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At least 45% of tap water in the United States is contaminated with PFAS, dubbed the “eternal pollutants”, according to a large study by a US government agency, which points to even higher contamination in urban areas.
Perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) are a family of synthetic chemical compounds harmful to health, which according to studies may be linked to certain cancers or other diseases. These pollutants, which owe their nickname “eternal” to their very long life cycle, can end up in industrial discharges and landfills and thus contaminate various water sources. If exposed over a long period, they can accumulate in the human body.
Contaminated urban areas
“The United States Geological Institute (USGS) study is the first to compare the presence of PFAS in water distributed by both private and public suppliers on a nationwide scale”Kelly Smalling, lead author of the study, told AFP on Friday.
In its study, published in the journal Environment International, the USGS estimates a 75% chance of finding PFAS in water in urban areas compared to 25% in rural areas. “USGS scientists tested samples of water collected directly from faucets in kitchens across the country”said Kelly Smalling, researcher at the USGS. “PFAS concentrations from public reserves and private wells were similar”she added, adding that the research had focused on 32 types of PFAS, out of more than 12,000, some of which are not detectable by current technologies.
The research team collected samples from more than 700 representative locations. Exposure risks were greatest on the US east and west coasts, as well as in the Great Lakes region to the northeast.
Recommended filters
The American authorities announced in March the establishment of standards to limit the levels of pollution of certain PFAS in running water. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that installing filters on faucets can be effective. Drinking bottled water is not necessarily a solution, however, as another USGS study in 2022 showed that it could contain harmful compounds, such as lead, arsenic or uranium. .
The American group 3M, already implicated in particular in Belgium and the Netherlands, announced last month that it would pay up to 12.5 billion dollars to put an end to the lawsuits initiated in the United States by several public networks. drinking water supply for PFAS contamination. The company said it plans to stop the production of these pollutants by the end of 2025. Three other American groups, Chemours, DuPont and Corteva, concluded in June an agreement of nearly 1.2 billion dollars, in order to avoid lawsuits for the contamination of drinking water in the United States by PFAS.