USA: More evidence comes to light on the devastating impacts of PFAS

There are more than 7 million PFAS and over 21 million fluorinated compounds listed in PubChem (2023).
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USA: More evidence comes to light on the devastating impacts of PFAS

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More evidence comes to light on the devastating impacts of PFAS

The Oceola Sun - May 15, 2022

By Nealy Corcoran, Editor

The Guardian recently published an article based on a report that found ‘Forever chemicals’ may have polluted 20 million acres of cropland in the United States.

Forever chemicals refer to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of about 9,000 compounds used to make products heat, water or stain-resistant. PFA’s are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t naturally break down, they have been linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, liver problems, birth defects, immunosuppression and more.

The article indicates that cropland may be contaminated from PFAS-tainted sewage sludge that has been used as fertilizer. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted the analysis in an attempt to understand the scope of cropland contamination stemming from sewage sludge, or biosolids.

The article explains that regulators don’t require sludge to be tested for PFAS or closely track where its spread, and public health advocates warn the practice is poisoning the nation’s food supply.

Furthermore, dozens of industries use PFAS in thousands of consumer products, and often discharge the chemicals into the nation’s sewer system.

According to EWG’s legislative policy director, Scott Faber, the full scope of the contamination problem created by PFAS in sludge, and we may never know, because EPA has not made it a priority for states and local governments to track, test and report on.

Sludge is a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process that’s a mix of human excrement and industrial waste, like PFAS, that’s discharged from industry’s pipes. Sludge disposal can be expensive so the waste management industry is increasingly repackaging it as fertilizer because excrement is rich in plant nutrients.

EPA records show over 19 billion pounds of sludge has been used as fertilizer since 2016 in the 41 states where the agency tracks the amount of sludge that’s spread, but not the location. It’s estimated that 60% of the nation’s sludge is spread on cropland or other fields annually.

The story got my attention because it is one of many stories that have come out in recent years related to forever chemicals. About six years ago there was a troubling headline about how PFA’s had been detected in the drinking water at military bases.

Before that, there was a major incident involving 3M located in Minnesota. I happened to be working at a hospital in the area and one day we received a mass email that informed us that for a time, we should not drink water or provide it to patients because it had been deemed unsafe.

On Feb. 20, 2018, the state of Minnesota settled its lawsuit against the 3M Company in return for a settlement of $850 million. Minnesota’s attorney general sued 3M in 2010 alleging that the company’s production of chemicals known as PFAS had damaged drinking water and natural resources in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. After legal and other expenses are paid, about $720 million will be invested in drinking water and natural resource projects in the Twin Cities east metropolitan region.

Additionally. Last year the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency released a report that found PFA’s in the tissue of fish, and the department continues to monitor the level of forever chemicals in area lakes and rivers.

I know that there is plenty of bad news to be found, especially if you go looking for it. However, the recurring issues and the evidence that supports how truly dangerous these chemicals are and the devastating impact they have on our health and environment is truly disconcerting.

The motivation for sharing this is to raise awareness, encourage education and hopefully inspire action.

SOURCE:
https://www.osceolasun.com/opinion/colu ... user-share
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