PFAS IN THE NEWS

PFAS IN THE NEWS
By Pierre Mouchette | Bits-n-Pieces

​You have seen the TV commercials and the headlines in your local newspapers.  PFAS In Drinking Water!  Now shedding light on the reality that drinking water is one of Americans' most common ways of exposure to these toxic chemicals. 

​It is estimated that more than 2,000 communities are drinking water with toxic levels of chemicals.  And more than 200 million Americans could have PFAS in their drinking water.  Communities across 50 states are affected.  But the communities hit hardest with contamination are often those near military bases, where foams with PFAS have fought jet-fuel fires for decades.
 
What Health Problems Are Associated With PFAS
Long-term exposure to PFAS has been linked to many health issues, including:

• Altered immune system - studies have found that PFAS alters the immune system, diminishing the body's ability to fight disease or respond to a vaccine.  In 2016, the National Toxicology Program concluded that two PFAS, PFOS and PFOA, are an immune hazard to humans.
  
  
• Cancer - there is compelling evidence that PFAS exposure increases the risk of developing kidney, prostate, testicular, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. 
  
  
• Impaired fetal development - studies have found a link between exposure to PFAS and miscarriage, preeclampsia, and poor fetal growth.
  
  
• Thyroid disorders - PFAS are known to disrupt the hormone system.  It is thought that exposure to PFAS lowers total T4, a thyroid hormone that, when low, can be a sign of hypothyroidism.
  
  
• Worsened COVID-19 - studies suggest that higher exposure to PFAS may increase the likelihood of COVID-19.  Other studies suggest that it makes the illness more deadly.
  
  

 

Get Your FREE Copy of EWG's Guide To Avoiding PFAS Chemicals