Nearly half of the US have toxic PFAs in drinking water
New data released by EPA shows that almost half of the US is “permanently chemical” or PFA contaminated water drinking water
Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images
New data published by the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that there are more than 158 million people in the US Drinking water contaminated by toxic “traditional chemicals Scientifically known as perfluoroalkol and polyfluoroal substances (PFAS).
“Drinking water is the main source of PFA exposure. These chemicals shows that these chemicals are present in most U.S. water supplies, the Deputy Director of Research (EWG), Nonprofit Advocacy Organization. Last Press Release.
What are PFA?
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There are more than 9,000 PFA compounds, which are more than 600 of them are used in many ordinary products, from cuisine to pesticide pesticides.
These compounds have a very strong connection to carbon fluorus, which means that they are very stable and it means that grease and water is useful. The strength of this bond is a part of what they become a dangerous pollutant.
Why are they dangerous PFAS?
The stability of PFAS molecules means that they do not biodegraded in the environment and can build and build years and build and build for decades, from there “permanently chemical products”.
Several PFA compounds have been associated with an important health problem, including certain cancer, reproductive disorders, thyroid disease and weak immune systems. Testing disease control and prevention centers 99 percent of the US people, including newborn babies, have PFAS in the bloodstream.
Where did the EPA find PFAS?
EPA requires US water utilities to test 29 composite PFA. The latest results of this work show that there are 15 million more inhabitants that these compounds reported in drinking water. More data is expected to be expected in the coming months because only 57% of the water system has reported the entire test result in March.
The currently available results are the most popular number of people in the US under the influence of PFA, 158 million from drinking water, which is almost 340 million in half of the national population. PFA contamination is found in drinking water in 50 states, Washington, DC and the four-US territories.
How do they get in the PFAS environment?
PFAs can access the environment through industrial facilities and contaminants spilled in rivers and lakes, as well as foam firefighters. Experts are also worried Pesticides with PFAS They are growing to the problem.
Does the EP regulates PFA?
In 2024 EPA completed a rule in drinking to set limits for six composite PFA Pfas placed under the administration of Biden-Harris as part of a strategic path page. The rules spend three years of testing and two years to remove PFA drinking water. “This action will avoid thousands of death and will reduce thousands of thousands of serious diseases,” he said when Michael Regan was announced in the last April.
In another rule, two of the most harmful PFA, PFO (Perfluoroic acid) and PFO (PerfluorooroOroctanentic acid) were labeled “dangerous substances”. This designation has allowed the use of superfund money to clean the infected sites.
It is not clear that today’s Trump Administration is trying to negate or weaken these rules as part of a wider epa deregulation campaign. Some states had PFAS regulations that the EPA implemented EPA still confirmed the standards of the agency. However, the test is launched, 53 million people would be above the current EPA limits in the States of the PFA regulations.
How to avoid PFA
Some availability already treats water for PF, using filters with granulated coal or reverse osmosis membranes. Some home filters are also designed to reduce PFA levels, but the regular filter substitute is key, EWG has tested several filters.
