Latest news with #PFASStrategicRoadmap
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Landfill sparks alarm after test reveals toxic chemicals exceed safe limits: 'The plume size is completely unknown'
A landfill in Central Washington that was tested for elevated levels of toxic "forever chemicals" could be contaminating the local water supply and endangering residents. Advocacy group Friends of Rocky Top had previously called out other environmental problems at the Rocky Top Environmental landfill near Yakima, per Northwest Public Broadcasting. The concerns included fire, pungent odors, and airborne litter. Now, it's worried that soil tainted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and dumped at the site has contaminated groundwater. In response to protests by the group, the landfill set up monitoring wells, and testing showed PFAS levels surpassed cleanup levels. One well tested at 21 nanograms per liter; the Environmental Protection Agency considers levels of 4 nanograms per liter too high, per the report. "The amount of the contamination and the plume size is completely unknown," said Scott Cave, a consultant for Friends of Rocky Top, according to Northwest Public Broadcasting. "We have no idea where that plume is gone or if we're even going to find it in neighbors' wells." PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that are found in a variety of consumer products including nonstick cookware and water-repellent clothing along with firefighting foams. Exposure to these substances has been associated with a number of negative health impacts. For instance, one study found that exposure to PFAS through drinking water before birth could lead to an increased risk of childhood cancers. Another paper tied these chemicals to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Meanwhile, these chemicals are all around us. For instance, one study found that over 20% of Americans may be exposed to detectable levels of PFAS in their tap water, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says most Americans have been exposed to PFAS and have it in their blood. In April 2024, the EPA issued its first national and legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS, part of the agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap. However, it is unknown how the EPA will move forward with PFAS regulations under the Trump administration. For instance, in February, the administration rescinded a proposed rule that would have set national limits on the discharge of PFAS into waterways. However, some states are taking action to protect residents. For one, Minnesota recently enacted a law that prohibits the willful addition of PFAS to 11 product categories, including cleaners, mattresses, automotive maintenance products, cookware, and other items. The law will expand to ban nearly all uses of PFAS by 2032. You can help reduce your exposure by opting for PFAS-free brands and limiting your purchases of nonstick cookware as well as stain- and water-resistant clothing. What source of air pollution do you worry most about at home? Wildfires Gas stove Fireplace Something else Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists uncover troubling health impacts of common household products on children: 'Vulnerable developing brains'
New research has discovered a troubling link between toxic chemicals found in everyday products and healthy brain development in children, adding to growing concerns about PFAS exposure. A study published in Environmental Research found a potential relationship between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — better known as PFAS — during pregnancy and children's brain development. The study followed 84 mother-and-child pairs through pregnancy until the children turned six. Researchers measured the mothers' PFAS exposure via blood draws. They also monitored each child's brain development with MRIs at two and six years of age. PFAS exposure during pregnancy was associated with white-matter alterations in the children's brains. White matter helps with learning and processing information, and research has shown that white matter can impact cognitive development even more than gray matter. "Overall, our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to PFAS can alter the structural properties of major white matter tracts in the brain and this may be associated with neurodevelopmental vulnerability," the researchers said in the study's text. PFAS are toxic chemicals in many everyday household products, like clothing, nonstick cookware, food packaging, and personal care products, like shampoo. PFAS are also known as "forever chemicals" because they can take up to thousands of years to break down in the environment, and our bodies can't break them down. By spreading awareness of the impacts of PFAS exposure during pregnancy, families can advocate for stronger regulations to limit these harmful chemicals. As research continues to uncover PFAS-related health risks, proactivity can help keep future generations healthier. The study's researchers stated in the article, "To protect the vulnerable developing brains of children, there is an urgent need for researchers and policy makers to work together to inform the conduct of rigorous epidemiological studies that examine the associations between multiple environmental chemical exposures and developmental alterations." Several countries, including Denmark and Germany, have restricted certain PFAS and are working to ban them altogether, save for a few uses, like batteries. The United States Environmental Protection Agency implemented a PFAS Strategic Roadmap in 2021, detailing its steps toward reducing PFAS in the environment. Its efforts include creating a standard to reduce PFAS in drinking water and regulating PFAS in products we buy. Brands are also joining the cause. For example, Restaurant Brands International promised to eliminate PFAS added to packaging by 2025. And Yum! Brands has committed to removing added PFAS, phthalates, and BPA from its packaging by the end of 2025. As a consumer, you can support proposed legislation to regulate PFAS by commenting on rules listed on Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
