PFAS, nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they last so long in the environment, have been linked to a wide range of harmful health effects.
The study focused on four types of PFAS, including theperfluorooctanoic acid . This chemical is no longer made in the U.S., but people can still be exposed to them — as the researchers noted.
"Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources," Cousins added.Researchers at the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, say they have found high levels of toxic chemicals known as PFAS in rainwater, in some parts of the U.S.
They warned that problems associated with forever chemicals "are likely to be only the tip of the iceberg" given that there are many thousands of PFAS — "and the risks associated with most of them are unknown."The researchers called for rapidly restricting the uses of PFAS wherever possible. "The vast amounts that it will cost to reduce PFAS in drinking water to levels that are safe based on current scientific understanding need to be paid by the industry producing and using these toxic chemicals," Muncke added. "The time to act is now."EPA launched a broad strategy to limit pollution
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