonetheless, the harmful chemicals continue to pose a risk to the health of Americans across the country.

According to Water Online, responding to the PFAS contamination found in local residents’ drinking water, Governor Wolf stated, “our residents deserve clean air, pure water, and to know that the environment they live in is safe.”1

Contaminants are harmful chemicals that pose a health risk to the environment and humans. While Governor Wolf’s action team strives to eradicate all emerging contaminants, they cannot succeed without help from federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.) Last month, Governor Wolf formally asked for federal assistance to combat PFAS.1

Disastrously and Dangerously High levels of PFAS in both Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Pennsylvania is not the only state with PFAS problems. Michigan has also reported over 30 PFAS contaminated sites. The levels of PFAS detected in the waters across Michigan have become alarmingly high. Due to PFAS contamination, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a “Do Not Eat” Fish advisory in early September for all fish in the Huron River and several bodies of water in various counties:

Livingston,
Oakland,
Washtenaw,
Wayne, and
Monroe Counties near Detroit.5

According to Angela Minicuci, a spokesperson for the MDHHS, consuming PFAS contaminated fish can have negative consequences:some of the potential consequences presented by the consumption of PFAS contaminated fish,

• “[negative] “impacts associated with growth,””
• behavior problems in young children,
• issues associated with women getting pregnant,
• effects on hormones and cholesterol levels, and
• potential increases with certain types of cancer.”5

More importantly, Mlive has described the PFAS contamination spreading across Michigan as nothing short of “astronomical.”6 For example, the level of contaminants found in the creek that feeds into the Huron river and its surrounding lakes is “more than 450 times what the state allows in surface waters and 78 times the lifetime health advisory for human consumption.”6

On September 20th, state officials identified one industrial wastewater company in Wixom as a major contaminator. Now, the city of Wixom is collaborating with the company to reduce the contaminants produced. However, as one official stated, “it’s not something they can just turn a switch on overnight.”6

PFAS Reduction: Effective Government Action

Fortunately, state governments are tackling the ongoing health challenges posed by PFAS contaminants. For example, in March, Washington became the first state to ban the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams.7

Furthermore, on September 26th, the Senate held a hearing on the national health crisis caused by PFAS drinking water. This hearing was part of a bipartisan effort to urge the EPA to regulate PFAS across the United States.8 As Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI), a co-sponsor of the House Bill, emphasized, “We cannot underestimate the seriousness of PFAS contamination in Michigan and across the country.”8

In addition, U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to hold several federal agencies accountable for addressing PFAS contamination on military bases across the U.S.9 Also, they strongly support the PFAS Accountability Act (S. 3381), which sets non-negotiable deadlines and reporting requirements for cleaning up PFAS contamination at all federal facilities across the country, including active and decommissioned military bases.9

The future looks bright for all anti-PFAS activists across the U.S., as political influencers and the general public continuously demonstrate their commitment to reducing these harmful chemicals.

Achieving PFAS Elimination : What can you do?

1. Attend “Listening Sessions” in your local area if available. “Listening Sessions” have been established and implemented by the EPA for communities affected by PFAS across the country.9
2. Reach out to your local government representatives to ensure the public’s outcry against the harmful contaminants is taken seriously, your voice is heard, and that justice prevails.
3. Ensure everyone in your community is aware of the harm caused by PFAS, to humans,animals and the environment alike, by giving information such as this article to those who may not be aware of the dangers posed by the contaminants.
4. Consider donating to Save the WaterTM.

References

1. Water Online. September 21, 2018. “Governor Wolf Takes Executive Action to Address PFAS Concerns and Protect Pennsylvanians.” Water Online. https://bit.ly/2AdOUk8
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. August 13, 2018. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Your Health.” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html
3. Suraj Rajendran. October 27, 2016. “PFAs: Toxins for 6 Million People.” Save the Water. http://savethewater.org/2016/11/07/toxin-6-million-people/
4. Erin Fee. September 17, 2018. “PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the National Spotlight.” Save the Water. http://savethewater.org/2018/09/17/pfas-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-national-spotlight/
5. Mary Ellen Geist. September 5, 2018. “Do Not Eat” Fish Advisory extended to Lake Erie.” Great Lakes Now. https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2018/09/pfas-all-fish-in-michigans-huron-river-unsafe-to-eat/
6. Paula Gardner. September 24, 2018. “‘Astronomical’ PFAS Level Sets New Michigan Contamination Milestone.” MLive. https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/09/astronomical_pfas_contaminatio.html
7. Alex Formuzis. September 24, 2018. “Congress Poised to Act to Reduce Major Source of PFAS Chemicals in Drinking Water.” The Environmental Working Group. https://bit.ly/2NMhsVE
8. Alison Cagle. September 27, 2018. “Senate Hears Testimony on Regulating PFAS Contaminants.” Sierra. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/senate-hears-testimony-regulating-pfas-contaminants
9. Water Online. August 24, 2018. “Peters, Stabenow, Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Hold Federal Agencies Accountable for Addressing PFAS Contamination at Military Bases across the Country.” Water Online. https://bit.ly/2Es64yO

This September, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee and the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management will hold hearings on per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances.1, 2 After the highly publicized contamination of drinking water in Michigan communities, the U.S. government has finally begun to move on this widespread hazard. Like the lead in Michigan, PFAS are contaminants, meaning a substance that can hurt the environment and humans. Here’s what you need to know about where these contaminants come from, why they are currently found in the bodies of most Americans, and how they pose various health risks.

What is a PFAS? It is a pervasive, mobile, and persistent chemical that is used in many consumer products.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have saturated our everyday lives since their invention in the 1950s. For example, consumer products advertised as non-stick, stain-resistant, or water-repellant probably contain PFAS.3 Also, we have them in some types of paints, waxes, cleaning products, packaging, and firefighting foams. In addition, facilities involved in electronics production, oil recovery, and chrome plating use PFAS.4

Don’t assume that PFAS is confined to those products and industries, however. In brief, Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member Rula A. Deeb put it simply: these chemicals are extraordinarily “mobile and persistent.”5 For example, firefighting foams and PFAS products do not simply dissolve into nothing after use. Instead, they linger and leach into the soil and water. On top of this, these substances never break down. Now, we have no way to efficiently remove them. For that reason, they have plenty of time to spread across incredible distances.

As a result, these chemicals have entered our bodies through what we eat, drink, and breathe. Most noteworthy, national studies have found PFAS-classified chemicals in over 99% of people sampled.6 Even newborns show traces of PFAS.7

What Does This Mean? PFAS has harmful health effects. Children are especially vulnerable.

Because of the above statistics, chances are high that PFAS is present to some extent in your body. But should we be concerned? Yes, we should be. To illustrate, Save the WaterTM staff writer Suraj Rajendran documented several health issues linked to PFAS exposure in adult and adolescent populations here. In summary, the presence of these chemicals correlates with high cholesterol, cancer, reproductive issues, inhibited immune system response, and obesity.8

Moreover, the latest scientific literature on PFAS paints an even more troubling picture. Above all, young children have been found to be especially vulnerable to these chemicals’ negative effects. Therefore, scientists hypothesize a reason for this that is twofold:9

1. Children are more likely to be exposed to the chemicals through ingesting dust, breastfeeding, and contact with PFAS products. To illustrate, they chew on non-stick cookware or crawl on stain-resistant fabric.
2. Children are at a critical developmental stage.

While information is still emerging, studies have found associations between PFAS exposure in children and several harmful health effects such as:

• Dyslipidemia
• Reduced vaccine effectiveness
• Less effective immune response
• Less effective renal function
• Delayed puberty

According to a 2017 review by Kristen Rappazzo, Evan Coffman, and Erin Hines, an analysis of 64 studies on children and PFAS concluded that scientists are learning that childhood exposure during developmental periods may negatively impact a person’s lifelong health. So they concluded that this is true “even at doses that have little effect in adults.”9

PFAS Today: Government Action

As scientific data repeatedly verifies that PFAS exposure is a reality to be taken seriously, concerned citizens have called for increasing governmental regulations and investigations. Now, meaning as of September 2018, incidents have catapulted PFAS from relative obscurity and into the national spotlight.

Last month, in August of 2018, Congress enacted a law directing the U.S. Department of Defense to report on PFAS use on military bases and surrounding communities.10 In addition, the new law requires the Department of Defense to assess the human health effects of PFAS exposure.10 Now, three other bills are moving through the U.S. Senate and one bill is moving through the U.S. House of Representatives to regulate PFAS.11

In addition, subcommittees of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate will hold hearings this month on PFAS as a response to events in Michigan. In that state, the local government issued warnings to two communities in Kalamazoo County to stop drinking or cooking with water because of contamination. Moreover, Michigan representatives have also co-sponsored a House bill that would require the Environmental Protection Agency to set containment goals and establish PFAS-contaminated drinking water standards. Meanwhile, Senator Debbie Stabenow has introduced bills for mandatory contamination reporting, enforced cleanup deadlines, and the dedication of funds toward developing PFAS detection technology.1

PFAS Today: What You Can Do

Lastly, issues such as PFAS contamination can frustrate and frighten the average citizen because the future largely depends on governmental or corporate actions rather than individual action. But as the outcry from Michigan has demonstrated, local experiences can direct the flow of policy. Above all, here are three things you can do now:

1. Please consider donating to Save the WaterTM as we follow these stories.
2. Contact your local government to ask what they are doing about PFAS in your water.
3. Contact your members of Congress to let them know that this an issue important to you.

References

1. Melissa Burke. August 31, 2018. “U.S. House panel set to hold hearing on PFAS contamination.” The Detroit News. https://detne.ws/2Cdn0rL
2. Leonard N. Fleming. August 23, 2018. “Peters plans hearing on PFAS contamination.” The Detroit News. https://detne.ws/2MNFinx
3. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. January 10, 2018. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Your Health.” ATSDR. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/overview.html
4. United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Basic Information on PFAS.” EPA. https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas
5. Rula Deeb. May 17, 2018. “Overview of PFAS Technical and Regulatory Issues.” https://bit.ly/2O7rYb2
6. Kristen Rappazzo, Evan Coffman, & Erin P. Hines. July 2017. “Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances and Health Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(7). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551129/
7. PR Newswire. August 8, 2018. “Green Science Policy: Decades-long cover up led to current widespread drinking water contamination.” PR Newswire. https://prn.to/2NOrJl8
8. Suraj Rajendran. October 27, 2016. “PFAs: Toxins for 6 Million People.” Save the Water. http://savethewater.org/2016/11/07/toxin-6-million-people/
9. Kerstin Winkens, Robin Vestergren, Urs Berger & Ian T. Cousins. June 2017. “Early life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs): A critical review.” Emerging Contaminants, 3(2), 55-68. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405665017300033
10. “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.” August 13, 2018. Pub.L. No. 115-232. Congress.gov.
11. Congress.gov.>/li>

A recent study has shown that over six million Americans are using drinking water supplies that contain perilous levels of industrial chemicals, most of which are carcinogenic and can cause a myriad of health problems. What are these high-risk chemicals? They are commonly known as PFASs (scientifically speaking, they’re called polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances) and have been historically used in a variety of items including, but not limited to, non-stick cookware, food wrappers, firefighting foam, and food wrappers. As for the health issues they are linked to, the main ones tend to be hormone disruption, high cholesterol, certain types of cancer, and obesity. “PFASs are a group of persistent manmade chemicals that have been in use since 60 years ago,” said lead study author Xindi Hu, a public health and engineering researcher at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.1

All this sounding familiar? It should be, if you’ve been following up on the news revolving PFOSs and PFCs. PFASs are a subsection of the large group of PFCs. PFOSs are a type of PFAS. This unpleasant family is often said to be rather difficult to study. That being said, it is important to know some of the specifics of PFASs as they are the most widespread manmade contaminant in the world.2

Polyfluroalkyl Substances and Their Effects

As said by Hu, PFASs are persistent, meaning that they stay in the environment for an extended period of time. By having the ability to “persist” in the environment, they are able to accumulate into concentrated amounts, sometimes enough to cause harmful, even lethal, effects on organisms. Perfluoroalkyl substances can be found in many environmental mediums, be it water, soil, or the inside of a living organism. Usually these organisms are vertebrates such as fish, birds, and mammals. PFOSs and PFOAs (which are also a type of PFA) are the most common, by far. Reports claim that there are concentrations of each chemical in the kidneys, liver, breast milk, and blood of every human being on Earth.2 Now you may be asking, what is the difference between PFOSs and PFOAs? Avoiding all the intricate advanced chemistry details, the differences lie within the atomic bonds of each of the chemicals. The two chemicals listed differ in the number of carbon atoms they contain.2

Certain studies show that the harmful effects of PFASs on the general human population are low because of the low levels of exposure to extremely high concentrations. It might be true that workers that come into contact with PFASs (due to their job) may have a high chance of contracting a disease, but the overall population is only subject to concentrations that are a 100 times lower. Of course, there is a catch, in this case, many catches. Experiments on animals indicate that PFASs can have potential effects of growth development, reproduction, and suppression of the immune system response. And as said before, PFASs are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds. It seems only logical that the general society know a bit more about these dangerous chemicals.2

Scope of the Issue

“Most current wastewater treatment processes do not effectively remove PFASs,” Hu said. “The problem may be much more widespread than the current study findings suggest because researchers lacked data on drinking water from smaller public water systems and private wells that serve about one-third of the U.S. population – about 100 million people.”1

To survey what number of individuals might be subjected to PFASs in drinking water supplies, experts took a gander at types of six sorts of PFA in more than 36,000 water tests gathered across the country by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.T3 These tests were held between 2013 and 2015. Additionally, they took a look at industrial centers that create or use PFASs: military training bases, airport terminals, and wastewater treatment plants. Pollution discharges from the latter—which can’t expel PFASs from wastewater by using standard treatment strategies—could contaminate groundwater.

Drinking water from 13 states represented 75 percent of the perilous supply, mostly in California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Sixty-six of the populations’ water supplies analyzed had no less than one water test that was at or above what the EPA considers alright for human use/consumption. One limitation of the study is that scientists needed information on to what extent individuals lived in regions supplied by polluted water and the amount of this water individuals actually drank.1 After all, the danger of PFASs is that its numerous health issues are connected to long-term exposure.

An accompanying Harvard study has also suggested that teens exposed to PFASs tend to have lower levels of antibodies against diseases such as diphtheria and tetanus, even if vaccinations were received. What’s more, the evidence points toward the antibody problem persisting as the teens grow older. “So the negative effects on immune functions appear to be lasting,” Grandjean, author of the Harvard study states. “Sadly, there is very little that an exposed resident can do, once the exposure has led to an increased amount of PFASs in the body.”4

It seems quite obvious the PFASs and its family of toxins are a serious problem to our society. Now it’s up to us to decide what to do in order to fight this overbearing enemy.

References

1. Julie Fidlr. 2016 “Your Tap Water Is Likely Contaminated With Industrial Chemicals.” Natural Society. http://naturalsociety.com/tap-water-likely-contaminated-industrial-chemicals-6223/
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. August 16, 2016. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Your Health.” http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfc/health_effects_pfcs.html
3. Environmental Protection Agency. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) under TSCA.” http://bit.ly/1VvN4jj
4. L Rapaport. 2016. “Toxic chemicals in drinking water for six million Americans.”Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-pollution-water-idUSKCN10K1VK