PFAS contamination

November 10, 2023

EPA data shows US toxic PFAS waste problem is worsening, watchdog group says

By Shannon Kelleher

The average amount of waste containing toxic PFAS chemicals that is shipped around the US each month has almost quadrupled since 2018, according to an analysis of government data by a watchdog group.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data points to about 10,344 shipments totaling almost 27 million kilograms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) waste in the last five years, since the agency first began collecting the data.

The findings, released Nov. 9, reflect “a small percentage, we believe, of the amount of PFAS waste that is being generated, transported, stored, and disposed of in the US,” said Tim Whitehouse, executive director of the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), which authored the report. “There’s no reporting requirement.”

The EPA data supports the need for the agency to regulate PFAS under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C, which authorizes the agency to set regulatory standards for the management of hazardous waste from “cradle to grave,” says the report. PEER and the Environmental Law Clinic at Berkeley, on behalf of the Green Science Policy Institute and community groups around the country, petitioned the EPA in 2019 and 2020 to regulate PFAS as hazardous waste.

The EPA did not respond to request for comment.

Exposure to PFAS “forever chemicals,” which do not break down naturally, has been linked to health problems including thyroid, kidney, and testicular cancer, as well as ulcerative colitis, high cholesterol, and hypertension during pregnancy. About 97% of Americans have PFAS in their blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control. People are exposed to the chemicals in water or food, the air they breathe, or from using products made with PFAS.

October 26, 2023

PFAS chemicals linked to thyroid cancer, human data suggests

By Shannon Kelleher

Exposure to some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may increase thyroid cancer risk, according to a study published Tuesday.

The analysis, which compared blood samples from 88 people who developed thyroid cancer with samples from people who did not, is the first to document an association between PFAS and thyroid cancer, which had been previously hypothesized. Past research has linked these endocrine-disrupting chemicals to thyroid disease, a condition in which the gland produces too many or too few hormones. The new research adds to a growing list of health problems linked to PFAS, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, high cholesterol, and hypertension during pregnancy.

The study, which looked at eight different types of so-called “forever chemicals,” found that doubly high levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the blood corresponded with a 56% higher risk for thyroid cancer diagnosis. The PFAS chemicals perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctylphosphonic acid (PFOPA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) were also found to be associated with thyroid cancer.

“Although preliminary, this is an important study highlighting the risk of thyroid cancer derived from PFAS contamination of water and soil,” said Luca Chiavato, a professor of endocrinology at the University of Pavia in Italy who was not involved with the study.

July 7, 2023

Nearly half of US drinking water contains toxic PFAS chemicals, study finds

By Shannon Kelleher

At least 45% of US tap water is contaminated with harmful synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a new federal study estimates.

The study, which was conducted by the US Geological Survey (USGS), also supports previous findings that people in urban areas are more likely to be exposed to PFAS in their drinking water than those in rural places. The analysis found similar PFAS concentrations in public and private water and marks the first study to test for the chemicals in tap water from both sources across the country, the USGS said in a press release this week.

“It’s valuable to have this study, which does have at least one data point in every one of the 50 states and Puerto Rico, to attempt to measure contamination at a truly nationwide level,” said Alissa Cordner, Co-Director of the PFAS Project Lab at Northeastern University and an associate professor of sociology at Whitman College. “There’s really a need for more systematic private well testing across the country,” she added.

There are more than 12,000 types of PFAS chemicals, which are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down. PFAS have been linked to health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and kidney disease. The chemicals have been applied to many popular consumer goods and can leach into drinking water from industrial sites, sewage treatment plants, landfills, or certain firefighting foams. A 2022 analysis found detectable levels of PFAS in about 83% of US waterways.

Concerns about widespread PFAS contamination has led to recent measures to reduce exposure to the harmful chemicals, including proposed national drinking water standards for six PFAS released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March. At the end of June, the agency announced a new framework to prevent some new PFAS chemicals from entering the market. The chemical giants 3M, Dupont, and others recently agreed to settlements that may provide affected communities with billions of dollars to test for the toxic chemicals and remove them from their drinking water.